THE STORY – A rideshare becomes a high-stakes game of cat and mouse when Jaq and Shane receive an Amber Alert on their phones. When they spot the kidnapper’s car with the girl in the back seat, they desperately race against time to save her before it’s too late.
THE CAST – Hayden Panettiere & Tyler James Williams
THE TEAM – Kerry Bellessa (Director/Writer) & Joshua Oram (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 90 Minutes
The notion of becoming a hero is one that many ordinary citizens aspire to have as an idealized goal. Even if that particular goal is too lofty and ambitious for some, the desire to be part of a greater good is a motivation that can touch us all. The delicate balance of how to insert oneself into a harrowing situation that stays an arm’s length away from danger while also utilizing valuable skill sets is top of mind – but the reward can be incredibly satisfying. For many, such a scenario will never escape the confines of imagination, whether that be a lack of opportunity or a doubt of personal abilities to rise to such a daunting challenge. It’s why stories of regular people thrust into these events can be captivating, and the premise of “Amber Alert” presents such a conflict. However, the results are a rather tepid affair that doesn’t break free from the pedestrian trappings.
The film centers on a pair of strangers who find themselves forced into a thrilling sequence of events due to pure happenstance. Jaq (Hayden Panettiere) is trying to make it to a blind date but has just missed the rideshare car she initially ordered. Desperate, she pleads with another driver, Shane (Tyler James Williams), to take her. While he’s reluctant to do so, he agrees when her stop is on the way to where he needs to go, and an extra monetary incentive is provided. However, their trip is interrupted by an Amber alert that was just triggered. A little girl has just been abducted, and the only information that’s been sent out is a description of her physical appearance and the car that took her. During their drive, Jaq spots a suspicious-looking vehicle and urges Shane to pursue it. In doing so, the two become entangled in this search, further pushing themselves into a race against time and hopefully saving an innocent life before it is too late.
There’s a sense of efficiency that runs through the film that aims to keep its narrative as lean as possible, no doubt an effort to build upon the slowly rising tension that keeps a sharp focus on the events that create such anxiety. Director Kerry Bellessa finds avenues to build the suspense within this daunting task, even if the inciting kidnapping comes across as amateurish in execution. However, the filmmaking makes a commendable effort to present how these small moments in the investigation create a cascading effect as ordinary citizens are compelled to dive further into this journey. There are, of course, points in which leaps of logic must be taken, especially as the climax heads into predictable action territory that loses the much more restrained pressure. Still, for such modest means, one is captivated by the drama in this concept.
What is less enticing are the mechanics of this story, which give texture to its premise and characters. With this tale being so trim, it’s a little surprising that any attention is paid to the backstory of these individuals, and the time devoted to this exploration comes across as stilted and lethargic. It does give the actors opportunities to become more emotional and, in theory, invest more in the personal accomplishment they seek to find in this task. In reality, this results in stale monologues that are easily spotted in their attempts to deliver a dimensionality to these roles. Unfortunately, a disproportionately large chunk of the film’s short runtime is devoted to deeper analysis of characters that aren’t that engaging in the first place. Ultimately, these participants are pretty flat and are only utilized to drive the momentum forward. The screenplay often struggles to keep an intriguing pace, indulging in mundane characterizations in between the occasional sequences of genuine entertainment.
Both Panettiere and Williams are decent anchors, though the former provides a much more enthralling screen presence. Panettiere embodies a tenacity that feels grounded enough to be realistic while also being a propulsive force of discovery. Despite the awkwardness of her big emotional moment, the performance she gives in that scene is also a good showcase of her talents. Williams has charm but also feels a tad wooden in his portrayal – a decent scene partner who never rises above the level of anything other than serviceable. That tone fits in with most of the supporting players, though Kurt Oberhaus does his best to convey a menacing villain, and Kevin Dunn once again plays an exasperated authority figure as the police sergeant. The one true standout is Katie McClellan, the mother of the taken girl, as she exhibits a world of pain and trauma from simple facial expressions that are incredibly effective and impactful.
There is an element to “Amber Alert” that makes it hang on the precipice of a great ravine that would cause it to fall into the disposable territory of cheapness. It does not go in the direction of utter schlock, but there’s a small sense that one wishes it could have had the conviction to include more personality. What’s displayed is a competent thriller that never reaches into the realm of the extraordinary. Yes, there are a handful of moments that are genuinely tense, but that is not sustained throughout the entire piece. With flat characters and banal pacing, the film ends up being slightly impactful in the moment but with little staying power in the final outcome.
