MOVIE REVIEW: "Missing"
Billed as a "standalone sequel" to the surprise hit "Searching" starring John Cho. But this time around,
a young woman uses all of the virtual tools available to her to find her mother when she goes... "Missing."
Now it's not a requirement to have seen "Searching" to understand "Missing," and in fact, seeing "Searching" first may spoil some things for you since "Missing" so closely hews to the formula that made "Searching" successful (but I guess "if it ain't broke," right?). Continuously, what was good about "Searching" is also good about "Missing" -- the use of onscreen graphics to literally show-don't-tell the action... a solid performance from a seasoned professional (Cho in "Searching," and Joaquim de Almeida in "Missing") ... dashes of social commentary... and double-crosses to keep you guessing.
However, what was bad about "Searching " is still bad about "Missing" -- those graphics can get a bit tiresome as half of the movie is search bars and chat screens, while the rest of the actual footage is seen only through cellphone and iPad cameras... Cho of "Searching" was in the lead, but de Almeida is in a supporting role... some of the references will be dated shortly... and the final twists can seem a bit much.
But, as they did with "Searching," the good outweighs the slights in "Missing," enough to give it a solid B+ for all 101 PG-13 rated minutes of "Missing."
But seeing as how it's not a visual marvel cinematography, I'm not sure seeing it on a big screen is necessary. So unless you're itching to get out of the house and have a solid date-night movie, watching this one at home is just fine.
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"Missing" (2023)
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
MPAA: PG-13
Running Time: 1 hr 51 min
Genres: Drama, Thriller
