Last Seen Alive

Last updated
Last Seen Alive
Last Seen Alive Poster.jpg
South African theatrical release poster
Directed by Brian Goodman
Written byMarc Frydman
Produced by
  • Gerard Butler
  • Taylor Conrod
  • Marc Frydman
  • Brian Pitt
  • Bob Shapiro
  • David Shojai
  • Alan Siegel
Starring
CinematographyPeter Holland
Edited byJulia Wong
Music bySam Ewing
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
  • June 3, 2022 (2022-06-03)
Running time
95 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$5.9 million [2]

Last Seen Alive is a 2022 American action thriller film [3] directed by Brian Goodman and written by Marc Frydman. It stars Gerard Butler, who also produced the film, Jaimie Alexander and Russell Hornsby. Formerly known as Chase, the film follows a man who takes the law into his own hands in the search for his missing wife.

Contents

It was released in the United States on June 3, 2022 and received mixed reviews from critics. [4] On October 1, 2022, the film was released on Netflix and instantly became Netflix's most watched film in the United States. [5] [6] The film also found international success on Netflix and was placed on "Top 10 Most Watched Films" lists in numerous countries. [7]

Plot

The movie opens with a brief scene of Detective Paterson accusing a man called Knuckles of kidnapping, and threatens him with life in prison. As the detective squeezes his throat, Knuckles finally gasps, "she's dead."

Wealthy real-estate agent Will Spann and his wife Lisa are driving to Lisa's parents' house, where she wants some time to herself. Before reaching the house, they stop for gas and Lisa heads inside to purchase a bottle of water. As she leaves the store she's greeted by a man, but as she moves toward him a large white truck pulls up, blocking the rest of their interaction from view. Will finishes gassing up and looks for Lisa, but cannot find her in the store or bathrooms. He starts to panic, frantically searching the entire area, calling her phone, and asking if anyone's seen her. He finally calls the local police department to report her disappearance and heads to her parents' house.

Lisa's parents, Barry and Anna Adams, get into a minor argument with Will as he tries to tell them what happened and asks for their help in locating her. A flashback reveals the tension between the couple, where Lisa suggests some time apart but can't explain why she's no longer invested in their marriage. Will heads back to the gas station and meets Detective Paterson, who questions the gas station clerk, Oscar, asking for security footage, but Oscar claims the cameras are broken. The detective returns to the station but Will notices the camera's indicator lamp is lit. He queries Oscar, and after a fight retrieves the CCTV recorder, which he takes to Paterson at the station. They see the start of Lisa's interaction before the white truck blocks the view, then the people are gone, also the older model automobile around the corner.

Detective Paterson then takes Will to the interrogation room, but the questions lead Will to believe he is suspected of arranging her disappearance due to marital problems. He leaves angrily and shows the picture of the man and his car from the security footage to Anna and Barry; they identify him as Knuckles, their handyman, and it's his car. Will breaks into Knuckles' trailer and questions him about Lisa. They get into a violent fight in which Will finally subdues Knuckles and takes his gun. Knuckles says he was forced to leave Lisa with someone named Frank. Will binds Knuckles, bundles him into his trunk, and drives off to find Frank, but is pulled over for speeding. The cop demands Will step out of his car to search it. Will knows the cop will find Knuckles in the trunk, and flees through the woods on the side of the road. Meanwhile, Detective Paterson visits Barry and Anna, who reveal Lisa's affair with "Clint", but that she had rebuffed his attempts to renew their relationship. Another flashback indicates Anna was distrustful of Will.

Will reaches a lower road and encounters a man who turns out to be Frank's guard, but talks him into letting him pass. He finds Frank's camp in the woods, a derelict farm, the main building of which is an extensive but rudimentary drug lab. Most of the inhabitants are unconcerned at his presence. He sees Oscar arrive, confirming his earlier suspicions. Will sneaks around the camp in search of Lisa. A flashback reveals the moment Knuckles takes Lisa, threatening her into his car. Will stalks Frank into the building and pulls the gun, begging him to reveal where his wife is. A firefight ensues, ending with Frank and one of his men dead. A small fire starts on the floor, not far from drug chemicals and tanks of flammable solvent.

The opening scene with Detective Paterson and Knuckles replays, as Paterson pushes Knuckles to confess. Finally, Knuckles reveals Lisa is dead, and how he had kidnapped her as part of a ransom plot, describing how he'd been forced by Frank to "fix his mistake" and dig a hole to bury her. Will, now free to search the camp, encounters Oscar, who reveals he has Lisa's phone and that he knows where she is, demanding $20,000 for information. The building suddenly explodes, killing Oscar, and Detective Paterson arrives on-scene. He tells Will to stay and goes to investigate the hole, finding it empty. At the same time, Will hears banging from a nearby shed and finds a terrified but alive Lisa tied up. They embrace and he carries her out.

Detective Paterson visits the Adams' residence to share information with Will about Knuckles' confession. He also reveals his awareness that not all individuals in the drug lab perished due to the explosion, as evidenced by gunshot wounds found on some of the bodies. Despite these revelations, Detective Paterson does not pry any further. Instead, he wishes Will luck and departs. Subsequently, Lisa invites Will to accompany her into her parents' house. The movie concludes with the two of them walking towards the house, smiling and holding hands.

