Missing (I) (2023) User Reviews

Surprisingly (mostly) gripping

[benjaminskylerhill · 7/10 · 20 January 2023]

Found footage films (especially computer-screen ones like this) always struggle with maintaining plausible reasons for the first-person cameras to keep rolling.

Even though Missing definitely fails at this and the film takes place in a world where people's FaceTime apps always stay open on their computers just so we can see what's going on, I was shocked at how often I found myself gripped by the mystery that the story presented.

The film is ridiculously well-edited. Every frame stays on screen or stays zoomed in just long enough, and the editors came up with some really visually stunning, creative transitions between scenes that make use of the distinct desktop-screen format.

This editing certainly helps with pacing, and this story is also paced astonishingly well. It never drags. And it never reveals too much or too little information at once. It's a very intriguing little mystery crime story that kept me on my toes until the final few minutes.

Retrospectively, now knowing the entire story, the key villains' motivations are a nitpicker's nightmare, and their plan strains believability if I think about it for too long.

I don't think this is as polished or as memorable as some other mystery thrillers (even others in this niche subgenre), but it was a really good time at the movies for me.

A worthy sequel!

[MovieWarfare · 8/10 · 29 March 2023]

I loved Searching (2018) so I was surprised that it was getting a standalone sequel.

For the most part, this is a worthy sequel that retains the great visuals and the compelling mystery of Searching (2018). Storm Reid is the main lead and she gives a great performance. Her character doesn't have a great relationship with her mother and she isn't exactly being great to her. Despite that, the movie gets you to really root for her because you see her desperation and regret once her mother is missing.

I do have a couple of gripes that make me enjoy it less than Searching (2018).

1. I find it hard to believe that the police wouldn't have access to the emails needed for the investigation.

2. Once the reveal happens, I question a lot of the overly complicated plan and the believability of it.

3. I also can't believe Javier has a 2.8 star out of 5 for his service. That guy is an MVP!

Just like Searching (2018), the mystery keeps you gripped with every twist and turn. It's a great mystery worth watching!

Intriguing premise, marred by disappointingly conventional conclusion

[bjhex1 · 7/10 · 23 April 2023]

I genuinely enjoyed 90% of the film. The idea of having this young woman sleuthing through little more than the apps on her phone and laptop was quite well presented. So much so that, frankly, the scenes set outside that computer setting looked uninspired and slapdash, namely any of the cable news programming and police news conferences. The silly little things we all experience with the internet and social media were solidly, often amusingly, displayed (my favorite perhaps being the slight hesitation deciding whether a front edge of a bumper constitutes part of a yellow school bus in a CAPTCHA picture).

And sure, there are numerous plot holes, mainly due to trying to maintain the mystery (the who?, how?, why? Only come into question after the reveal). But all this can be ignored, as the movie was genuinely engrossing for the majority of the picture. Until... the reveal, which, no spoiler, is sadly predictable. And while I don't entirely object to the nature of the resolution itself, the movie oddly changes pace into a rather pedestrian imitation of an action-thriller. I really wish it had been able to maintain its core atmosphere, and not descend into the ordinary.

Started off strong, ended in meh. Overall enjoyed.

[sugarnspices · 6/10 · 28 May 2023]

I will say I always like the filming style of the main character(s) POV via technology. The previous missing movie and a couple "scary" movies, "unfriended" I believe. Although they can seem a bit corny, they keep my attention and keep your eyes going and ear's listening to all that is going on.

I thought this movie started off strong, although I will say some things were quite obvious straight away, and some things were a little bit of an eye roll. Like I immediately noticed all the pics sent from Kevin, you couldn't see moms face. Knew it wouldn't be her. I also found it a bit ridiculous that during Kevin's courting of the mom on the dating website, they were still sending videos and talking cryptic through the dating app when they clearly had already exchanged numbers. Nobody keeps using a dating app messenger to talk once you have their number.

