I had an absolute blast with this one. I don't think it quite reaches the heights of Searching, but it absolutely justifies its existence and then some. It almost feels odd to say about movie like this, but there's a real formal elegance to the craft here. Searching and now Missing are really the height of the "digital interface" genre. These movies are engaging in a way that actually feels incredibly novel and fun. There's a "Where's Waldo?" element at play that almost makes you feel like you can "solve" the movie before it guides you to the end. Of course, that's an inherent element of any thriller, but here it feels so much more tangible. And the best part is that while it might be labelled a gimmick, it's really just a brilliant use of the audio-visual medium that is film. If every frame counts and is supposed to advance story, then movies like Missing should be seen as exemplary achievements in film. That might be a tad hyperbolic, but I'm just really jazzed that a genre like this now exists.

To get to the movie, it basically delivers on everything I signed up for. My suspension of disbelief was definitely stretched a bit more than I was expecting, especially when this movie begins to veer into the horror genre, but never so much that I wanted to get off the ride. There were also certainly some little plot elements that felt contrived or convenient, but given the experience I was expecting from this movie (a fun thrill-ride) I was never totally put off.

The fact that this movie, amidst all the fun, also provides some incisive and thoughtful commentary on our current digital age - in terms of how it's commoditized, how it desensitizes us, how despite our greater connectivity our humanity hasn't necessarily increased, etc. - is a beautiful cherry on top! What really landed the plane for me with Missing were the emotional beats that the movie managed to pay off in the end. A thumb reaction to a message, and a father-son reunion both brought a giant smile to my face and reassured me that I was in the safe hands of thoughtful storytellers throughout this movie. While this wasn't quite as mind-blowing as Searching, I do think this was a very worthy successor, and overall another successful entry in this genre of movies.

Missing takes the same formula of Searching and expands on it in every single way. There were so many new folds in technology that were used in the film based on a younger character's perspective and technological innovations since 2018. The editing was fantastic with some very creative mashups of different apps in certain montages. While the acting is not as good as the original, mainly due to the absence of John Cho, everyone does enough to maintain a sense of believability in the plot. This film for me was much more gripping than the original, the pace and tension was amped up creating a very streamlined viewing experience. I looked at my phone thinking the movie was only 30 minutes in, and it was over an hour, it flew by. There were plenty of twists in this film, some I could see coming and other that I was completely blown away by. Towards the end, a certain plot point was introduced that almost lost me, but it turns it self around and saves it from ruining the entire experience. I wish the ending would have been better, but overall it was great film that improves on the original.

Score: 81%
Verdict: Great

Missing takes the same formula of Searching and expands on it in every single way. There were so many new folds in technology that were used in the film based on a younger character's perspective and technological innovations since 2018. The editing was fantastic with some very creative mashups of different apps in certain montages. While the acting is not as good as the original, mainly due to the absence of John Cho, everyone does enough to maintain a sense of believability in the plot. This film for me was much more gripping than the original, the pace and tension was amped up creating a very streamlined viewing experience. I looked at my phone thinking the movie was only 30 minutes in, and it was over an hour, it flew by. There were plenty of twists in this film, some I could see coming and other that I was completely blown away by. Towards the end, a certain plot point was introduced that almost lost me, but it turns it self around and saves it from ruining the entire experience. I wish the ending would have been better, but overall it was great film that improves on the original.

Score: 81%
Verdict: Great

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/missing-mini-review

"Missing may not surpass the original, but it stands as a compelling standalone sequel. The screenlife storytelling technique remains fascinating, as debutants Will Merrick and Nick Johnson bring an insane level of mind-blowing detail to every single digital frame.

The tense, twisty narrative holds a generic yet efficiently developed mother-daughter emotional core. accompanied by a wonderful score, smooth pacing, excellent performances, and high entertainment value. Believability is stretched a tad too much in a crazier screenplay, and the screenlife format poses a challenge in conveying the more dramatic moments.

Minor issues that won't change an inevitably fantastic reception from a broad audience."

Rating: A-

Okay. Damn. Woah. What? Come again?

This was brilliant. The twists, the turns, plot twist on top of plot twist, everything hit the mark and I am just ASTOUNDED. The writers did amazing with this, and I cannot believe ho well it all connected. I am just... astounded. I don't have much to say other than goddamn, I actually want a sequel to this. I don't want a sequel to this because it would likely absolutely ruin the charm of this.

This wasa wild ride from start to finish, and I cannot state enough how good this is. Give it a go; easily one of the best movies of this year.