Missing movie review – Movie Review Mom

MOVIE TITLE: Missing

This fast-paced thriller is now available to stream on sites like Amazon Prime, Vudu, Redbox, or ROW8 on Roku.

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 51 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

After her mother goes missing, a young woman tries to find her from home, using tools available to her online. Missing is a type of sequel to Searching which starred John Cho and is from the same producers.

The dramatic film is written and directed by Will Merrick and Nicholas D. Johnson.

THINGS I LIKED:

Storm Reid does a fantastic job as a quick-thinking teen who understands the power of technology.
It’s great to see Joaquim de Almeida in something again. I’ve always liked him.
Other cast members who do a great job include Nia Long, Tim Griffin, Ken Leung, and Megan Suri.
The first couple of minutes quickly show you the dynamics of all the characters and introduce you to the technique of storytelling through various electronic devices.
Even though Colombia has a terrible reputation of being dangerous, I was able to go there on a medical mission a few years ago and absolutely loved it. The country is gorgeous, and the people are warm and friendly.
Shout-outs to TaskRabbit, Google, Siri, and Ring. The biggest praise goes to Mac operating systems and the world-changing iPhone.
It’s a fun mystery that races you from clue to clue with many twists and turns.
Ah, teens. The attitude. The technology. Technology is definitely their world, and this movie shows how quickly they can navigate anything.
Fun fact: While your eyes scan news articles with the protagonist, pay attention to the quick references to a potential alien invasion. This is definitely not an alien movie, but that’s a fun Easter egg.
The pace is very fast and holds your attention throughout every scene.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

There’s a lot of reading required because of all the texts used between characters.
This is not the kind of movie you can watch in the background while you’re doing something else. You need to pay close attention because so many important things are written on the screen.
Older audiences might get tired of all the reading and texting lingo.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

People are shown being kidnapped.
A gun is used and some people get shot. We see some blood.
Some violence.
There is talk of people who did crimes and went to jail.
We see pictures of teens at a party with lots of alcohol and drugs.

THEMES:

The power of technology
Secrets
Dishonesty
Family
Critical thinking skills
Sacrifices

FUNNY LINES:

“Listen, I am running late and I need you to write a couple of things down. The car keys are going to be in the top drawer in the kitchen, and Kevin…I just said write it down. You’re not writing it down. Kevin forwarded you the itinerary. No alcohol. Do not open the door to strangers. And keep your location service turned on the entire time I’m away. Do you understand?” – Grace (Nia Long) “No fun. Got it.” – June (Storm Reid)