Stylistically, Unseen is a pretty decent film.
It's got a bit of a cult vibe to it.
And the idea is pretty cool - a legally (though, not fully) blind woman, having been taken hostage by her psychopathic ex boyfriend, escapes, and gets lost wandering aimlessly in the woods, while trying to find her way to safety.
But conceptually, it's inherently flawed.
Mainly, because...if you were trying to escape from someone in the woods...the first rule of survival would to be as quiet as humanly possible.
Not talking incessantly on your phone at full volume, shooting the shizz with the random convenience store clerk you accidentally called to help you navigate your way back to civilization.
Humourously, most of the tension arises from the banal issues the convenience store clerk must deal with- in her bid to help save her new friend- as opposed to the situation the woman actually fleeing for her life finds herself in.
While, ironically, it's the psychopath stalker who ends up taking the brunt of the physical punishment.
The fact that everything is flipped on it's head, makes for quite a fun and engaging film.
So you quickly forget about it's more fatal flaws - like how her phone still works after falling into the river.
And just roll with the punches.
Because it's more rewarding to focus on what works...than dwell on the bits that don't, because they are completely implausible.
No matter which way you look at it, however...you've got to admit...it's pretty damn entertaining.
With lots of action, a decent amount of tension, and some truly hilarious scenarios.
So if you can go into it with an open mind, you're sure to enjoy yourself.
And leave knowing...that not all heroes wear smocks.
But some do.
5.5 out of 10.
Unseen
2023
Action / Comedy / Horror / Thriller
Unseen
2023
Action / Comedy / Horror / Thriller
Plot summary
Sam receives a call from Emily, a near blind woman who is running from her murderous ex in the woods. Can she survive using Sam as her eyes via video call?
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
March 23, 2023 at 02:41 PM
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEBMovie Reviews
Flawed, But Fun.
Wow...
When I opted to sit down and watch the 2023 thriller "Unseen", I had actually never heard about the movie. But the movie's synopsis sounded interesting enough, and the cover definitely was an eye-catcher. So yeah, of course I opted to sit down and watch what director Yoko Okumura had to offer.
And color me impressed. I wasn't really expecting such an entertaining movie. The storyline in "Unseen", as written by Salvatore Cardoni and Brian Rawlins, was such a refreshing approach to the stalked-in-the-woods type of movie. I really enjoyed the whole aspect of Emily (played by Midori Francis) having poor eyesight and having to rely on the eyes of Sam (played by Jolene Purdy) through video call on a battered mobile phone. It was quite a nice way of adding a very modern element, and a very well-functioning element I might add, to the movie.
I wasn't familiar with leading actresses Midori Francis and Jolene Purdy, but they really carried the movie quite well with their performances. I definitely was impressed with what I saw on the screen. The movie also has a nice appearance by Missi Pyle, whom was the only familiar face on the cast list for me.
Visually then director Yoko Okumura makes good use of distorted and blurred lenses to illustrate Emily's vision as she stumbled through the forest, depending on the eyes of Sam on the other end of the video call. "Unseen" is not a movie that uses an abundance of special effects, nor does it need to do so, as "Unseen" is a well-functioning psychological thriller. And it sort of gets under your skin and makes you feel like you're right there in the forest alongside with Emily.
I was genuinely surprised with the entertainment level from "Unseen", and it is a movie that I warmly recommend you to sit down and watch. I was genuinely and wholeheartedly entertained from beginning to end of this movie from director Yoko Okumura.
My rating of "Unseen" lands on a well-deserved seven out of ten stars.
A Surprising Delight
There are tons of movies lately being made / written / starring so called minorities and / or women. I guess it's a backer push for equity. Most of these films are pretty bad, so I went into streaming this with that in mind.
What a surpise. It's actually pretty decent. Yes, there are plently of holes in the plot and a few poorly rendered characters, and some under par acting here and there, but I have to say: it's nonetheless well made.
The director keeps the tension tight throughout -- even when a particular scene might be really silly, or unbelieveable.
I also liked how the two main female characters grow from each other by the end of the film.
Overall, I say it's worth a watch.