Watch Full Movie HD: Amber Alert [2024]
Review: Amber Alert
The 2012 movie Amber Alert had a promising concept but suffered from the limitations typical of “found footage” films. The story centers on a group of teenagers who hear an Amber Alert and spot the car in question while driving. What follows is a chaotic chase full of unrealistic twists, all caught on shaky cellphone cameras. One of the most memorable (and frustrating) aspects of the movie was the near-constant yelling between the characters, which made the whole thing feel frantic and disorganized.
Now, in 2024, we find ourselves with a movie of the same name and premise, directed once again by Kerry Bellessa. However, this time, the “found footage” format has been ditched in favor of a more polished, traditional style. As Yogi Berra would say, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”
Revisiting a story you first told 12 years ago is an intriguing choice, but has anything improved? The 2012 version was clearly constrained by its microbudget, and the found footage technique only amplified its flaws. In contrast, the 2024 film feels more refined. The acting is stronger, and the experience is overall more digestible—despite an ending that still leans into the absurd. The premise remains fairly straightforward, but the plot has been expanded for dramatic effect.
The story begins with an 8-year-old girl named Charlotte disappearing while playing hide and seek in a park. Her mother, in a moment of panic, notices her daughter standing next to a black car in the background of a video she had been taking. She immediately calls the police. Simultaneously, a young woman named Jaq (played by Hayden Panettiere) hails a rideshare driver, Shane (Tyler James Williams), as she’s running late. As luck would have it, both receive an Amber Alert on their phones, and they soon believe they’ve spotted the car. After alerting the police, they take matters into their own hands and follow the suspect vehicle.
Panettiere and Williams have a natural chemistry that makes their interactions believable, but the plot quickly becomes less about the Amber Alert and more about the two of them, for better or worse. Shane is reluctant to get involved, but Jaq’s urgency pushes him into action. Their pursuit becomes the focal point of the film, but it’s often accompanied by unrealistic decision-making. The police, overwhelmed with tips, end up essentially outsourcing their job to Jaq and Shane, who continue the chase.
Saidah Arrika Ekulona delivers a standout performance as the dispatcher who initially takes the call. Her portrayal brings a sense of urgency and realism, especially in the first half of the film. Unfortunately, once the focus shifts to Jaq and Shane, Ekulona’s character fades into the background, and the film loses her grounded perspective. Some of the most gripping scenes revolve around dispatchers, as seen in films like The Guilty (2018), and her presence adds a layer of tension that the rest of the film struggles to maintain.
Visually, the film impresses, with cinematographer Luka Bazeli utilizing drone shots to capture the car chase from a bird's-eye view. These scenes highlight the overwhelming odds facing Jaq and Shane as they chase a car in a vast cityscape. However, the use of drones, while effective, sometimes feels a bit too slick. There’s a nostalgic longing for the rawness of classic helicopter shots that grounded chase scenes in reality, as seen in films like Dog Day Afternoon.
Although the film tries to say something meaningful about the Amber Alert system (with title cards at the end explaining its history and success), it can’t help but devolve into a standard thriller in its final act. Jaq and Shane's actions become increasingly irrational, and the story ticks off all the expected “thriller” boxes without delivering genuine suspense or tension. The film aims to merge real-world relevance with high-stakes drama, but the balance never quite lands.
Ultimately, the 2024 Amber Alert is a more polished version of the original, but it doesn’t rise above the issues that hampered its predecessor. It’s an entertaining thriller, but it leaves the audience wondering if this story really needed to be told twice.
0 Comments