Movie Review: "Missing" (2023)

Missing Movie Review

Written by Stuart D. Monroe

Released Sony Pictures / Screen Gems

Directed by Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick

Written by Will Merrick, Nicholas D. Johnson, and Sev Ohanian

2022, 111 minutes, Rated PG-13

Released on January 20th, 2023

Starring:

Storm Reid as June Allen

Nia Long as Grace Allen

Tim Griffin as James

Ken Leung as Kevin Lin

Joaquim de Almeida as Javi

Any Landecker as Heather

Megan Suri as Veena

Daniel Henney as Agent Park

Review:

The internet thriller subgenre is picking up some steam recently with films like the frankly fantastic 2020 indie hit, Host, but it’s the 2018 Sundance darling Searching that really laid out the template. Five years later, we have been gifted with the standalone sequel, Missing. It’s a film that improves on the formula with a more seamless integration of technology and social media paired with a believable family story with some genuine heart at its core…even if it does ask a bit more suspension of disbelief at times.

The heart and soul of Missing is June Allen (Storm Reid; HBO’s Euphoria), a 17-year-old who can’t wait to party down and taste a little freedom while her mother, Grace (Nia Long; Boyz n the Hood) goes abroad to Colombia with her new boyfriend, Kevin Lin (Ken Leung; LOST). June and Grace have had a hard go; June’s father James (Tim Griffin; The Bourne Supremacy) died of cancer a few years before and their relationship has drifted. When her mother doesn’t return from Colombia, however, June is left adrift with nothing but a U.S. Embassy agent (Daniel Henney; X-Men Origins: Wolverine) for help. Her tech savvy and computer skills lead her on a cyber chase for a boyfriend with a checkered past and a mother who she may not know near as well as she thought she did.

Missing is one of those thrillers that pulls off the neat little trick of taking 111 minutes of film and pacing it so that it feels like you’re watching a lean and mean ninety minutes while still managing to spend real time on the family drama. Much of that frenetic energy is due to a near dizzying amount of twists and reveals, a number of which are honest to God surprises. The big reveal wasn’t a huge surprise, but it was the most impactful answer and plays true enough to make that aforementioned suspension of disbelief quite palatable.

That’s in large part thanks to Storm Reid. She delivers a hell of a performance, one full of moxie, intelligence, and range ahead of her years. June’s relationship with the Colombian deliveryman, Javi (Joaquim de Almeida; Desperado), makes for a B-story with A-story chemistry. Nia Long is every overworked and overprotective that has ever been; she’s excellent as always. Ken Leung is a chameleon. Overall, it’s a deeply talented cast.

Flipping the perspective from parent to child also works in Missing’s favor, naturally upping the intensity by putting all the drama and danger on someone who’s still a kid (albeit a very quick witted and resourceful one). At times, she’s almost too resourceful, drawing lightning fast conclusions for the sake of the film’s pacing, though the writing is clever enough to grease the wheels quite easily.

MIssing is a standalone sequel that equals if not surpasses the original. Additionally, there isn’t really any reason to stop in the series as the formula works without requiring connectivity and continuity between the individual entries (though you certainly could). There’s also plenty of room to go darker and more thoroughly expand the subgenre. All in all, I’d call that a success.

Grade:

4.0 out of 5.0 stars