Also the hacking of Kevin's email, there is no way they could have gotten that done over the phone while searing the internet in real time, like googling a town for an elementary school. And an ex con that spent however long in prison has his family tree filled out on Facebook? Nah. Also found the communication between the FBI agent and daughter far fetched as well. I don't think agents FaceTime from their office computers with a teenage family member, or share as much so soon or freely with her as it happens.

Story was def on the far fetched side, as far as the extent and capabilities of this huge kidnapping story across different countries, done by a dude fresh out of prison...but I will say I didn't expect it or the dad being alive and involved. Overall an enjoyable movie!

The film does an adequate job of misdirection.

[Entertainmentsparadise · 7/10 · 27 February 2023]

Now this gonna have all girlfriends thinking they private investigators 🙄

Usually, I'm not a big fan of screen-life movies, but Missing effectively displays scenes that don't make it feel like the typical one.

June Grace ( Storm Reid), a teenage girl, investigates her mother's ( Nia Long) disappearance through various technological means, Such as Ring, FaceTime, and Instagram.

The movie gets better as it progresses, building an entertaining sense of thrill as the mystery comes alive with two refreshing plot twists. The film does an adequate job of misdirection. I enjoyed the different perspectives and angles used through various camera approaches, which didn't allow me to focus on the fact that this is viewed through a screen. The movie was active. The portrayal of online activity always being traceable was displayed well.

Verdict: If you like crime mysteries, then you'll enjoy this movie; enjoyable and has a decent enough plot twist to make you feel like it is worth your time. Storm Reid did well!

Grade: C+ Thrill: B Plot: B Execution: C.

Keeps Your Attention , But Not Groundbreaking

[ThereelscoopwithKK · 6/10 · 23 January 2023]

From the naming of the movie, to the previews, to the start of the movie it was clear that this movie was trying ride on the back of the previous installation , Searching. While it is not a sequel to that one and you do not need to see that one first they were definitely trying to create something similar to that film and in all accounts they succeeded in doing so. Like Searching they shared the story pretty much entirely through technology like webcams and cell phones screens and you are tasked with trying to put the pieces together to solve who the kidnapper is.

It keeps your attention the whole time , but I think the problem with it is that it's extremely predictable. For the first three quarters of the film you know they would be showing all kinds false leads. This would be fine if they built the story and you were able to use these false leads to figure it out or make a guess about what ends up happening, but the reality is none of them really mean anything and the ending feels a bit lazy and something actual police would have solved in a heartbeat. The villain also has little to no character development which limits the ceiling on any movie's success.

Overall it's entertaining and I enjoyed attending with friends I hadn't seen in a while, but this isn't a movie you'd really consider watching again or one that you will remember after a while. Still fine entertainment for a Saturday night nonetheless but just not earth shattering.

Edge of the seat viewing.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 25 October 2023]

June becomes concerned when her mother Grace doesn't return home from a trip to Colombia with her new partner Kevin.

First off, if you've seen Searching, you'll be very aware that it was made by the same people, I loved that, I loved this one.

What a clever plot, it's just a good old fashioned mystery, but one with a twist, this time it's the child searching for the parent, and instead of physically searching, she does it all with technology, makes a change to see tech given a positive spin.

Edge of the seat viewing, it is full of twists and surprises, you never know what is coming next, it doesn't follow any of the usual conventions. It didn't bore me for a second, what a triumph in writing.

Storm Reid was excellent as June I thought, a convincing performance, you really did get a sense of June's desperation and frustration.

9/10.

Keyboard movie.

[deloudelouvain · 6/10 · 24 March 2023]

Missing is another (I can't believe I can already say another) all computer technology related movie, basically the kind of movie youngsters will like more than the older generation which I'm a part of. Not that I didn't enjoy it, because I did, mostly because of the mystery. But I've already seen a few other movies with the exact same set-up, that is, somebody clicking away on a keyboard, solving mysteries like it is the easiest thing to do, things that would take me days if not weeks to figure out. I guess the new generation, that is almost born with a smartphone in hand, just are much handier with apps, websites and hacking than the old geezers like me. Pretty low budget in everything in this movie. A bit surprised by the high ratings it gets on here, reviewers are normally much harsher. The acting was okay for most of the cast. Storm Reid on the other hand, playing the lead character, wasn't very convincing in my humble opinion, it's more television soap level than big screen level. But the plot is interesting to follow so all in all it's worth a watch.

