Unlocked (2017) Reviews

• Edge of your seat thriller

  juliethood2017-05-05

  Unlocked stars Noomie Rapace, Orlando Bloom, John Malkovich, Michael Douglas and Toni Collette. Evey one of them played an interesting character with some great performances, especially Ms Rapace and Mr Malkovic. It didn't get very good reviews in the UK press and I don't know why. It starts out as your typical CIA thriller but gets all twisty and turny with intricate plot type stuff (which actually makes sense and doesn't have many plot holes or really stupid antagonists) and masses of action. It was nicely scripted too with some brutal looking violence that kept you on the edge of your seat for most of the film.

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• Nice "Covert Action" in the field.

  Rcellich2018-04-22

  Entertaining several twists. Female lead is a bit of prodigy like the main character in "Covert Action". Some differences, i.e. is already in field, no mention of personal history on the main character, except that she is depressed by inability to stop a bombing in time, and how she came to be sourced by CIA. Character development could be better. More flashbacks, fleshing out would have been good for identifying with characters. Follow up (what outcome) on some of the supporting cast would be nice as well. I'd like to see this arrangement again though in sequel - think it could do well.

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• very good and entertaining thriller

  vserrol2017-09-09

  I felt like rating it as a ten simply to fight back against the haters, but felt that it would be hypocritical to do exactly the opposite of those who so easily award 1 or 2 stars when the movie is patently far better than that. The action took a while to build up steam but was worth the wait. The role of Jack did feel a bit contrived but this is a bloody thriller after all. Strange that Blooms role as Jack should be criticized by many as unbelievable but his biggest role, the one that launched his career and made him famous, was that of an elf. The reason why I actually enjoy most movies, is because I can easily suspend belief in what is (excluding documentaries, of course) after all, a story made up to entertain people. The chief criteria for my enjoyment of a movie is, was I entertained by it? Good writing, good acting and good production values all help create the impression that I watched something worthwhile. If I am entertained by the movie, I am far more forgiving of it's minor flaws. My wife and I discussed the reason for so much negative criticism and considered it might well be because many of the Muslims were shown to be human, an idea obviously anathema to many viewers. I myself lived in Saudi Arabia for close to 10 years and understand that good and bad reside almost equally in most humans and that it takes an act of will to force oneself to rise above bigotry, greed and selfishness. I met many Muslims who were good people by choice in my time in Saudi and also many others I hope never to meet on this or any plane of existence they might believe in. My wife and I agree on a score of 8.

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• Excellent espionage thriller

  velvetcactus2017-05-08

  I came to this movie cold, just knowing it starred Noomi Rapace who is always watchable. Playing an interrogator who has stepped away from the front line following an incident in her pasta, she is drawn back in when a young courier is seized by the intelligence services. She adopts a different approach to her colleagues and just when you think you know how the film will play out, we learn that not all is as it seems and the film moves up a level. To say more would be to ruin an interesting journey with a stellar cast on good form including Toni Collette, Michael Douglas & John Malkovich as well as a supporting turn from a recently underused Orlando Bloom. Former Bond director Michael Apted does a good job shooting London in a fresh light. Don't let the negative reviews put you off seeing this film and you will be in for a twisty-turny treat

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• A Fun Thriller

  twirf2018-04-10

  I recently watched "Unlocked" starring Naomi Rapace on Netflix. About a third of the way through the movie Orlando Bloom appeared and I thought to myself, Oh, no, the makers couldn't let a woman carry the movie without bringing in a hunky man (love interest alert!) to help her do all the things that she, only a mere woman, couldn't manage on her own. I won't spoil the movie for who might wish to see it but suffice to say that it didn't turn out that way at all. Naomi Rapace managed very well on her own, better in fact than Orlando Bloom, who in his defence was only a mere man. Despite its absurd premise the movie was very entertaining mainly because it had a talented woman in the lead. Since watching the movie I have read some reviews, most of which were scathing - unjustifiably in my opinion. The acting was interesting: the low-key but very compelling Rapace and Toni Collette contrasting nicely with John Malkovich in full Mad Hatter mode. The plot and its pacing effective enough, despite various plot lapses. The casting of Michael Douglas was a major blunder: simply having him in the movie gives half the plot away and (as I said) the premise, Douglas's rationale for the goings-on he put in motion, is about as silly as silly can be. But we don't learn that rationale until the end of the movie. Till then it is a movie that gives its audience an enjoyable couple of hours.

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