Manhunt: Unabomber Review – Is It Worth Watching?

The investigation to find the notorious Unabomber and bringing him to justice is one of the landmark cases of the FBI.

A notorious domestic terrorist, whose actions were unquestionably wrong, but whose driving ideologies and motivators seem relevant today.

This series produced by the Discovery network and later made available on Netflix takes you inside the Unabomber’s mind. You will feel a strange sense of empathy as a continuous narration of his manifesto highlights the evils of technology.

The series sparked some controversy as it allows unedited parts of his speech to be included in the production.

1. Quick Review

Manhunt: Unabomber tells us the fictionalized version of the investigation. With strong lead performances by Sam Worthington and Paul Bettany, it takes us into the inner sanctums of their character’s minds.

The series doesn’t keep the terrorist’s identity a secret, realizing that it’s a high profile case. Instead, it focuses on the profiling aspect of the investigation as Jim Fitzgerald, the lead profiler, becomes obsessed with the man he is assigned to hunt.

2. Is It Worth Watching?

In 1978, Ted Kaczynski began mailing letter bombs to universities and institutions around America. Using potassium nitrate, nails, matches, and other household substances, he managed to kill three people and injured 23 others.

The 8-part true-crime series revolves around the hunt to catch Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Now streaming on Netflix, this was produced by Discovery Channel and is their first scripted drama.

I. Plot

The Unabomber investigation is one of the most iconic in FBI history. Kaczynski managed to evade capture for 18 years, while constantly mailing letter bombs across America.

He was in constant contact with the police and the media. Kaczynski released his 35000-word manifesto, “Industrial Society and its Future” during this period.

Manhunt: Unabomber focuses on the man who was responsible for revealing the identity of this unknown assailant. Jim Fitzgerald was a true boy scout who rose through the ranks due to his hard work and brilliant profiling skills.

Often having to fight to have his voice heard, Fitz becomes obsessed with the Unabomber’s manifesto. Ironically, his manifesto gives him the motivation and determination to put its author behind bars.

The manifesto reveals that Ted felt that he was waging systematic war against institutions that would rule over us. He was a militant neo-Luddite, and Fitz becomes more and more obsessed with him and risking his personal sanity manages to catch him.

II. Cast & Performances

The show, which wants to tell the story Fitz’s point of view, shows us his background and upbringing in the opening episode. Sam Worthington tries hard to nail the Philadelphia accent of the small-town boy who rose from a patrolman to a lead profiler.

He gives a commendable performance, but his character is based on clichés. Tensions crop up in his frayed marriage as he becomes obsessed with his work. Fitz’s growing obsession with the killer he is supposed to hunt, and the fact that he relates to him by the end is also a repeated stereotype.

Paul Bettany steals the spotlight as Ted Kaczynski, with his piercing eyes and burning determination. The show picks up when he’s on-screen, and his voice constantly narrates parts of Ted’s manifesto as the show tries to show us the motivation behind his actions.

He outshines Worthington, not allowing a head-to-head duel and a clash of personalities between the hunter and the hunted. Ted is an alumnus of Harvard, a member of the upper echelons of society, who sees humanity enslaving itself and decides to fight against it.

III. Impact & Controversy

During the initial stages of the investigation, the FBI was bewildered as the victims had nothing in common. An initial sketch released by them found its way onto T-shirts and became a cultural icon. Even the name coined by the FBI comes from the flimsy fact that the initial targets were (Un)iversities and (A)irlines.

Some people felt that by allowing many parts of Kaczynski’s manifesto to be narrated on air, the show was helped propagate a terrorist’s ideas. But Unabomber tries to show that Ted’s motivation was not to terrorize America but get them to listen to his anti-technology beliefs.

The show feels relatable because today, we live in a tech-heavy world where a screen or an internet connection directs every action. The recent discussions about privacy and the leak of private user data by big corporations have also sparked some of the Unabomber’s sentiments in today’s generation.

3. Final Thoughts

Manhunt: Unabomber is an interesting take on a cat-and-mouse chase that focuses on a milestone FBI investigation. Profiling became an important part of investigations and manhunts, and the series serves as an introduction to Netflix’s Mindhunter.

With sharp acting performances and an iconic case in the center, Unabomber is the perfect true-crime documentary to binge over the weekend.

4. Grade

5. Info