Watched it this morning instead of the latest Jurassic flick. My take -
Last Seen Alive (2022)
"I think we need a break..."
From the hideously generic title (the working one was even worse -Chase) to it's Breakdown 'lite' premise, Brian Goodman's new missing persons thriller fails to break much new ground, but it might just satisfy as a solid by the numbers Friday night movie.
Nutshell premise - Gerald Butler's and Jamie Alexander's fractured couple stop for gas, and wouldn't you just know it - Alexander disappears seemingly in fresh air. Cue lots of anxiety and shouting from Butler...
It's gritty, 'in your face' opening scenes see the film set it's stall out early on, and in terms of the story it ultimately tells, there's barely an ounce of fat on it. The near enough 90 minute run time sees the plot move along in swift fashion, with a few red herrings, and plot contrivances along the way.
Jamie Alexander has more than touch of the ice queen about her, and her stuttering marriage to Butler left in me no doubt as to who's side I was on. Neither character is without their
significant flaws though, especially Butler(and his actions) as the movie progresses. Butler does an admirable enough job as the everyman thrust into an extraordinary scenario, and it's to the film's credit that he doesn't fall into the indestructible caricature that he's played so many times previously. Hot on heels of last year's excellent disaster flick Greenland, I prefer these sort of roles for Butler, and it's nice to see him using his natural accent,
Aside from a well known lead actor, the movie's slimline budget is always apparent (although to be fair it's made the best of), never more so than a very obviously cg assisted shot that unfortunately pulled me out of the experience. The third act is positively dripping in tension, helped in no small part by it's dread filled and imposing Sicario like score.
Given the similar premise, if we must make a comparisons, Last Seen Alive doesn't hold a candle to Johnathon Mostow's superior 90s thriller Breakdown and Kurt Russell's tortured husband still far excels in terms of entertainment value. Last Seen Alive is along the lines of a Netflix film of the week, but even if it's story has been told in better fashion elsewhere, it's still worth checking out as a streaming freebie.
6.5/10