Film Review: Unsane (2018)

I was initially intrigued by this film because it was shot entirely on an iPhone 7.

The result of that is a much narrower shot than standard movie fare, and it is incredible. It gives the viewer a sense of intimacy and unease that traditional filming doesn’t.

There are interesting angles and closeups that add to the viewers sense of unease, that heighten the sense of anxiety from being up close and personal with the mental breakdown of another human being.

At times its almost like being inside Clare Foy’s head, the shots are so close.

There is an inconsistency to the shooting that I think also adds to the sense of unease. One minute you think you have your finger on how the director is shooting the movie, and then suddenly it’s all different. I’ve seen other reviewers who criticise this; one mentioned it felt like there were multiple directors each filming in their own style, but I think it was a decision of genius on the part of Steven Soderbergh, as it made me more and more uneasy as the film progressed.

Without giving too much of the plot away (no spoilers here!), this is a film of two distinct halves, both of which are excellent in their own right.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film, and I have to say it left me feeling uneasy for a couple of days.

I give this an easy 8.5/10.