Cast

Production and release

The film was shot under the title of Chase and was acquired for distribution by Voltage Pictures in July 2021. [8] It was added to Netflix in the United States on October 1, 2022. Last Seen Alive became Netflix's most watched film following its release in the U.S., Philippines, [9] Thailand, [10] Vietnam [11] and Hong Kong. [12] [13] The film placed at #2 in Singapore, [14] Taiwan [15] and Indonesia [7] and #6 in India. [13]

On November 3, 2022, Variety reported that Last Seen Alive had 747 million minutes viewed on Netflix and the film debuted at number 6 on Nielsen Streaming Top 10 list. [16] On the week of January 30– February 5, 2023, Last Seen Alive placed at #1 on Netflix's list of most watched films, "Top 10 By Country" in Denmark, [17] #2 in Finland [18] and Sweden, [19] and #3 in Norway. [20]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 13% based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 3.9/10. [21] Common Sense Media gave the film 2 stars out of 5, claiming the film failed to "manage to create a sense of intrigue about any of its characters". [22]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Wenham</span> Australian actor

David Wenham is an Australian actor who has appeared in film, television and theatre. He is known for his roles as Faramir in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, Friar Carl in Van Helsing and Van Helsing: The London Assignment, Dilios in 300 and its sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, Al Parker in Top of the Lake, Lieutenant John Scarfield in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, and Hank Snow in Elvis. He is known in his native Australia for his role as Diver Dan in SeaChange and Price Galese in Les Norton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Annabella Sciorra</span> American actress (born 1960)

Annabella Gloria Sciorra is an American actress. She came to prominence with her film debut in True Love (1989) and worked steadily throughout the 1990s in films such as Jungle Fever (1991), The Hard Way (1991), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), The Addiction (1995), Cop Land (1997), and What Dreams May Come (1998). She received an Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Gloria Trillo on The Sopranos (2001–2004), appeared as Detective Carolyn Barek on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005–2006), and had recurring roles on GLOW (2018), Truth Be Told (2019–2020), and Tulsa King (2022). Her stage credits include The Motherfucker with the Hat.

<i>The Fugitive</i> (1993 film) 1993 American film by Andrew Davis

The Fugitive is a 1993 American action thriller film, directed by Andrew Davis with a script co-written by Jeb Stuart and David Twohy, from a previous story draft which Twohy had written. Based on the 1960s television series of the same name which itself is loosely inspired from the trial of Sam Sheppard, the film stars Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Sela Ward, Joe Pantoliano, Andreas Katsulas and Jeroen Krabbé.

<i>Damage</i> (1992 film) Film by Louis Malle

Damage is a 1992 romantic psychological drama film directed and produced by Louis Malle and starring Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Graves, and Ian Bannen. Adapted by David Hare from the 1991 novel Damage by Josephine Hart, the film is about a British politician (Irons) who has a sexual relationship with his son's fiancée and becomes increasingly obsessed with her. Richardson was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance as the aggrieved wife of the film's main character.

<i>Gone Baby Gone</i> 2007 American film

Gone Baby Gone is a 2007 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Ben Affleck in his directorial debut. Affleck co-wrote the screenplay with Aaron Stockard based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. The film stars Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan as two Boston private investigators hunting for a young girl abducted from her single mother's apartment in Dorchester. The supporting cast includes Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, and Amy Ryan. It was the final film to be released by The Ladd Company before its closure on December 19, 2007.

<i>ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2</i> 2011 American film

ChromeSkull: Laid to Rest 2 is a 2011 American slasher film written and directed by Robert Green Hall, and co-written by Kevin Bocarde. It is the sequel to 2009 film Laid to Rest.

Lesley Paterson is a Scottish triathlete, author, screenwriter and film producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dee Rees</span> American screenwriter and director (born 1977)

Diandrea Rees is an American screenwriter and director. She is known for her feature films Pariah (2011), Bessie (2015), Mudbound (2017), and The Last Thing He Wanted (2020). Rees has also written and directed episodes for television series including Empire, When We Rise, and Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams.

<i>The Woman in the Window</i> (2021 film) Film by Joe Wright

The Woman in the Window is a 2021 American psychological thriller film directed by Joe Wright from a screenplay by Tracy Letts, based on the bestselling 2018 novel of the same name by author A. J. Finn. The film follows an agoraphobic woman who begins to spy on her new neighbors and is witness to a crime in their apartment. Anthony Mackie, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, and Jennifer Jason Leigh also star.

<i>Secret Obsession</i> American psychological thriller film

Secret Obsession is a 2019 American psychological thriller film directed by Peter Sullivan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Kraig Wenman. It stars Brenda Song, Mike Vogel, Dennis Haysbert, and Ashley Scott.

