'Missing' Review: From the minds behind Searching comes Missing
Photo by Photo Credit: Temma Hankin/Photo Credit: Temma Hankin - © 2021 CTMG, All Rights Reserved.
Hollywood has made an effort to make screen time feel like a movie as smart phones have taken over so much of our life. Films are now being told through laptop screens and phone screens in movies like 'Unfriended' (2014) and Searching (2018). The trend is continuing with the suspenseful sequel to "Searching," "Missing," except that this time the child is searching for a parent.
Storm Reid plays June, a teenage girl who uses the internet to find her mother (Nia Long) as she never returned from a romantic break to Colombia with her new boyfriend in this tense thriller. The directors and authors, Will Merrick and Nick Johnson, chose to frame their scenes on computer screens, which makes this movie special. All of June's investigation is contained within applications, which she opens with escalating fright.
When her mother and boyfriend don't arrive at LAX as expected, her instincts and years of online expertise truly come into play. As she struggles to communicate with the hotel front desk employee who only knows Spanish. She finds, however, that she can explore this city remotely with the aid of Google Maps and Javi, a Colombian gig worker with a compelling personal narrative (Joaquim de Almeida, who brings a welcoming sense of humor).
By observing June switch between tabs and tap away at her keyboard in the movie's opening scenes, we learn a lot about how she spends her days. She frequently leaves her computer's webcam running, giving us a glimpse inside her bedroom and the way she communicates with real people. Even though June's relationship with her mother isn't the finest, when some of the later circumstances take place, you are certain that her bond and affection for her mother are genuine. Its slightly corny formal element is overshadowed by the imaginative approach and the hectic pace of the storyline, but this movie lacks the originality that made Searching such a hot topic. Reid has a pleasant, engrossing screen presence, and she establishes June's intelligence and sassiness right on.
This film demonstrates how much of our lives may be found online. Every time June uses a new password, accesses a new website, or reads an email, she creates more questions than she can possibly address. "Missing" constantly has us speculating about these characters. You won't regret signing up for it because this kind of rollercoaster ride was built for the movie experience! Log on, relax, and grab your detective hat!
Directors Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick
Writers Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick
Stars Tim Griffin, Ava Zaria Lee, Nia Long, Kimberly Cheng, Storm Reid
Rating PG-13
Running Time 1h 51m
Genres Drama, Thriller
Watch the trailer here
