Here is an episodic recap of the movie "Unhinged": Part 1: The Inciting Incident The film opens with a troubled man (later ident...
Here is an episodic recap of the movie "Unhinged":
Part 1: The Inciting Incident
The film opens with a troubled man (later identified as Tom Cooper) taking off his wedding ring, lighting a match, and then entering a house with a gas canister and hammer. He violently confronts the inhabitants, pours gasoline, and sets the house on fire before driving away as it explodes. Meanwhile, Rachel, a divorced mother, is woken by her lawyer and best friend, Andy, who informs her about her soon-to-be ex-husband wanting her house. Rachel, dealing with financial problems and being late for work, leaves with her son, Kyle, for school. News reports mention a violent attack by a man who was the woman's ex-husband with a history of substance abuse and violence.
Part 2: The Confrontation and Escalation
Stuck in heavy traffic, Rachel gets fired by a client. As they exit the freeway, they stop at a red light behind a gray pickup. When the truck doesn't move, Rachel honks impatiently and drives around it. At the next light, the man from the pickup, who is Tom Cooper, pulls up beside them. An awkward exchange ensues, where Tom patronizes Rachel, apologizes, and expects her to do the same. When she refuses, he becomes enraged and threatens her. Tom begins to follow Rachel, cutting her off twice.
Part 3: The Man's Revenge Begins
Rachel drops Kyle off at school and heads to a gas station. She notices Tom's pickup behind her car and tells the cashier and another customer that he's been following her. The customer offers to get his license plate number, but after Rachel drives off, Tom brutally rams the man with his truck, causing him to be hit by another car. Tom then continues to chase Rachel, ramming her car in traffic. He reveals he has her phone, and she accidentally causes an accident trying to escape.
Part 4: The Diner Attack
While Rachel hides in a parking lot, Tom enters the diner where Andy is waiting for Rachel. Tom pretends to be an old friend of Rachel's and sits with Andy, discussing road rage and Rachel's divorce. Tom, defending Rachel's ex-husband, makes Andy uncomfortable. Tom then takes Andy's phone and calls Rachel, putting her on speaker. Rachel, recognizing Tom's voice, calls him a psycho and explains what happened, alerting Andy. When Andy tries to get his phone back, Tom violently attacks him, breaking his nose and then stabbing him to death while other diners film the event. Tom tells Rachel that Andy is dead and speeds away.
Part 5: Targeting Rachel's Family
Tom calls Rachel from her phone, reciting her messages, including one from her son's school. He toys with her, asking her to choose who he should kill next. When she refuses, he sends all her money to her ex-husband and threatens her mother and house. Rachel chooses herself, but Tom refuses and demands another name, so she names the client who fired her. Rachel calls the police, but Tom isn't at the client's house. Meanwhile, at Rachel's house, Fred (her brother) sees news of the diner incident. Tom appears, holding Fred's beaten girlfriend, and reveals his violent intentions, then kills the girlfriend.
Part 6: The Pursuit of Kyle
Tom sends Rachel a photo of him with Fred and calls her, knowing she called the police. He tracks Rachel's phone, sees she's at Kyle's school, and gives her three minutes to pick up Kyle or he'll kill Fred, making Fred write a letter blaming Rachel. Rachel gets Kyle from school and calls Tom back, telling him she has Kyle. Tom forces her to put him on speaker and makes Fred read the letter. A police officer enters the house, and Tom lights Fred on fire, then runs, getting shot in the shoulder. Rachel, hearing everything, breaks down. Tom calls again, confirming Fred's death and threatening Kyle, but Rachel smashes the phone.
Part 7: The Final Showdown
Rachel and Kyle head to the police station, realizing Tom might be tracking them via Rachel's tablet. Kyle finds the tablet, but Rachel plans to use it to track Tom instead. They discover Tom is in front of them in a stolen van. Rachel tries to alert a police car, but Tom rams it, causing a crash. Kyle calls the police from the tablet, but they can't help, and the tablet's battery dies. Rachel decides to go to her mother's house, hoping the complex neighborhood will slow Tom down. She speeds there, causing more crashes, and gets Kyle inside, where he activates the alarm's panic button and hides.
Part 8: Resolution
Tom drives around the neighborhood, sees Rachel's car, takes his meds, and gathers himself. Rachel then rams him with another car. She approaches his vehicle, but he grabs and pins her, telling her she'll remember what she could have done to save her son. He goes into the house for Kyle, pretending to be the police. Rachel appears in Kyle's hiding spot, and they fight. Tom constantly goes after Kyle, but Rachel relentlessly attacks him to protect her son. He knocks her over and strangles Kyle, but Rachel finds her candy cane scissors and fatally stabs him. The police arrive, and the officer who found Fred tells Rachel he's still alive. Rachel and Kyle drive to the hospital to see him, being careful not to anger anyone on their way.
