---
title: "Unhinged"
year: 2020
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/unhinged"
fi1m_id: "unhinged"
imdb_id: "tt10059518"
tmdb_id: 625568
wikidata_id: "Q85811980"
fi1m_score: 48
critics_score: 44
critics_reviews: 22
published: "2026-10-05T15:49:00.490842+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-05T15:49:00.916571+00:00"
region: "ES"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Unhinged (2020)

Directed by Derrick Borte · 1h 30m · ICAA 16 · Action, Thriller, Horror

## Identity

Unhinged

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/unhinged
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** unhinged
- **IMDb ID:** tt10059518
- **TMDB ID:** 625568
- **Wikidata ID:** Q85811980
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10059518/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/625568, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q85811980

**Fi1m score: 48** · Critics 44 from 22 reviews

*In a sentence:* Russell Crowe makes a persuasive case for letting the other driver go first

> Russell Crowe makes the driver frightening, and the chases have some bite. But *Unhinged* struggles to turn its violence into sustained suspense, leaving its capable cast with an increasingly implausible script.

## Synopsis

Rachel Flynn (Caren Pistorius) encounters the Man (Tom Cooper), played by Russell Crowe, during a dispute in traffic. She wants to carry on with her journey; he wants the encounter to continue on his terms. Kyle Flynn (Gabriel Bateman) is caught in the confrontation alongside Rachel as the driver’s anger becomes a threat. Driving away does not settle the matter. The stranger turns a roadside argument into a pursuit, forcing Rachel to find a way of getting herself and Kyle beyond his reach.

## Review

*Unhinged* has a frightening driver and too little suspense to keep him interesting for 90 minutes. Derrick Borte makes a road-rage thriller that wants an everyday encounter to feel capable of turning murderous at any moment. Russell Crowe supplies the necessary threat, and the driving sequences have enough force and clarity to hold our attention. The trouble is Carl Ellsworth’s screenplay, which repeatedly asks escalating violence to compensate for increasingly unlikely behaviour.

Crowe understands how unpleasant it is to be confronted by a man who believes his anger gives him authority. His physical bulk matters, but so does the conviction that everyone else ought to accommodate him. We felt properly uneasy during the traffic-side encounter, because Crowe makes a commonplace exchange feel impossible to end safely. Borte gives that discomfort enough time to register. For a short stretch, the situation is frightening without needing much explanation.

Caren Pistorius has the less rewarding task of playing Rachel Flynn opposite a villain allowed to dominate almost everything. We need to care about her choices for the pursuit to remain gripping, but the writing is too busy arranging the next threat. Gabriel Bateman’s Kyle Flynn and Jimmi Simpson’s Andy add people to worry about without giving the drama much room to develop. Ellsworth keeps the danger coming, yet too often the people inside it feel useful chiefly because they can be endangered.

The action is more convincing than the plotting. Brendan Galvin’s cinematography and the editing by Michael McCusker, Steve Mirkovich and Tim Mirkovich keep the driving sequences readable and make the impacts register. Borte can organise a pursuit, and those passages briefly restore the tension that the script has let slip. There is considerable skill involved in making this kind of action clear, even when the reasons for another chase are wearing thin.

David Buckley’s score has little room to build anticipation when the film is always hurrying towards another eruption. Freddy Waff’s production design never gives the surroundings much character of their own; we remember the driving more clearly than the places it passes through. Neither contribution provides much relief from the increasingly repetitive pursuit. By this point, we were tired of the threats, because each escalation made the driver’s behaviour harder to believe.

A road thriller does not need a complicated villain, and unpleasantness is hardly a fault in itself. It does need to make us believe that the people being pursued might escape, and that the person pursuing them has limits. Here, the growing implausibility makes it harder to worry. The film raises the subject of male resentment without having much to say about it. Crowe suggests a man who has made other people responsible for his disappointments, but the screenplay is content to keep finding outlets for his rage.

There is enough craft here to see why some critics have enjoyed the film as rough, quick entertainment. We cannot quite join them: the initial unease gives way to repetition, and the violence stops making the danger feel real. Crowe remains a reason to be curious, though not enough of one for us to recommend the film. Go in for him, if at all, and do not expect the script to keep up.

*Fi1m score 48, published 5 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

The reviews lean negative on Unhinged, though Russell Crowe’s threatening presence earns praise across much of the divide. Even several critics who dislike the film credit his commitment to its volatile antagonist. Supporters find a brisk, darkly funny pulp thriller, with effective driving sequences and bursts of violence that compensate for familiar plotting. Some detractors also acknowledge the action’s technical skill, but find little substance beyond the pursuit.

