Gone

A completely focused Performance highlights this somewhat familiar Tale of a Woman who has been severely traumatized by...that is the question. Is it all in her head, is she delusional, did something really happen to her or is she completely "Gone"?

This is played out throughout this competent Thriller as She believes that the source of her pain and suffering is back and has abducted her Sister. This unleashes Her barely pent up Rage and propels Her on an unstoppable quest to evoke Revenge and rescue Her Sis.

This is a bit above a routine exercise in Serial Killer Clichés as it focuses on a truly riveting and believable Amanda Seyfried as the troubled Heroine. Truth is that she is damaged and not really in complete control of her affliction and this lends a certain edginess to the Film as you never really know what She is going to do next, or what Lie She will fabricate, it seems at will, in a moments notice.

Worth a look for Fans of this type of thing and those who like strong Females willing to go the distance even if it means facing your most frightening fears.

Jill Conway (Amanda Seyfried) was kidnapped and escaped but nobody believed her. She was sent to a psychiatric facility. Her sister Molly disappears and she is convinced that it's the same kidnapper from two years earlier.

The production value is limited but the tension is maintained throughout this film. Basically, this is a damsel alone in danger against a serial killer. Amanda is great. The production does dip into more TV level of style at times. A bigger budget would help as well as a more imaginative eye. I'm not sure if there are any unfilled plot holes and the climax definitely needed more action. It's still a good watch mostly for Amanda.

Jill's (Amanda Seyfried) sister Molly is kidnapped as Jill was years ago. Detective Powers (Daniel Sunjata) doesn't believe her as he didn't believe her before because Jill could not come up with any viable evidence that she was kidnapped and escaped. He believes it was all in her head. Jill feels she cannot trust the police to help.

At first I thought (and hoped) I would be seeing a female version of a Mel Gibson character who knows no boundaries when a family member is taken. I was wrong. We see Jill doing the detective work that the police would normally do. She goes here and there and gathers clues getting closer and closer to the serial-killer kidnapper. The police are now in full pursuit of her because shots were fired and that is a violation as she had been in a mental hospital and owning a gun is a no no.

This held me because the suspense and tension were very good. And, what's not to like with Jill and those big Red Riding Hood eyes? (I would guess Amanda Seyfried will be forever known for that.) The entire cast performed well.

Two things: Jill's road trip to the forest where she was kept years ago has the story go full circle as we knew it would. We screamed and begged for her not to go there, but she didn't listen. And, where Molly was found was a bit of a stretch but for the twist to work it had to be this way.

However, all in all, this is pretty good even though you are convinced a Mel Gibson character won't show up. (7/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity; No. Language: No.

I actually held off from watching this film, I guess because I have a thing against PG or PG 13 films, especially when is comes to horror, or thrillers. But guess what...'Gone' was really a good thriller as well as being a cool little mystery. I never heard of the Director (Heitor Dhalia) until this film and I must say I was quite impressed by the look and style of the film. Dhalia has a great eye, because the scenery in this film was simply breathtaking. A good pace was set and at times I found myself catching my breath due to some tense moments spread throughout the film. I was also impressed by Amanda Seyfried's performance, she held her own and delivered on all aspects of what her character was suppose to give in telling this story. My only grip was Wes Bentley's cop character. Bently's character wasn't really needed and didn't serve no actual purpose, although the film makers lead you to believe his character has some relevance to the story. 'Gone' is not a blockbuster type film, but holds it's own in the tradition of 'Kiss the girls' and other such film thrillers. So when you get a chance to see this film, get yourself, your date, or family a big bowl of popcorn and sit back, because you'll have a nice little viewing experience.

1. there is a review here that is at least 1000 words about how much that person hated this movie. that alone tells me there is more to this flick than the reviewer will admit.

2. as my title above states this is a suspense thriller about a girl who beats the odds against her. these odds are coming from the traditional good (police & doctor) and the bad (abductor). the support group (police & friends) don't believe her story. but she knows better and takes the situation into hand.

3. the suspense is continuous and good enough to keep you guessing what she will do next. yes - some of it is a bit unbelievable. but isn't that the theme of the movie - nobody believes her - not even the movie watcher.

4. ignore the naysayers and check out this thriller --- very kewl ending!