Give my boy Javi 5 stars!!!

[HoopaDaBoopa · 9/10 · 13 May 2023]

This movie had no right to go this hard and be so entertaining. I'm likely the demographic for this type of movie, as it takes place entirely on screens and the lead is just a bit younger than me, but I typically find "fully online" movies to be boring, but this movie was exceptional. The clues are laid out but in a way where they are not super obvious, though the reveals with the clues later on are believable. The acting in this film was also much better than I was anticipating. An issue with movies like this are that there is no HD camera, so the visual aspect of acting is difficult to pull off, but the voices alone make the conversations work, and the visuals aren't too bad either. The movie works so well because of its emotional core and because of Javi, the best character. He seems like a genuinely nice dude who was played expertly by his actor, and I was rooting for him and June the whole movie.

Missing

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 8 May 2023]

Storm Reid ("June") wakes up a bit the worst for wear one morning only to find she is meant to be at the airport picking up her mother and her boyfriend who are returning to the United Sates after a trip to Colombia. Oddly, the pair are no-shows and soon she is caught in a mystery that could involve kidnapping and the FBI as the young woman tries to find out just where "Grace" and "Kevin" have gone! What now ensues is actually quite a scarily effective treatise on just how easy it is for an internet-savvy teenager to use some fairly basic navigational skills and a fair degree of common sense too use the web to acquire a comprehensive knowledge of the missing couple. For me, too much of this happens on hard to follow busy laptop or phone screens, and the story itself has one or two pretty substantial holes - those becoming annoyingly evident and implausible as the plot develops. Still, it's a decent effort from Reid and is an effectively paced drama that just about keeps the interest for the almost two hours it takes us to reach the really rather convoluted and far-fetched resolution.

VERY good!

[billsoccer · 8/10 · 21 January 2023]

This is in the same vein as "Searching", a first person mystery/thriller, where almost every scene is of a person sitting at a computer or looking at a phone. If this alarms you, don't let it. It is very well put together, enough notes are put on the "screen" so even the very computer illiterate should be able to follow.

The story is a young girl, who loses her beloved father, and is raised by her now single mother without any other family. The mother disappears while on vacation and the daughter uses her computer skills to find clues. There are many twists and turns which will keep your interest. Not sure if all of the computer navigation is terribly realistic, but it's easy to suspend your disbelief, and I advise you to.

Missing

[RobTheWatcher · 6/10 · 21 May 2023]

Missing turned out to be an expectedly good surprise. I had low expectations going into this but it was a thrill of a movie with a fairly well thought out and complex story line. I think the only thing really missing from this was quality acting but given how it was filmed and relying so much on social media and other neat ways of capturing scenes, acting didn't matter as much and it wasn't as noticeably bad. But I really enjoyed the point to point story and how there were unexpected twists and turns. I'd definitely recommend this movie to someone. IMDb needs to get rid of this damn character minimum.

Awful and outdated

[fjbjyhhc · 1/10 · 4 March 2023]

I'm not sure what movie people are reviewing here but this one is something to forget and move on from. Really, a teenager on google figuring out the mystery of the decade, cracking passwords like Google and finding task rabbits that care so much about the greater good of their work. Having FBI agents tell her all about the case as it's going on. Sure. One of the worst movies I've seen in awhile. It was akin to looking directly at my smartphone for over 90:00 with no point or purpose. I simply don't understand the allure of a move where there is a bad plot, no acting, and nothing but noise clicks. Skip it.