The spread is wide, with disagreement over both the entertainment value and the treatment of male resentment. The Guardian reads the film as an entertaining send-up of emasculated men. IndieWire instead finds it unpleasantly misogynistic and judges Crowe’s performance one-note and overdriven. Elsewhere, reservations centre on implausible plotting, thin writing and violence that becomes monotonous rather than suspenseful; even favourable reviews tend to concede that freshness and thoughtful social commentary are in short supply.

## Straight answers

**Is Unhinged worth watching?**

*Unhinged* offers a frightening Russell Crowe performance and forceful chases, but we score it 48 out of 100 and cannot recommend it. Crowe may justify a look for committed thriller fans, though the increasingly implausible script turns the initial unease into repetitive threats rather than sustained suspense.

**How long is Unhinged, and what is it rated?**

*Unhinged* runs 1h 30m and is rated 16 by the ICAA in Spain. It is an action and thriller film.

**Where can I watch Unhinged in Spain?**

*Unhinged* is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in Spain. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Unhinged, and is it suitable for children?**

*Unhinged* has a UK 15 certificate and contains escalating violence, forceful driving impacts and a frightening road-rage pursuit, making it unsuitable for children under 15. We find the traffic-side confrontation particularly unsettling because Crowe makes an ordinary disagreement feel impossible to end safely; the violence also makes it a poor choice for squeamish viewers.

**How does Unhinged compare to Wild Tales?**

*Unhinged* is the weaker choice beside [*Wild Tales*](https://film.one/film/wild-tales), which turns everyday grievances vicious with sharper humour and a broader human range. We recommend *Wild Tales* for its six funny, nasty revenge stories, though a few run long; *Unhinged* suits those more interested in a single sustained pursuit and Crowe’s threatening presence.

**What should I watch after Unhinged?**

After *Unhinged*, try [*Wild Tales*](https://film.one/film/wild-tales) (2014, Fi1m 83): Everyday grievances turn vicious, with sharper humour and a broader human range. Then [*The Wages of Fear*](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear) (1953, Fi1m 90): For road tension built from precise hazards rather than mounting casualties.

