Disparue

I saw this one against the critics' recommendation at Rottentomatoes, and it was because of Amanda Seyfred, to be honest. She has those beautiful big blue eyes and blonde hair that one cannot look away from.

But after watching her in this movie, it is clear to me that she is much more than a pretty face, and she can carry a movie on her own.

I can see why the critics would hate it, though. The plot is overly simple, the cops have a cursory role, and none of the characters other than that of Amanda's are well-developed. And, the big 'confrontation' is dealt with as if the director wanted it out of the way as soon as possible.

But, to be honest, in retrospect, the film is about none of that. This is a suspense thriller, not a horror. There does not have to be a big confrontation, and there does not have to be jump shots. This is about the journey of the protagonist against all odds, and how she uses her alertness and her resourcefulness and her charm to get to the person she believes has her sister.

In this, it succeeds. I would watch this one again, and if a movie makes me think that, it has succeeded for me.

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!

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.

I have to admit I wouldn't have seen this movie if my daughter was not in the movie. However, I found it a decent watch. Considering that 85 percent of the films that come out are absurd and complete garbage, this one was decent. It's one of those movies where after you see it you'll think "that was OK/pretty good...but I'm glad ;I didn't pay $10 to see it in the theater". After you view it, you will feel satisfied and there should not be a desire to watch it over & over again - say, like There Will Be Blood. I cant recall any situations in the film that you could consider ridiculous or unbelievable. The movie was filmed on location in Portland, Oregon. So when they are in the setting they say they're in, they're really there. The movie kept me wondering until the end what was going to happen and it didn't end the way I thought it would. I don't want to give anything away as to not ruin your viewing experience. Amanda Seyfried gave a great performance putting in exactly what was required. No extra, unnecessary funny stuff.

I hope this review sets the proper expectation for your viewing experience. Enjoy!