Lifetime Special

[idonotexist · 6/10 · 13 March 2023]

I saw the previews and trailers long ago for this and said to myself, this will either be good or be very bad. It needs to be mentioned this is made by the same person who only makes this type of movies. Why is this important? Well it is not, but worth mentioning anyway.

Anyhow, did it bomb or was it good? Neither. It actually fell in that gray area, surprising even to me. I could not like it, nor could i hate it. It is very watchable but it essentially a lifetime made for TV movie that wants to be something more. Just could not pull it off.

It tries too hard to create misdirection, and i have to admit, it got me. Did not see some of those things coming, yet it does it by throwing in the kitchen sink of cliches especially near the end. There are better ways to achieve that than throwing random stuff for the sake of "twists". Too forced, too cliched, too rushed. Anyhow. Generic.

It tries to be somewhat realistic however which i will give credit to. There is no stupid hacker friend to randomly hack GooooGlle MaINFrAmE type nonsense; they tried to show things realistic like somebody would actually do them, and it came out fine. I have no issue with any of that, there is plenty of detail spent on that and it acts as additional plot tension; will she manage to get into xyzx email address.. The computer bits/social media/internet came out fine, no complaints.

Characters... Very forgettable, very i don't care about any of them vibe to them. FBI people just about seal the fate on that. The only one that stands out is the columbian errand runner. I will remember him. He steals the show in my view. So at least i have somebody to take away here.

Everything else.. it tries, it just cannot. Too much lifetime made for TV in it. I am not sure how else to put it, but this is literally the best description i can assign it. It feels like it, acts like it, runs like it, talks like it.. it just is. I was hoping it was going to be a gritty movie about columbian kidnapping gangs, a bit like TAKEN, because that is what the previews made it appear as. Well disappointment is the spice of a lifetime special movie. And that's what we have here.

Watchable, yes. Forgettable? Very. I watched it last night and it is already out of my head so i am writing this before i completely forget about it.

computer screen thriller

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 14 March 2023]

June Allen (Storm Reid) still misses her father James who died when she was a child. It's years later. Her mother Grace and her boyfriend Kevin are going to Colombia. When they don't return, June uses all her computer skills and dogged determination to find her missing mother.

This movie mostly takes place on the computer screen or the screen of a smart phone. It's far from the first movie to do this. Sometimes, this gimmick works. The novelty is no longer there, but this one does work. I really like the twists. For sure, I like the big one. The movie does need to switch over to regular filming after he shows up at her home. The last section needs to be kinetic and a computer screen is not the best for that. They do all the tricks to keep the screen moving. I just think that the last section could be where non of the tech works and we're left with IRL.

Lost me at WhatsApp.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 7/10 · 9 March 2023]

I wasn't really buying into Storm Reid's character being such a multi-tasking online sleuth with so many easy and convenient online access options bypassing so many security standards. Even the story, albeit nothing revolutionary except for the way it was told mostly via screenlife format, had way too many plot and technical issues in the writing. Also, maybe due to the inexperience of the filmmakers to direct their cast properly, I only found Joaquim de Almeida as Javi to be the most believable character, then in a distant second place, Nia Long as Grace. Even with the decent pacing that made the 111 min runtime fly by, most of the screenlife shots were happening too fast for us to figure out what was actually going on. Nevertheless, it was still a unique way to tell a story and it was suspenseful for the most part.

You'll be on the edge of your seat

[darkreignn · 9/10 · 21 January 2023]

"Missing" is an anomaly - for a January movie that had little to no marketing behind it, perhaps the most shocking thing about "Missing" is that it's a surprisingly high-quality thriller with a focus on true unpredictability.

"After her mother goes missing, a young woman tries to find her from home, using tools available to her online." This IMDb synopsis is literally all I knew about this movie as I wanted into the theatre to watch it opening night; I dragged my cousin along with me, who did not read this synopsis before entering the film; as we sat down in the plus, ultra-luxury reclining seats and the lights started to dim, my cousin leaned over and whispered into my ear, "I still have no idea what this movie is about." And besides the short plot description that I read, neither did I. And after watching this movie with only a vague idea of its plot, there is no doubt in my mind that seeing "Missing" totally blind as to what it has in store for you is the optimal viewing experience.

