Unseen (II) (2016) User Reviews

True crime done right

[mafiagirl-21431 · 7/10 · 13 May 2023]

True crime can be a tricky subject to some people, some are obsessed with it and some are put off by it and think it's exploitative and while sometimes it can very much be exploitative ( looking at you 'Dahmer (2022)' )

When done right, it can be good, how ? Oh i don't know maybe by giving the victims a voice and not obsessing over their murderer, just saying ! Thankfully this documentary does give the ( surviving ) victims a voice.

This... was a tough one to watch, watching Vanessa Gay cry her heart out as she had to tell everyone in the trial the horrors she went trough and saw was hard, and look, i'm not one to cry while watching something, i mean i watched 300+ movies and only 13 of them made me cry but this really did make me cry... then i cried again at the end.

This actually reminds me of a case pretty similar to this one, where a man would get prostitutes in his house just to violate and kill them just like what Anthony Sowell did to these women. Like, Man... Being a prostitute and/or a drug addict must really suck... not only does society see you as a good for nothing but that stuff could very easily happen to you and no one would care... and that really sucks to think about.

But the worst thing about this is... to think about the fact that this could've been avoided if the police just cared more and looked into it... then maybe some of the women would still be alive today but then again that's something you could say about a whole lot of cases and that also is sad, the cops suck.

This documentary may not be perfect in every way but what it is it's true crime done right, give women, especially black women a voice and make sure they're not unseen anymore, it's really not that hard, or at least it shouldn't be.

The Cleveland Strangler

[d_penn · 7/10 · 28 November 2022]

Wow! This is a powerful documentary. Honest. Raw. Moving. This documentary is about so much more than one evil man. It lays bare many of the social evils plaguing inner cities across America. Humanity at its worst and best is on display. Great job to all involved in the production. This is an important film because it shows you the impact drugs and poverty has on people along with its horrible murders. The homicide detectives clips made my skin crawl. They were two of the worst detective's I have EVER seen; eating chips, talking at the same time, not asking more questions or even using the techniques learned in their field of work. WOW. I'm thinking maybe if they offered him (Anthony) something to eat !! I beat when the detectives watched their own behaviors they cringed. At least I hope so, that way they could make some changings in how to interrogate properly.

Unseen

[stoll-10455 · 7/10 · 14 November 2018]

Good documentary, but I was expecting more of why they were "unseen" by society and the police. The documentary focused on a couple of the victims that got away. There were some very negative comments stated by one of the store owners in the neighborhood that really served no purpose in the documentary. Why the film creators decided to leave his comments in is questionable.

Thank you for telling THEIR STORIES

[lohse-34117 · 10/10 · 22 October 2020]

This touched the depths of my soul. Want the families to know their Loved Ones are NOT garbage. The store owner is as guilty as the perp. We have a responsibly to each other. Wow. If you are not part of the solution,(lifting a fallen, fellow Human Being) you ARE the problem.

I'm not into easily moved

[UNOhwen · 7 September 2020]

I've not waste my time reading anything about this.

All the women (and the pastor) who spoke touched me deeply.

I'm not going to get into anything about this documentary other than to say all the people who spoke - I actually teared up. These people - the women who suffered the horrors, and those who were in this neighbourhood - I can't put it into simplistic words other than I've now compassion, understanding for them than many people I know.

I just wanted to hug each one of them.

This is a unique documentary able the killings which took place in a drug-riddled area of Ohio.

Gripping, A must see!!!

[NathanARead · 10/10 · 19 November 2018]

The filmmaker amazes with a point of view from the survivor and painting a bone chilling clear portrait of how these victims were seen through the public eye. It offers the victims a chance to tell their side and to engulf the viewer in the understanding that they are people too fighting their own demons along with defending against a neighborhood monster. Excellent documentary, a must see for all crime series fans!

Awful

[michelel-17687 · 2/10 · 11 February 2020]

You can watch the entire documentary and not know what crimes are being talked about. It's a disorganized mess that's impossible to follow.

Devastatingly real

[johnaann · 10/10 · 16 November 2020]

Devastatingly real. No one deserves to lose their life like these woman did. No matter their lifestyle choice and their vices. Prayers to those who were left behind and the survivors. Heartbreaking and disturbing.

Bad Editing; Dull

[Amelia405 · 1/10 · 6 July 2019]

I enjoy true crime docs & such, but I'm struggling to even get through this. Maybe the editing team needs more experience because it's really poorly done. I make better videos on YouTube. It's great & all some of these women survived, but am I supposed to feel sorry for them? I honestly don't. Maybe it's the filmmaker's fault for the way their stories are told. Is the store owner harsh with some of his words? Perhaps, but I feel him. Everything about this is poorly done. Try Netflix docs, they're always top notch.

