UNSEEN

US, 2023, 76 minutes, Colour.

Midori Francis, Jolene Purdy, Michael Patrick Lane. Missi Pyle.

Directed by Yoko Okumura.

This is a very brief drama, menace rather than horror.

The plot is quite simple, a psychotic husband, angry with his ex-wife, threatening her, the violence, her making an escape, his pursuing her, the confrontation. However, the title indicates that there is further development. The audience is introduced to a woman working at a gas station, remote, bullied by her boss, treated bomb by arrogant customers.

The drama is that the attendant had found for pizza, wrong number, by chance connecting with the ex-wife, her finding the number for help against the attack by her husband. This is very much complicated by her poor eyesight, the loss of her glasses, the use of her mobile phone as a camera, the attendant giving her advice to get through the woods, to move towards water, the husband pursuing the vehicle, with a weapon, confrontation at the top of the cliff, the woman in the water, surviving, the final conflict.

In the attendant keeps helping despite the violent behaviour of the customer, her aunt husband, their intimidating the boss, the attendant locking herself in despite attack, saving the ex-wife, and then happy to go along with two with the police.

Happy postscript, the attendant deciding to go back to studies, asking the ex-wife, who was a doctor, to read your assignment – happy reunion.

1. A brief menace film, a brutal man, attacking and stalking, his ex-wife, a doctor, her using her wits and her mobile phone?
2. The use of split screen, multi-screens, joining the victim by the mobile phone, her contact, using her eyes, surviving? But the subplot of the woman in the store, bullying by her boss, the haughty, arrogant customer and her bringing in armed reinforcements and the police?
3. The title, the stalker seen, but blurry, the victim needing her glasses to see, hence the importance of guidance by the mobile phone?
4. Sam, Her background, work in the store, bullied by the boss, minding the store, the encounter with the arrogant customer, discussing the petroll, in her car, demanding the refund, Sam defiant, the customer threats, the credit card, leaving it behind, the return, the demands, the violence, getting her husband’s help, the arms, bringing the police? Sam and her defence, keeping on the phone with Emily, barricading herself, the arrival of the boss and his pitiful submission, trying to break the glass, the shops, the police, Sam saving Emily and willingly going with the police?
5. The situation with Emily, her deranged husband, his saying she did not defend him, the background of the marriage, his father, her being a doctor, the background of her mother, the contact with her during the siege? The violence, his menacing threats, the need for her glasses? The violent altercation, her being tied up? Her turning the tables, cutting the cables to her wrists? Getting the glasses, physically attacking her husband, the escape? Losing her glasses, the mobile phone, the chance connection with Sam (who had phoned for a pizza), persuading Sam, her desperation, out in the woods? Sam, eventually agreeing, Emily holding up the phone, Sam and her descriptions, the woods, the log, Emily and her falls, the pursuit of her husband, his getting the car, Emily and the guiding torwards for water, getting the car, knocking down her husband? His getting up, threatening her on the cliff, her going over the cliff? In the water, surviving, finding the phone, making contact? The tension, hiding from her husband? His eventually catching her, the final confrontation, surviving?
6. The aftermath, the two women meeting, so man her decision to study, her essay, Emily agreeing to read it, her encouragement – and the bonding during the final credits?