Netflix's 'Unabomber' Walks a Fine Line Between Explaining and Excusing

Netflix's "Unabomber" is a film that takes a unique approach to storytelling, presenting the events in the present tense. The movie follows FBI agent Joanne Miller as she takes on a case that has stumped her male counterparts for years.

The film splits its time between Miller's investigation and the education of young Ted Kaczynski at Harvard University, which begins in 1958.

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The film examining the events leading up to the 1994 bombing in suburban New Jersey. There, Susan Mosser delivers a package to her husband, Tom, who is a victim of the Unabomber's attacks. The movie presents a complex and nuanced portrayal of Tom, who is both relatable and despicable.

The film's cinematography gives the university a distinctive look, reminiscent of Ivy League memoir films.

The young Ted Kaczynski is a socially awkward and possibly asexual individual who is taken under the wing of professor Henry Murray. Whose psychological experiments aim to explain the brainwashing of American POWs during the Korean War. Murray's true intentions are revealed as he manipulates his students, including Kaczynski, for his own gain.

It is Miller, backed by the suspicions of Kaczynski's brother, David, who suggests that the stylistic similarities between the manifesto and other Kaczynski writings may be the link between the Unabomber and the individual sending IEDs through the mail. The breakthrough is attributed to the team's efforts, with Criminal profiler James R. Fitzgerald playing a important step in the investigation.

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The film's portrayal of Kaczynski's indoctrination at Harvard is a topic of debate. While the movie walks a fine line between explaining and excusing, the opening sequence effectively conveys the tension and foreboding that precedes the bombing. The scene, which shows Susan Mosser delivering a package to her husband, sets the tone for the rest of the film.

The film's tension is heightened by Marco Beltrami's music, which amplifies the sense of unease and anticipation. Despite the complexity of the characters and the moral ambiguity of the story, the film manages to elicit sympathy for the right characters, even if the heroine is fictional and the young actor's portrayal of frustration and rage may be too sympathetic.