When a documentary exceeds expectations

[nigelcox-19116 · 10/10 · 27 December 2019]

The best documentaries often go sideways:because the documentarian(s) follow the underlying story instead of blindly trying to make the film that he or she perhaps initially envisioned. This documentary is a prime example of following the truth of the story. When I added this to my watchlist, I expected something other than I experienced. Instead of the "serial killer expose" that I was expecting, a moving and mind-altering story unfolded. I did not read any reviews prior to viewing, so I hesitate to go into detail for those who prefer a more generalized explanation. Suffice to say, I was shaken, and cannot recommend this documentary highly enough.

Victim Interviews of a Serial Killer

[katherine-20306 · 10/10 · 1 October 2020]

I can't believe the trash on this IMDb who say these women are getting what they deserve . . . . or saying they can see the shopkeeper's POV. You people don't deserve democracy. We've all made bad choices in life. We've all treated our children poorly. We've all treated our friends and relatives poorly from time to time. With the advent of computer addiction, we all are guilty of this. Neglect is quite common these days, while we play our games or update our social media stati. Mr. Tayeh is one of that trash. I'm grateful to hear from the victims. I'm glad there are at least some survivors from this horrid criminal activity. This was a great film.

Documentary about feeling sorry for crackheads or about the serial killer?

[asevilla0507 · 5/10 · 19 October 2018]

Felt like it was more about lives of crackheads first and then a serial killer.

A masterpiece

[drahmedabdelfattah · 9/10 · 28 December 2020]

Warning: this is the only true crime documentary which I have watched for 5 times, and it's strange that it is a kind of hidden gem, it's a frightening story of a monster who took advantage of the most vulnerable women, and it is the story of a heroic brave woman who confronted her trauma and fear and was the star witness, the details of her abduction and the place where this monster live is terrifying.

People still don't care about the victims

[amylynn0721 · 10/10 · 30 March 2021]

This was the most poignant documentary I have ever seen, about a serial killer I had never heard of. I've never been left utterly speechless & sobbing after a documentary like I was after this.

Anthony Sowell was able to survive for so many years because he preyed on women who were "less than," aka drug addicts & prostitutes...Women society would never notice are missing. Yet watching this documentary quickly proves that all of these women were very much missed, regardless of their place in society. They went missing & law enforcement did not care. Several women had proof of who tried to abduct them, & law enforcement DID NOT CARE.

The negative reviews of this documentary show there are still people who don't think these women deserve to live because they weren't perfect. They think the women victims were "asking for it" & "crying wolf." This is why he got away with it for so long! They continue dehumanizing women as if you can't watch the latest film & see the victimization for your own eyes. My rating will forever be in honor of the women who perished at the hands of A** S** * who deserve so much better.

Truthful

[sheila_parrish · 10/10 · 25 November 2018]

Watching this film showed the realization of how black women are UNSEEN. I am grateful for the individual that took the time to interview the woman who survived such a horrific trauma. In addition she also gave a great amount of thought to those women who were murdered! Overall this film was inspiring and truthful and we as a society should recognize how women are brutalized within society!

Heart-wrenching, insightful, and heroic

[dracforever · 8/10 · 1 November 2022]

I applaud these women for having the strength to share all they went through from beginning to end: additionally, the neighbourhood residents and relatives provided a POV not usually shown in these cases.

All of those that managed to dig themselves out of the negative lifestyles to become all they can and more is a part of the story that is most encouraging. I doubt many people would be able to endure what these survivors have been through.

I highly recommend this watch to anyone that is a aficionado of true crime. I had read a book about this case previously but learned much more watching this movie.

deep and devastating

[killercharm · 9/10 · 24 August 2023]

Devastating documentary about Anthony Sowell, the unbelievably sleazy serial killer who had his way with Cleveland because the police didn't care to spend the time and energy to investigate missing women who were drug addicts, sex workers, poor, of color...they didn't stand a chance in that environment and Sowell knew it. He stashed the women's bodies all over his filthy house, holding his whole neighborhood hostage to the nasty smell emanating from his messed-up house. One of his victims, Vanessa Gay, who is a survivor is so awesome in her testimony and in her outlook. She faces odds I could never imagine and is impressive. The movie is well written, well-paced and engrossing to the end.