I’m not sure what’s more astonishing, the fact that Jacob Tremblay is playing the young Ted Kaczynski in Netflix’s new drama ‘Unabomber’ or that I’ve been writing about Hollywood long enough to see a child actor from ‘Room’ and ‘Good Boys’ grow up to play a domestic terrorist. As the entertainment industry continues to confuse familiarity with originality, it’s no surprise that we’re getting a biopic about the Unabomber, because what’s more original than a story about a guy who sent bombs to people he didn’t like?
The film, which premieres on Netflix on September 25, details Kaczynski’s transformation from a 16-year-old Harvard prodigy to the infamous Unabomber. Russell Crowe plays the psychologist in charge of a controversial study that Kaczynski participated in, which apparently had a profound impact on his troubled past. Shailene Woodley stars as the FBI agent tasked with tracking down the bomber in the 1990s. Because, you know, the ’90s were just missing a good Unabomber manhunt to really make the decade complete.
The Unabomber: A Story of Ambition and Isolation
The film’s synopsis promises to explore the “chilling consequences of ambition and isolation,” which sounds like a great way to describe the entirety of Hollywood’s output over the past decade. I mean, who needs original ideas when you can just dig up a old story about a domestic terrorist and call it a day? The fact that Tremblay is trying to redefine his on-screen presence as he moves into adulthood is admirable, but it’s hard not to wonder if this is just another example of Hollywood’s annual Nostalgia Harvest, where we take old stories and repackage them for a new generation.
The trailer for ‘Unabomber’ is available to watch now, and it’s full of the usual tropes: a haunting score, quick cuts, and a sense of foreboding that’s meant to make you feel like you’re watching something important. And maybe you are, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that this is just another example of the Content Mines remaining fully operational, churning out content for the sake of content, without any real regard for quality or originality.
The Never-Ending Cycle of Remakes and Biopics
It’s not like we haven’t seen this story before. The Unabomber’s tale has been told and retold in various forms of media over the years, and yet, here we are again, rehashing the same old story. It’s a testament to Hollywood’s inability to come up with new ideas, instead relying on the same old formulas and storylines that have been done to death. Somewhere, a Focus Group earned another bonus for suggesting that a Unabomber biopic was a good idea, and executives reportedly nodded very seriously during an expensive meeting to discuss the project.
As the release date for ‘Unabomber’ approaches, it’s hard not to feel a sense of exhaustion. Another biopic, another true story being retold for the sake of entertainment. It’s a never-ending cycle, and one that shows no signs of slowing down. The Merchandising Department has probably already approved a line of Unabomber-themed merchandise, because what’s more marketable than a domestic terrorist? And so, the machine continues to churn out content, devoid of originality, but full of familiarity. Because, in the end, that’s all that really matters in Hollywood: familiarity, and the promise of a big paycheck.
In the end, it’s just another day in the life of Hollywood, where the pursuit of profit outweighs the pursuit of art. And so, we’ll continue to get more of the same, as the Franchise Resurrection Department remains one of the busiest offices in town. But hey, at least we’ll always have the memories of a time when Hollywood actually tried to make original content. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go write about the latest reboot of a beloved franchise, because that’s just what the world really needs.
Finn McFrame, celebrated satirical mastermind and self-proclaimed “Emperor of Irony,” started his illustrious career as a cinematographer, where his expertise in capturing every single frame of a squirrel stealing a baguette earned him accolades at obscure film festivals.
Born in the glamorous town of Boring, Oregon, Finn grew up with dreams of being a Hollywood director until he realized that satire, not cinema, was his true calling—or at least the one that let him sleep until noon.
Finn McFrame: changing the world, one satirical lens flare at a time.