<i>The Sandman</i> (TV series) Fantasy drama television series

The Sandman is an American fantasy drama television series based on the 1989–1996 comic book written by Neil Gaiman and published by DC Comics. The series was developed by Gaiman, David S. Goyer, and Allan Heinberg for the streaming service Netflix and is produced by DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. Like the comic, The Sandman tells the story of Dream / Morpheus, the titular Sandman. The series stars Tom Sturridge as the title character, with Boyd Holbrook, Vivienne Acheampong, and Patton Oswalt in supporting roles.

<i>Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery</i> 2022 mystery film by Rian Johnson

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a 2022 American mystery film written and directed by Rian Johnson and produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman. It is a standalone sequel to the 2019 film Knives Out, and the second installment in the Knives Out film series. The movie stars Daniel Craig reprising his role as master detective Benoit Blanc as he takes on a new case revolving around tech billionaire Miles Bron and his closest friends. The ensemble cast also includes Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista.

<i>365 Days</i> (2020 film) 2020 erotic thriller film

365 Days is a 2020 Polish erotic thriller film directed by Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes. Based on the first novel of a trilogy by Blanka Lipińska, the plot follows a young Warsaw woman in a relationship falling for a Sicilian man, who imprisons and imposes on her a period of 365 days for her to fall in love with him.

<i>The Lincoln Lawyer</i> (TV series) Television series from Netflix

The Lincoln Lawyer is an American legal drama television series created for television by David E. Kelley and developed by Ted Humphrey, based on the books of Michael Connelly. It stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Mickey Haller, a defense attorney in Los Angeles who often works out of a chauffeur-driven Lincoln Navigator. Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, Jazz Raycole, Angus Sampson, and Christopher Gorham also star.

<i>Murder Mystery 2</i> 2023 American film by Jeremy Garelick

Murder Mystery 2 is a 2023 American action comedy mystery film directed by Jeremy Garelick and written by James Vanderbilt. It is a sequel to the 2019 film Murder Mystery, and it stars Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston with Mark Strong, Mélanie Laurent, Jodie Turner-Smith and John Kani.

<i>All Quiet on the Western Front</i> (2022 film) 2022 German film by Edward Berger

All Quiet on the Western Front is a 2022 German epic anti-war film based on the 1929 novel by Erich Maria Remarque. It is the third film adaptation of the book, after the 1930 and 1979 versions. Co-written, directed and co-produced by Edward Berger, it stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl, Sebastian Hülk, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic, and Devid Striesow.

<i>Carter</i> (film) South Korean action thriller Netflix film

Carter is a 2022 South Korean action thriller film directed by Jung Byung-gil, who co-wrote the film with Jung Byeong-sik. The film stars Joo Won, Lee Sung-jae, Jeong So-ri and Kim Bo-min.

<i>The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On</i> Dating reality television series

The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On is a dating reality television series created by Chris Coelen and produced by Kinetic Content that premiered on Netflix on April 6, 2022. The show is hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey.

<i>A Killer Paradox</i> 2024 South Korean television series

A Killer Paradox (Korean: 살인자ㅇ난감) is a 2024 South Korean crime thriller dark comedy television series written by Kim Da-min, directed by Lee Chang-hee, and starring Choi Woo-shik, Son Suk-ku, and Lee Hee-joon. Based on the Naver webtoon of the same name by Kkomabi, it tells the story of a man who accidentally murders a serial killer, and a detective who pursues him relentlessly. It was released on Netflix on February 9, 2024, and received generally positive reviews.

References

  1. ↑ "LAST SEEN ALIVE". Australian Classification Board .
  2. ↑ "Last Seen Alive (2022)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Last Seen Alive". Voltage Pictures .
  4. ↑ "This Action Thriller is The Top Movie On Netflix Right Now". HuffPost. 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2022-11-02.
  5. ↑ Oct 2, Joel CalfeePublished; 2022•6:48pm (2022-10-02). "The Gerard Butler-Starring Thriller 'Last Seen Alive' Has Overtaken 'Blonde' as the #1 Movie on Netflix". PureWow. Retrieved 2023-02-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: United States". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  7. 1 2 "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Indonesia". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  8. ↑ "Gerard Butler Headlines Action Thriller 'Chase,' Voltage Pictures Swoops For International Rights (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Philippines". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  10. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Thailand". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  11. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Vietnam". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  12. ↑ Moore, Kasey (2022-09-08). "'Last Seen Alive': Gerard Butler Movie Headed to Netflix in October 2022". What's on Netflix. Retrieved 2022-09-08.
  13. 1 2 "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Hong Kong". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  14. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Singapore". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  15. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Taiwan". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  16. ↑ Bell, BreAnna (2022-11-03). "Nielsen Streaming Top 10: Netflix's 'Last Seen Alive' Opens at No. 6 as 'Dahmer,' 'Hocus Pocus 2′ Continue to Reign". Variety. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
  17. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Denmark". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  18. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Finland". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  19. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Sweden". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  20. ↑ "Netflix Top 10 - By Country: Norway". top10.netflix.com. Retrieved 2023-02-09.
  21. ↑ "Last Seen Alive". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media . Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  22. ↑ Lawrence, Alistair. "Last Seen Alive Movie Review". Common Sense Media.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.