‘Unabomber’ Review: Netflix Explores the Life of Ted Kaczynski with Mixed Results

Ted Kaczynski has been a subject of public fascination for over thirty years, often referenced online as a symbol of anti-technology sentiment, even by those who may not know much about his story. Netflix’s ‘Unabomber’ aims to shed light on this complex figure, tracing Kaczynski from his days as a sixteen-year-old math prodigy at Harvard to the reclusive figure the FBI pursued for nearly two decades. Jacob Tremblay portrays the young Kaczynski, while Russell Crowe plays the professor who mentors him, and Shailene Woodley takes on the role of the agent tracking him down years later. The film divides its runtime nearly equally between these two timelines.

This narrative structure is a bold choice, and it’s worth considering before evaluating its effectiveness. The film does not conform to a traditional biopic or a straightforward manhunt thriller; instead, it attempts to weave both narratives together, alternating between the campus and the cabin as if the two timelines are in dialogue.

However, this dialogue often feels one-sided, which is where my patience for ‘Unabomber’ began to wane. The Harvard segments serve as the film’s core, focusing on a young man gradually being dismantled by an overbearing mentor. Tremblay delivers a haunting performance that captures this unraveling with a stillness that is unsettling. Crowe matches him with a performance that exudes warmth on the surface but harbors something colder beneath, and whenever the film remains in this timeline, it generates real tension and commentary on how institutions can shape a mind without accountability.

Conversely, the manhunt narrative fails to capture the same level of engagement. Woodley, a capable actress, is relegated to portraying a composite investigator whose scenes primarily serve to remind viewers that a hunt is occurring off-screen. Each time the film shifts back to her storyline, it feels like the momentum resets. I found myself hoping for moments where the two timelines would intersect meaningfully, where information from one era would reshape the understanding of the other, but that connection never truly materializes. Instead, the film alternates between the two out of a sense of obligation, adhering to a structural promise even when the story no longer required it.

Director Janus Metz effectively establishes a mood, utilizing cold blues and clinical framing during the experimental sequences, which enhances the psychological themes even when the script hesitates. There is a palpable reluctance to fully explore what transformed Kaczynski into a killer, with the film hinting at the professor’s influence without committing to it as a definitive explanation. As someone who anticipated a thorough exploration of causes and consequences, I found this reluctance more frustrating than responsible.

Ultimately, I walked away from the film with something, largely due to Tremblay’s performance. He portrays a teenager capable of both brilliance and cruelty without veering into caricature. Metz noted in an interview with Tudum that Tremblay’s sensitivity aligned with his vision of Kaczynski as a young student, and this nuance is evident on screen—a performance rooted in quiet discomfort rather than overt menace. It’s unfortunate that the film surrounding this performance does not fully trust its own strengths enough to delve deeper.

‘Unabomber’ shines as a character study dressed as a thriller, excelling in moments when it seems least concerned with being a thriller. The dual timeline structure detracts from material that could have resonated more powerfully as a singular, focused narrative. By the time the film reaches its inevitable conclusion, the manhunt aspect adds atmosphere but little insight. I’m giving it a 7 out of 10, a film buoyed by a genuinely unsettling lead performance and a director with a strong visual sense, yet hindered by a structure that interrupts its most compelling ideas.

Watch it for the dynamic between Tremblay and Crowe in that Harvard lab, and then share your thoughts in the comments about whether ‘Unabomber’ should have completely abandoned the manhunt timeline.