Amber Alert

Amber Alert (2024) delivers a tense and suspenseful thriller that keeps you on edge for most of its runtime, but ultimately falls short of being a standout in the genre. The movie revolves around a child abduction case, using the titular "Amber Alert" as its central plot device, and blends elements of crime drama with psychological tension.

The film's greatest strength lies in its atmosphere. The pacing is relentless, with enough twists and turns to maintain engagement, especially in the first two acts. The direction does a commendable job of creating a sense of urgency and dread, with handheld camera work and dark, claustrophobic settings that enhance the mood.

Performances are solid across the board, especially from the lead detective, whose emotional conflict adds a human layer to the otherwise procedural narrative. The abductor is portrayed with chilling ambiguity, keeping the audience guessing about motives and identity until the final act.

However, where Amber Alert stumbles is in its third act. The resolution, while satisfying, feels rushed and a little predictable. Some of the emotional beats don't land as effectively as they could, and the supporting characters often feel underdeveloped, leaving you wanting more depth. Additionally, the film occasionally leans too heavily on familiar thriller tropes, making parts of the story feel formulaic.

Overall, Amber Alert is a well-crafted thriller that delivers enough tension and drama to be worth watching. It may not break new ground in the genre, but for its strong performances and atmospheric direction, this film should be on your watchlist, though it may not leave a lasting impression.

Just to further add the statement at the end of the movie, AMBER stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. The acronym was created as a legacy to 9- year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and then brutally murdered.

Now I quite disagree with one reviewer who said the idea was great but the execution is awful. I thought the story line and the acting was quite well done. I have seen Hayden in a number of movies, but in this one she did very well playing the leading heroine role.

The story was a bit similar to.the 2017 Halle Berry movie Kidnap, where her son is kdinapped in broad daylight and quick thinking Berry jumps in her car and starts a hot pursuit of the kidnappers. That was also a pretty decent movie.

Anyway to cut a long story short I quite enjoyed this movie.

This was a title I decided to watch when I wanted something that was not too long and engrossing. I decided on this little movie and was not disappointed that I did.

First I will say the leads were both good and believable. I was enthralled with the story being as slight as it was but still made you want them to find the little girl.

And I must say that watching the lead actor was very easy on my eyes. Now I will have to start watching Abbott Elementary. All in all I would say if you have some time to spend and want something that is worth watching and easy on the eyes while also a somewhat nail biter, then I would suggest this title.

While somewhat predictable, this movie provides viewers with the familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Jaq and Shane don't know each other, but share a light chemistry early on, and while it doesn't necessarily lean into romance, their bond proves strong and necessary for what the film becomes. I think I enjoyed them bonding together more than the progression of the film. Shane's character needed more development. And I feel like they just threw Jaq's backstory at us when it was convenient, but I'm fine with how it played out. The plot is fairly predictable, but in a way I didn't mind. Watch if you want a safe (pun intended), solid movie with actors you know and love (if you haven't grown to love Tyler James Williams from Everybody Hates Chris or Abbott Elementary, what are you doing?!!). Or if you don't know them at all, even better!

We have all heard plenty about paedophiles by now, but this film does a very good job in bringing the emotions and pain that mother figures experience from losing a child. The main character Jaq has a heartbreaking moment of her own which got me bawling my eyes out, just thinking about the loss she went through at one stage in her life. Hayden Panettiere does a great job of the lead role and it was nice to see her as a mature woman after last seeing her in the tv series "Heroes". The location choice for the perpetrator's residence had me feeling quite creeped out by its bizarreness, and I'm always in awe at the amount of good film locations that exist in America for this type of genre. Good Friday night movie. Enjoy.