Honest Reviews

This uses the around the same plot, direction, and filming as the movie Searching because it is the same creative minds to make this movie that actually turned out to be very good in the end! In all honesty, I saw the movie Searching twice and both times it lost my interest even though I loved how it was filmed, it just lost my interest both times. So after knowing it was the smae creative mind from Searching making this movie, I was a bit hesistant about going into this film, but after watching it . . . I was very satisfied on what I saw even though it had some flaws of its own!

I like to say that this a love letter to all the Gen Z generation out there because how this film is told is through every technology device that we use on a normal day, not to mention all the social media they use and the apps they use to communicate. Without a doubt, I felt so related to this movie because I knew every app they used (that are used every day), and I even used some. It’s such an abudance of watching the film through screens, that even though it may frustrate earlier generations, I’m a Gen Z generation so this hit in the right way!

The plot is literally the same plot as the movie Searching. It follows June who goes deep into the internet to find her missing mom. With every twist and turn, it not only makes the mystery even more confusing but it questions if she knew her mother at all! It’s literally deja-vu to Searching because although they some different things for the film, they literally use the same plot as this one. So, hearing this and if you’ve seen Searching it may be one that you may stop you from going . . . because why go to a movie that it literally almost the same as Searching? And that’s a good quuestion, but there’s something about this movie that has its own distinct style. It felt a lot the same, but at the same time: it had its own stlye to keep you hooked up throughout the film!

I felt like throughout the movie we got to know June (the main character) very much and understand how she usually lives her lives and how she treats her mom throughout the film. There’s some texts, images, and talks that is scattered throughout the film that you get to know June more and more. And although you don’t emotionally close, at least you get to know her as like . . . a friend. Her mom we even get to know her character and see that she is a strong, loving, and caring mom. We get to see her past and see what kind of lead her to be a bit of a defensive mom.

This movie uses its sick soundtrack into making this movie more or less like a thriller movie. There were some moments that got me hooked and wondering what would happen next. There were some shocking moments and surprises throughout the film. And they use the soundtrack to build up tension, and when its release: I have to admit, it’s effective! The soundtrack is what made this movie feel like a thriller one, even though it really isn’t one. But the soundtrack is what made this movie actually enjoyable and get its own style to distungish it from Searching!

I think what holds this movie from being a bit better is 1): it’s deja-vu even though it has its own styles and 2): it felt longer than it should be really! I felt like this mytsery movie could have been a bit succesful and get a higher rating if the runtime was docked by 10 or 15 minutes. (I also felt like that for the movie Searching.) I mean, by the 70 minute mark, I felt like this movie could have started winding down. But it takes all the runtime it has to make this effective storyline and it works, but by the end: I was kind of wishing it was already over. And yes, this movie felt a lot like Searching, and I’m kind of wondering they just ripped off the plot from that movie and put some new things and their own style because it kind of worked for me!

Overall, this is a strong film that I could see more than once! It’s a love-letter to the Gen Z generation because I feel like we teens can relate to June in more than one way. It’s a movie that may be a ripped off plot from Searching, but it still adds plenty of resfreshing, shocking moments that it can pretty much balance it out enough. The main characters are developed enough for this movie, and the soundtrack is sick! It’s the soundtrack that built the intense tension, and the one that made me almost believe it was a thriller-mystery movie, but it isn’t. In the end, it’s a movie that I’m glad I saw opening weekend!

3.5/5

Missing

Director: Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick

Writers: Will Merrick, Nicholas D. Johnson, Aneesh Chaganty, and Sev Ohanian

Film Editors: Austin Keeling and Arielle Zakowski

Executive Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Jo Henriquez, and Adam Sidman

Producers: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian, and Natalie Qasabian

Cast: Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Nia Long, Ken Leung, Daniel Henny, and Megan Suri

Runtime: 1 hour 51 minutes

Rated: PG-13

Releasers: Sony Pictures

Released: January 20th, 2023