A true missing person's mystery, "Missing" has more twists and turns than a roller coaster at Cedar Point. The story organically unfolds to slowly reveal more pertinent information to the viewer - coupled with fast-paced editing and a rapid, heart-racing soundtrack, the 1 hour and 51-minute running time flies by. And this breakneck speed of the film only adds to the intensity, as you really begin to feel the struggle of having to find who is missing before it's too late. I literally found myself stressed out in the best way while watching this movie - and for a thriller, that's really all I want.

Now, how is the so-called found footage style of the movie - does it get in the way of the experience? Not at all; found footage movies historically get a bad reputation, but "Missing" is an example of found footage at its best. There is no annoying shaky camera where you can't see what's happening, or bizarre editing that hinders you from seeing pivotal story moments. Everything feels fluid and purposeful with a singular goal: To allow the audience to clearly follow the story in the most entertaining way possible.

Honestly, I loved this movie, and I'm having trouble figuring out what more to say other than, "I loved this movie." I'm not sure what's going on this January, but all I have to say is that if you're looking for an edge of your seat thriller, you found it.

One time watch

[eoinpgeary · 6/10 · 28 April 2023]

So, I think the movie was pretty good, it is a lower score because I don't think it has a high amount of rewatch ability, BUT I'm saying that I think it is a good one time watch.

The whole concept is a mom goes missing in Columbia and her Daughter who is played by Storm Reid tries to find her from home by scanning the internet, the benefits to being watched and followed by all out devices hahaha

The pacing is a little off BUT every time I thought it got a little dragged something would crack in the case, the last 35-40 minutes I was GLUED to the screen, the ending I had somewhat predicted and without spoiling in the last 10 minutes I screamed at the tv to use Siri hahahahaha

The camera angles by the film being the cameras of the laptop and other devices was good but the standout is Storm Reid's acting, she was fantastic and draws in all the viewers attention for the whole movie also Javier was great and I loved his screen time, overall 6.5/10.

There's Nothing "Missing" in This Thrill Ride of a Movie

[JackCowart34 · 8/10 · 23 January 2023]

Directors Nicholas Johnson and Will Merrick return to the big screen with Missing, a similar albeit much improved rendition of their 2018 film Searching. This time around, they excel at building up tension, allowing the audience to breathe momentarily, and then plunging you right back into the drama with a new discovery. The script demanded plenty from Storm Reid, playing the protagonist June, but the lead actor holds her own, often able to dig deep for the emotionally rich scenes, which tend to come regularly in a movie depicting a voracious girl in a race against time to find her missing mother. But just as important as any actor on the silver screen is the score in the background, and Julian Scherle's score quickly caught my attention and brilliantly helped develop the atmosphere. Although there are aspects of the film that can be considered implausible, I find it difficult to hold that against it. The main character is virtually a Sherlock Holmes-level sleuth, not to mention her uncanny ability to operate a computer at the speed of light. Yet the movie requires those two plot devices in order to move forward. I went into this film with tempered expectations, but I think Johnson and Merrick are starting to get the hang of this fully computer-based movie subgenre.

A above average thriller, but ruins what could've been great with a safe finale

[nicolasroop · 6/10 · 22 January 2023]

Here is a film where I feel divided. I enjoyed everything leading up to the final twist. It was a servicable enough ending, but they could have done so much more. Especially after all of that misdirection and moment to moment changing the narrative, it just felt like they played it too safe and only did this so the film could have a happy ending. I think this is one of the few films where I would have preferred the unhappy ending. Everything leading up to it, though, is definitely interesting enough to warrant the watch, however convoluted and unrealistic it may have been. Still an above average thriller that managed to keep my interest for the most part. You could definitely do worse than this.

