| Unseen | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | Yoko Okumura |
| Written by |
|
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Federico Verardi |
| Edited by | Michael Block |
| Music by | Tangelene Bolton |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Home Entertainment |
Release date |
|
Running time | 76 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Unseen is a 2023 American horror thriller film directed by Yoko Okumura in her feature directorial debut, and written by Salvatore Cardoni and Brian Rawlins. The film stars Midori Francis, Jolene Purdy and Missi Pyle. Jason Blum serves as an executive producer under his Blumhouse Television banner.
The plot follows Gas station clerk Sam who receives a call from Emily, a nearly blind woman who is running from her murderous ex in the woods. Emily must survive the ordeal with Sam being her eyes from afar using a video call.[1]
The film was digitally released in the United States on March 7, 2023, to positive reviews from critics.
Plot
In Florida, Sam is sat outside in her car, about to head into work when she picks up a card and types the number from it into her phone. In Michigan, a phone rings inside a cabin in the woods where Emily has awoken from being drugged and is currently trapped with zip-ties. Her ex-boyfriend Charlie greets her as she comes to and professes his love for her. He shows her videos he took when they were together and tells her he wants her back or else he will have no choice but to kill her.
Back in Florida, Sam cuts the call and heads inside to work at an alligator gas station. The manager is already berating her a she arrives for work and she faces the harassment of a wealthy woman early into the shift. In Michigan, Emily tricks Charlie into thinking she wants him back and manages to escape the cabin after knocking him out, but in doing so, breaks her glasses. Without her glasses she is unable to see clearly and heads into the woods after retrieving her cellphone.
While hiding in the woods, Emily call 911 but the response team informs her it could take a while to find her and can't video call her to help to safety because of their strict policies. She tries to call back but accidentally calls Sam from the missed call log who tells her she is sorry she called the wrong number earlier. Emily explains her situation to Sam and begs her for help. Sam, suffering from anxiety and stress initially contemplates whether to video-call Emily but commits to helping her.
Using video call, Sam guides Emily through the woods whilst also looking out for a vengeful Charlie. While on the call, Emily and Sam start to bond while discussing their difficult family situations. Emily wanted to be an ER nurse like her mother and so she could help provide for her but due to her busy schedule, doesn't spend enough time together. Sam left Jacksonville to move to Tallahassee to care for her sick mother, who has now passed and Emily assures her that her mother would have been happy she was with her at the end.
Sam accidentally gets her charger connector stuck in the cellphone port and with her distraction, Emily falls off a ledge and onto the beach by the river, losing her phone in the process. Although her ear-piece is still connected.
Charlie drives up and gets out to looks for Emily. Sam guides her into safety until she can find the phone once again. Emily finds it and tells Sam she wants to steal his car and drive away. Sam guides her into the car and Emily tells her to alert her when Charlie comes back and is in-front of the vehicle. Sam wants her to drive off but Emily is determined to stop him for good. Charlie returns and Emily slams onto the pedals and runs him over but ends up crashing into a tree. She gets out of a car, finds a piece of broken mirror and goes to kill Charlie but Sam convinces her to stop.
Sam gets an alert that her battery is about to die. She takes Emily's number and promises to call her back when she's found a phone. The wealthy woman from earlier returns to the last station and Sam rushes out and asks to borrow her phone but as expected, she angrily rejects her. Sam, in a panic, grabs the phone anyway and runs back inside where she locks herself safely behind the counter. The woman goes back with a gun and threatens her unless she returns it.
Back in the woods, Emily is now alone while disconnected from Sam and runs into Charlie. The two argue and he tells her she's been a terrible daughter by constantly rejecting her mother's calls and a terrible partner by "neglecting" him. She fights him off but falls backwards into the river and washes up further down stream. Emily lays on the beach, injured from the fall and ready to give up when Sam calls her back.
Emily begs Sam to call her mom on the landline and put her on speaker so she can talk to her. She says a tearful apology to her mom, who is worried for her daughter. Sam begs Emily not to give up and her mom, hearing this, also champions Emily to stay alive. Sam confesses that she didn't tell the whole truth about her mother before, that while caring for her, left one night for a break and got drunk. That night her mom died alone and she has lived with regret ever since.
Emily finds the strength to get up after Sam tells her there is a light on close by which could be a house. Sam guides Emily to it which leads her to a barn but Charlie is quickly gaining on her. Emily goes inside to hide while in Florida, Sam now faces the wealthy woman, her armed husband and her manager all threatening her to give the phone back.
In the barn, Sam has a plan to stop Charlie. As he approaches, Emily leaps out and sprays him directly in the face with pesticide chemicals. Although this doesn't stop him for long and he tries to choke Emily to death. Sam reminds her of the piece of broken mirror she put in her pocket from earlier and Emily uses this to stab Charlie in the neck, killing him as sirens approach the barn. Meanwhile, the police arrive at the gas station to arrest Sam. Seeing that Emily is safe, Sam gleefully surrenders and is taken into custody.
Some time later and Emily video calls Sam, who are now close friends. She is about to go to Japan with her mother for a trip they've always been meaning to go on while Sam announces she's going back to school and needs Emily's help for the application. Emily asks Sam who she was trying to call that fateful day when she got the wrong number. Sam says she was just trying to order a pizza.
They end the call and Sam drives away after throwing the card she had earlier out of the window. As it falls to the floor, it reads "Tallahassee Suicide Helpline".
Cast
- Missi Pyle as Carol
- Midori Francis as Emily
- Jolene Purdy as Sam
- Ren Hanami as Mom
- Michael Patrick Lane as Charlie
Production
In March 2022, Unseen was announced as part of Blumhouse Television and Epix's TV film deal, with Yoko Okumura directing, Salvatore Cardoni and Brian Rawlins writing the screenplay, and Midori Francis, Jolene Purdy and Michael Patrick Lane starring in the film. Jason Blum serves as an executive producer through his Blumhouse Television banner.[2]
Filming
Principal photography on the film began in January 2022 in New Orleans.[3]
Release
The film was released on March 7, 2023 by MGM+ and Paramount Home Entertainment and started streaming on MGM+ on May 19, 2023.[4]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10.[5] Common Sense Media's Brian Costello gave it three stars and wrote that the film was a "a really good, if not great, horror movie," citing its excellent development of the lead characters, though he found the writing of the villains unsatisfactory and "over the top," the "Karen character" and her husband in particular.[6]
References
- ↑ Villei, Matt (February 9, 2023). "'Unseen' Trailer Sets Its Sights on a Larger-Than-Life Thriller [Exclusive]". Collider. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ↑ Rosario, Alexandra Del (January 20, 2022). "Epix & Blumhouse Casts Jolene Purdy & Midori Francis For TV Movie Thriller 'Unseen'; Yoko Okumura To Direct". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ↑ "Unseen Production List". Film & Television Industry Alliance. December 6, 2021. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ↑ Villei, Matt (February 9, 2023). "'Unseen' Trailer Sets Its Sights on a Larger-Than-Life Thriller [Exclusive]". Collider. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
- ↑ "Unseen". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
- ↑ Costello, Brian. "Unseen Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved July 11, 2023.