“Unknown Origins” (2020)

Again on Netflix, this Spanish language film is “Seven” meets “Galaxy Quest” in terms of being a nerd’s dream. Deals with a serial killer whose murders resemble the origin stories of superheroes, such that a no-nonsense cop must ally himself with the nerdy owner of a comic shop to stop the crimes. More fun than it has a right to be, seriously grisly when it needs to be, “Unknown Origin” would make the most “meta” movie in quite a while if Disney or Warner Brothers remade it, able to use their actual characters rather than sly references to them (the English subtitles are explicit, but the visuals are look-alike characters, and probably the dialogue is as well).

Ultimately, the theme has to do with not judging by appearances, and the power of accepting our real natures and destiny. About finding tribe, and the fact that even the “cool kids” have just as much insecurity as anyone else: we’re all just doing the best we can.

I can totally get behind that, and give “Unknown Origins” a Thumb’s Up.

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I spoke to an old friend of the family recently. “Terry” is so badly damaged. The damage came from her sister in childhood, who apparently abused her while their parents either ignored it or didn’t believe it was happening. Terry can’t reject the behavior without rejecting her sister, and she dares not. Her sister passed away some years back, and the memory of any good times they had, and that familial connection, is all she has. As a result, Terry has dreadful, poisonous rules that “family” says and…