3 kidnappings out of 5.

Well done!

[subxerogravity · 8/10 · 27 January 2023]

I almost did not go see it. It looks so much like the movie Searching that it was a bit of a turn off. Searching stared John Cho as a father looking for his daughter. Missing stars Storm Reid as a daughter looking for her mother. Both characters use the computer to look for these people and are filmed in the preceptive of the camera on the computer. You can say the same thing about action movies or horror movies. But the feel of seeing these characters in nothing but the point of view from a computer camera makes it feel very alike.

In comparison Searching now feels like a warmup to Missing. Missing has got some hardy meat on its bones. Where this movie goes and how it escalates works well and is well orchestrated. It had a great story to it, and it was well acted. The horror element of the movie seemed bigger than Searching. Fear for the characters wellbeing became genuine because of some good set up by some good actors.

It was exciting and fun.

A captivating thriller

[an_irish_scotsman · 7/10 · 23 December 2023]

As a fan of found footage films I've seen the best and worst of the genre. Missing is a sequel of sorts to Searching and successfully continues the subgenre of found footage "screen recording" horror/thrillers that have emerged in recent years (Unfriended being another example).

June's mother goes on a trip with her new boyfriend and doesn't return when expected - prompting June to investigate largely online and over the phone from home. That's the initial premise at least - it quickly develops into a rabbit hole of secrets and lies.

Missing fully utilises the tools of its presentation to keep the audience engaged and immersed in the investigative flow of the film. We're bombarded with information and have it visually on hand when pertinent to plot developments - and many things shown early in the film prove themselves to be relevant later in the film. Even the very presentation - we are watching June's screen becomes relevant, as we're not the only ones watching her this way.

The film can be confusing if you don't pay attention. There are endless twists and turns - and while in the context of the film they make sense - for some I could see it being tiring and overwrought. Missing is also nearly 2 hours in length with few lulls in the plot developments - long for the genre.

If you enjoy found footage, tense thrillers, and crime documentaries - this movie is most certainly for you. You won't be disappointed - as long as you're paying attention.

If you've ever seen a Lifetime movie, you've seen Missing

[fullerjoh · 4/10 · 28 January 2023]

I wasn't going to see this because the entire genre of doing a movie through instant messengers and apps is already a little played out... but then I saw the ratings across the board and thought I might be wrong.

This movie has been made 1,000 times over. Lifetime created a network out of this exact story, multiple times over. There's really nothing new or unique in it, and the acting gets pretty rough at times. The plot goes pretty much where you expect it to go, even if the writers think they're dropping some twists in.

It's fine to watch in a theater for a matinee price, but if you're paying more than that you're just burning money.

Solid flick with interesting story.

[lukadragovic-62520 · 7/10 · 15 March 2023]

Acting is solid, directing as well.

It will keep you hooked and it's a solid movie for a nice bowl of butter popcorns. You need to be somewhat a tech savie to be able to follow it through.

Hopefully if you can get past this subtle feminist scenario it won't be a wasted time. Practically you can spot it from the the beginning of the movie as well as later on when you see a certain character "about me" page where she declares it. The downside is if you catch it the feminist aspect on time, you'll be able to partially understand in which direction the movie will be going. To be clear, I hate feminism as much as I hate chauvinism. I don't think any of those two terms have any positive meaning.

Definitely a one time movie watch.

Good thriller!!!

[sriramthestranger · 7/10 · 11 June 2023]

The plot is interesting - 'a kid searching for the missing mother'. But there is lack of context in why this had to be a screen movie like 'Searching'. This could have been better had it been made as a normal cinematic movie, given the thrills, twist and reveals it had.

The plot looks wayward in the beginning and picks pace slowly. One leads to the other, and the final act is damn good. The artists acted well. The emotions work at right places.

But there are too many taken got granted moments with our protagonist guessing the correct password every 5th second. And, the Google translate scene looks far fetched!!