Ted K
In this poster, Ted Kaczynski holds a firearm in his hand while a helicopter flies overhead.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTony Stone
Written by
  • Gaddy Davis
  • John Rosenthal
  • Tony Stone
Produced by
StarringSharlto Copley
CinematographyNathan Corbin
Edited by
  • Tony Stone
  • Brad Turner
  • Troy Herion
Music byBlanck Mass
Production
companies
Distributed by
  • Super Ltd (United States)
  • Neon (International)
Release dates
  • March 1, 2021 (2021-03-01) (Berlin)
  • February 18, 2022 (2022-02-18) (United States)
Running time
122 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$35,973[1]

Ted K is a 2021 American historical crime drama written, directed, produced, and edited by Tony Stone. It stars Sharlto Copley as mathematics prodigy turned domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber. The film depicts the events leading to his arrest.

Ted K premiered at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival on March 1, 2021 and was released in the United States by Neon's Super Ltd on February 18, 2022. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise aimed towards Stone's direction and Copley's performance.

Plot

Since 1971, mathematics prodigy Ted Kaczynski has lived a primitive life in a remote cabin near Lincoln, Montana. He hunts for his food and lives without electricity or running water. He strongly believes modern technology is destroying the planet.

Kaczynski witnesses the destruction of the wilderness surrounding his cabin and concludes that living in nature is impossible. He goes to the library and acquires the address of Percy Wood, the president of United Airlines. He damages a neighbor's snowmobile, cuts down a power line, and destroys nearby construction equipment. He grows frustrated with the number of jets flying over his home, calling it his breaking point. To fight back against the destruction of nature, he creates a plan for revenge.

Kaczynski mails bombs to important people that he believes will harm society. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) becomes involved when a bomb injures and nearly kills Wood inside his house. Kaczynski changes his appearance by shaving his beard and slamming his nose against a cinder block. Computer store owner Hugh Scrutton is the first to die from one of his bombs.

Eighteen months later, Kaczynski is in desperate need of money. He argues with his brother David over the phone. He writes a 35,000-word manifesto and uses the word "we" when writing to local newspapers about the bombings. The country begins to refer to him as the "Unabomber". He sends a letter to The New York Times and The Washington Post, promising to stop his bombing spree if they publish his manifesto. The Washington Post complies on September 19, 1995.

David recognizes the prose style of the manifesto as Ted's and reports his suspicions. The FBI arrest Kaczynski in 1996. He is given life in a supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, for killing three people and injuring twenty-three others. An epilogue recognizes the manhunt for Ted Kaczynski as the largest in FBI history.

Cast

  • Sharlto Copley as Ted Kaczynski
  • Drew Powell as Tom
  • Bob Jennings as Carter
  • Christian Calloway as Tommy
  • Tahmus Rounds as Tommy Sauerkraut
  • Sal Rendino as Gilbert
  • Wayne Pyle as Gary Dryce
  • Amber Rose Mason as Becky
  • Travis Bruyer as Ranger Gary
  • Megan Folsom as Mrs. Hill
  • Andrew Senn as Mikey
  • Keith Barber as F.B.I. Agent White

Production

Sharlto Copley announced his involvement in the film in early 2018.[2] Musician Melissa Auf der Maur, Stone's wife, served as one of the executive producers.[3]

Filming took place over four seasons in and around Lincoln, Montana.[4][5]

Release

The film premiered at the 71st Berlin International Film Festival, on March 1, 2021.[6] It was also screened at the Red Sea International Film Festival.[7] In March 2021, Neon's Super Ltd acquired the film's distribution rights.[5] Ted K was released in the United States on February 18, 2022.[8]

Reception

Box office

In the United States and Canada, the film earned $20,851 from twenty-eight theaters in its opening weekend,[9] and $2,385 from nine theaters in its second weekend.[10]

Critical reception

Sharlto Copley in New York City in 2016
Mugshot of Ted Kaczynski in 1996.
Sharlto Copley (left) received praise for his performance as Ted Kaczynski (right).

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 40 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "The movie's merits might be debatable, but Sharlto Copley ensures Ted K is never less than grimly compelling."[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 70 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[12]

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian said "Copley excels behind a straggly beard in this portrait of the serial terror-bomber".[13] Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com praised Copley's performance, Tony Stone's direction, and the sound design but was critical of the reliance on fantasy sequences which she felt were unnecessary.[14] Nadir Samara of Screen Rant criticized the two-hour runtime but said "it's Copley's performance that sells it."[15]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Camerimage November 20, 2021 Main competition Tony Stone Nominated [16]
Fantasy Filmfest October 17 – November 7, 2021 Fresh Blood Award Nominated [17]
Stockholm International Film Festival November 2021 Bronze Horse Nominated [18]

References

  1. ↑ "Ted K (2022)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Sharlto Copley on 'Gringo' and Why 'The A-Team' Tank Sequence Is Possible - Collider". Collider. March 10, 2018. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  3. ↑ "'Ted K' goes to Neon label Super Ltd for North America". Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Montana-Made True Crime Thriller 'Ted K' Premieres at Top International Film Festival - Montana Gov". Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Grater, Tom (March 16, 2021). "Neon's Super LTD Takes North America On Unabomber Drama Ted K". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Berlinale - Programme - Film Selection 2021 - Ted K". Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Ted K Review – Red Sea International Film Festival 2021". HeyUGuys.com. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  8. ↑ "The Ted K movie is finally streaming and here's where to watch". HITC.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 7". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Domestic 2022 Weekend 8". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Ted K". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Ted K". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved February 28, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Ted K review – queasy inner life of the monkish, unhappy Unabomber". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Ted K movie review & film summary (2022)". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Ted K Review: Sharlto Copley's Unabomber Is Effective Oscar Throwback". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  16. ↑ "DIRECTORS' DEBUTS COMPETITION 2021 LINE-UP!". Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  17. ↑ "ted k - fantasyfilmfest". Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
  18. ↑ "TED K - Military Press". Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
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