### Reviews we read (22)

- **Evening Standard**, Charlotte O'Sullivan (4/5): O’Sullivan finds the thriller an exuberantly enjoyable, pulpy treat despite its plot holes. She especially praises Russell Crowe’s performance, calling his misogynistic villain both chilling and darkly funny. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/unhinged-review-youll-love-to-loathe-russell-crowes-woman-hating-villain-a4513371.html)
- **Empire**, Christina Newland (70/100, inferred): Newland finds the film a compelling, solid genre thriller despite its lack of freshness. She singles out Russell Crowe’s hulking menace and the film’s slick pacing and bursts of shocking violence. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/unhinged/)
- **The Guardian**, Simran Hans (70/100, inferred): Hans finds the thriller entertaining and darkly funny, praising its send-up of emasculated men. She also highlights Russell Crowe’s performance as the volatile antagonist. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/aug/01/unhinged-review-darkly-funny-tale-of-road-rage)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (3/5): The review finds the road-rage thriller predictable but entertaining. It praises Russell Crowe’s enjoyably deranged performance for giving the film a lift. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/unhinged)
- **Total Film**, Matthew Leyland (3/5): Leyland calls the film trashy fun despite a predictable plot and increasingly implausible turns. He praises Russell Crowe’s snarling, gleeful performance, while noting that the finale teeters between crowd-pleasing and camp silliness. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/unhinged-review-russell-crowe/)
- **Variety**, Guy Lodge (60/100, inferred): Lodge finds the film delivers nasty B-movie thrills but offers little dramatic substance. He singles out Russell Crowe’s oversized performance and the opening scene as especially gripping. [Read](https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-1234721119/)
- **The AV Club**, A.A. Dowd (C-): Dowd pans the film as nasty, implausible pulp that fails to build suspense. He singles out Russell Crowe’s committed menace, but finds the performance one-note and unrewarding. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/russell-crowe-is-unhinged-in-a-trashy-road-rage-thrille-1844759549)
- **Radio Times**, Alan Jones (2/5): Jones dismisses the film as a far-fetched, mechanically recycled road-rage thriller. He singles out its increasingly implausible pursuit and turn into vicious slasher-style violence as faults. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-y7vz66/unhinged/)
- **IndieWire**, Kaleem Aftab (D): Aftab finds the thriller pointless, lazy, and unpleasantly misogynistic. He singles out Russell Crowe’s one-note, overdriven performance as a particular failure. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-1234577175/)
- **Screen Daily**, Wendy Ide (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film needlessly unpleasant and abrasively stressful, yet oddly monotonous. Its monotonous quality is singled out as a key complaint. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/unhinged-review/5151996.article)
- **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (30/100, inferred): Willmore finds the film a lackluster thriller that ultimately reduces its villain to a generic road-rage cautionary tale. She praises Russell Crowe’s performance for briefly making the character’s resentment and violence feel sharply connected to a larger cultural ugliness. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-russell-crowe-in-the-thriller-unhinged.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, Chuck Bowen (1/4): Bowen finds the film nihilistic, monotonous, and colossally redundant. He singles out a tense traffic-side encounter as a chilling moment, but says the film soon devolves into violence without examination. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review-unhinged-nihilistically-revels-in-violence-without-examination/)
- **The New York Times**, Jeannette Catsoulis (20/100, inferred): Catsoulis gives the thriller a negative verdict, finding it unpleasant and often laughable. The review’s complaint is that its road-rage premise produces more excess than suspense. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/movies/unhinged-review.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (12/100, inferred): Chang dismisses the film as unnecessary, crudely sadistic schlock and says it is not worth going to a theater to see. He singles out the nimble action editing and cinematography as effective amid the clichés. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2020-08-20/unhinged-review-russell-crowe)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Stephen Dalton (10/100, inferred): Dalton finds the thriller stubbornly lowbrow, dreary, and largely devoid of tension. He credits Russell Crowe’s committed performance and the car stunts, but says the film’s weak writing and affectless violence overwhelm them. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/unhinged-1305211/)
- **Consequence**, Blake Goble (70/100, inferred): Goble finds Unhinged an agreeably brisk, crass popcorn thriller, though its muddled treatment of violence and masculinity gives him pause. He especially praises Russell Crowe’s twitchy, convincing performance as the terrifying driver. [Read](https://consequence.net/2020/08/film-review-unhinged/)
- **NME** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film unsophisticated and somewhat unoriginal, but considers it tense, fast entertainment with merit. They praise Russell Crowe’s convincing villain and single out the diner scene as a highlight. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-2716071)
- **Paste**, Dom Sinacola (6.5/10): Sinacola finds the thriller’s violence and tension effective, though its social commentary lacks nuance. He singles out Russell Crowe’s imposing physical presence as the film’s real weapon. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/russell-crowe/unhinged-derrick-borte-review)
- **Film Stories**, Dan Cooper (45/100, inferred): The critic finds the thriller formulaic and disappointing overall, though gripping action makes it worth watching. The driving sequences are singled out for their taut, thrilling construction. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/unhinged-review-russell-crowe-drives-back-onto-the-big-screen/)
- **Den of Geek**, Don Kaye (2 out of 5): Kaye finds the film hollow and ultimately pointless, despite Russell Crowe’s forceful performance. He praises Crowe’s screen presence but faults the weak script and the film’s nasty, implausible slasher violence. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/unhinged-review-russell-crowe/)
- **The Wrap** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film brutal and largely unsuccessful, with little fun or meaningful insight. They single out Russell Crowe’s committed performance and the film’s energy, but say its over-the-top violence and implausible villain undermine it. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/unhinged-film-review-russell-crowe-is-a-very-bad-man-and-the-movies-not-so-good-either/)
- **HeyUGuys** (10/100, inferred): The critic finds the film painfully inept and its violence unjustified. They single out a brief car chase as momentarily engaging, but say weak writing and performances undermine the thrills. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/unhinged-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Derrick Borte
- **Director:** Derrick Borte
- **Screenplay:** Carl Ellsworth
- **Cinematography:** Brendan Galvin
- **Editor:** Michael McCusker, Steve Mirkovich, Tim Mirkovich
- **Music:** David Buckley
- **Production design:** Freddy Waff
- **Producer:** Lisa Ellzey, Andrew Gunn, Mark Gill
- **Cast:** Russell Crowe as Man (Tom Cooper); Caren Pistorius as Rachel Flynn; Gabriel Bateman as Kyle Flynn; Jimmi Simpson as Andy; Austin P. McKenzie as Fred; Juliene Joyner as Mary; Stephen Louis Grush as Leo; Anne Leighton as Deborah Haskell
- **Runtime:** 1h 30m
- **Certificate (ICAA):** 16
- **Release (Spain):** 6 January 2021
- **Genres:** Action, Thriller, Horror
- **Budget:** $33 million
- **Box office:** $39 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNJ0szhjvdM

## Where to watch in Spain

- Amazon Prime Video: streaming

*Checked 2026-10-05.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, IE, IN, IT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PL, PT, SE, SG, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Duel* (1971): A road pursuit with the patience to make an ordinary lorry terrifying.
- *The Hitcher* (1986): Another dangerous roadside meeting, with more room for uncertainty and dread.
- *Breakdown* (1997): An ordinary journey becomes a convincing nightmare through careful, economical plotting.
- *Wild Tales* (2014), Fi1m 83: Everyday grievances turn vicious, with sharper humour and a broader human range. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wild-tales.md)
- *The Wages of Fear* (1953), Fi1m 90: For road tension built from precise hazards rather than mounting casualties. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-wages-of-fear.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/unhinged