Missing Movie Review
Title: Missing
RunTime: 1 hour 51 minutes
Released: January 20, 2023
Rating: PG-13 (Violence)
Genre: Thriller / Mystery
Directed By: Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick
Starring: Storm Reid, Nia Long, Daniel Henney
Available On: Netflix
Summary:
At first, her mom’s trip to Columbia with her new boyfriend meant that June could host an end-of-the-school year party. Everything is great until June shows up at the airport to pick up her mother, only to find she is nowhere to be found. When messages are not returned, June must get local and international law enforcement involved to help locate her missing mother. Frustrated with waiting, June takes matters into her own hands and uses social media and new technology to pursue an investigation of her own.
My Thoughts:
Missing is connected to the 2018 film, Searching, and is filmed with a similar vision in mind. The entire movie is seen through a computer or phone screen. The concept works well in both movies, but I found myself liking the storyline of Searching more than Missing. Perhaps it is due to the fact that Searching was released first and felt more original, but I was not as engaged in this 2023 film. For being the main character, June is not explored much as a person. There are limited interactions between June and her mother before the investigation kicks off, making it difficult to be invested in the story.
I liked Missing as a replacement for true crime movies that are based on real people. It was more enjoyable to watch this movie, knowing that nobody’s story was being exploited. This movie still holds the suspense and investigative elements that fans of true crime will love.
My main issue while watching this movie was the predictability. There are a couple of twists throughout the film that caught me by surprise, but they are mostly glossed over. The moments that are given the most gravity can be predicted about thirty minutes in advance.
For someone who is new to the thriller genre, this would be the perfect movie to test the waters. This is not a movie that will keep you up at night. Rather, this movie would serve to give new viewers an idea of how thrillers are constructed. For viewers who have seen thrillers before and have grown immune to subtle tension, I do not think this movie will have its intended effect. Many of the emotional moments lack time and substance, leading to the scene being glossed over for the purpose of moving the story along.
As a whole, Missing is a good movie to watch if you are in the mood for a true crime story and do not want to feel weird about watching a real person’s story play out. From that standpoint, I wish there were more movies like this on the market. Unlike Netflix’s Dahmner series that gained immense popularity over the past year, this movie did not make me sick to my stomach. As a story in general, this movie was simply interesting. It was entertaining to watch, but will not be a movie I see myself watching again in the future.
Have you watched Missing? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
ashleyohare 