Unlocked, a thriller/crime movie that was released in 2023, focuses on a woman, Lee Nami, who got wasted at a party with her friends, has the time of her life, but ends up losing her phone amid all the fun. While she panics over the loss of her device, the antagonist of the story, Oh Joonyeong, gets a hold of it and uses his technological skills to hack and track her every move.
Originally, I was interested in the movie because of the casting, the antagonist being played by one of my favorite actors. I already expected it to be good, but the result really blew my mind.
The production of the film was great, the tension in some parts of the movie added to the thriller aspect. For example, the movie begins with a bright and happy atmosphere, with upbeat music, possibly an attempt to lure the viewer into a false sense of security or to just show the sheer contrast between the beginning and the rest of the movie. The upbeat moments were during the party when the protagonist misplaced her phone, showing her naivety and innocence and she went about her ordinary life while her movements were under the surveillance and watchful eye of that dangerous stranger.
The movie also featured some comedic moments, contrasting the thriller side of it, and of course, plot twists that no one could expect.
The title of the movie also adds to the eerieness of the movie. While the English title, Unlocked, shows a sense of uncertainty and unease, it doesn't fully show the seriousness of the situation, only implying the phone was 'unlocked', when in reality, it was much more. The original Korean title, however, translates to 'I just dropped my smartphone', which also downplays the severity of the situation the protagonist finds herself in. While Nami thinks nothing bad happened, thinking she 'just' dropped her phone (her phone is cracked when she receives it), behind the screen there is a lot more going on, literally and figuratively.
Overall, the movie 'Unlocked' was a great watch, greatly heightening my (already bad) fear of losing my phone! I strongly recommend this movie, but anyone who watches it may end up constantly clutching their phone whenever in public...
