“Last Seen Alive” is yet another example of extreme mediocrity from Netflix, where they sometimes have the rare hit but most of their original films are misses. At least director Brian Goodman‘s film is watchable, but it’s an extremely generic kidnapping thriller that plays like a really lousy episode of “Ozark.”
Will (Gerard Butler) and his wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) are on the rocks. She’s been having an affair and is ready to pull the plug on their marriage. When Lisa suddenly vanishes at a gas station, Will must infiltrate the town’s criminal underbelly if he wants to solve the mystery of her disappearance. On the run from the cops and with the clock ticking, it’s a race against time if he has any hope of finding her alive.
The script is basic and shallow, and there’s an enormous amount of routine filler (checking the store’s security cameras, police interrogations, walking around with a gun drawn). Nothing new or exciting happens here, and the reveal and ultimate conclusion are both unimaginative and disappointing. I suppose the film deserves a little bit of credit for its excessive use of the F-word.
The performances are surprisingly decent, with Butler doing his best Liam Neeson tough guy routine alongside an unexpected, solid turn from Ethan Embry as local ne’er-do-well, Knuckles. None of the cast are superstars, but they are hard working and do their best with the material they are given.
“Last Seen Alive” isn’t flat-out terrible, but it’s bland and forgettable. If you enjoy watching spoon-fed thrillers, this will be right up your alley.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 