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Will Spann (Gerard Butler) is a well-off real estate developer going through a rough patch with his wife, Lisa (the beautiful Jaimie Alexander), who committed an act of infidelity and needs a break from their marriage. The two are travelling interstate to Lisa's hometown for her to stay with her parents while she works things out, but after a somewhat tense exchange, she mysteriously vanishes during a pitstop at a gas station. Will immediately springs into action to find her and alerts the local authorities to assist, contacting Detective Paterson (Russell Hornsby), who begins coordinating the investigation. However, the struggling husband cannot sit idly by while the police conduct their official enquiries in the crucial hours after her disappearance. Determined to do whatever it takes to retrieve his wife safely, Will pursues his own leads, leading him to uncover the town's seedy criminal underbelly.
Written by long-time movie producer Marc Frydman (his second screenplay credit after Black Butterfly), Last Seen Alive is relentless and no-nonsense from the word "go"; in fact, Lisa's abduction occurs within the first ten minutes. The feverish pace and the lack of narrative flab are reminiscent of the classic Kurt Russell/Jonathan Mostow movie Breakdown, though the scope is more modest in comparison, and there are no expensive, large-scale set pieces here. Indeed, Goodman derives satisfying thrills from smaller moments, such as a tense scene involving Will creeping into a suspect's trailer and getting into a brutal brawl or another sequence during which Will sneaks around a drug camp trying his hardest to remain undetected. The lack of scope does not mean that the movie feels cheap or nasty, however, as it feels expensive and skilful outside of a few moments (there's a shonky-looking digital explosion in the third act that will not impress anybody). Nevertheless, the screenplay feels overly clichéd at times, and the dialogue is relatively standard-order – there is not much wit or humour. Then again, I doubt anybody expected sharp dialogue.
Last Seen Alive is, thankfully, an R-rated action-thriller. Any viewers fearing another sanitised action offering will have their fears quelled within the first ten seconds, as the word "motherfucker" is said in the first line of dialogue before the movie's freaking title card. Do not expect non-stop profanity or excessive bloodshed, but Goodman does not shy away from bloody bullet wounds or swearing, nor does it feel like the director is pulling any punches. Action is sparse but brutal and effective; easy to follow, with solid choreography despite some set pieces taking place in dim locations. The picture also benefits from the inclusion of Butler, who expectedly shines in the leading role. Although the Scottish actor is not on the same level as Stallone or Schwarzenegger (nobody is, really), he is a reliable action star who looks believable when wielding a firearm. Plus, it is fun to hear Butler embrace his natural Scottish brogue here. Viewers who enjoyed Butler's turn as Mike Banning in the Fallen movies (not to mention his roles in Copshop and Den of Thieves) will have a good time with Last Seen Alive.
Goodman sometimes struggles to maintain a strong pace, especially with the picture delving into flashbacks to examine Will and Lisa's marriage before the abduction. Additionally, since the picture opens with a flash-forward that reveals who the real criminals are at the beginning, it makes all the red herrings and growing suspicion feel somewhat moot. Nevertheless, these points are not a deal-breaker. Mid-budget, R-rated action-thrillers like Last Seen Alive are becoming rarer in 2022, as direct-to-video rubbish mostly dominates the genre and studios are more concerned with superhero movies or blockbusters as they seek to generate another profitable franchise, which makes the film all the more refreshing. The screenplay often feels like a relic from the 1990s, as the narrative is gloriously old-fashioned in all the best ways, evoking pictures like Frantic and the aforementioned Breakdown. If this sounds appealing, Last Seen Alive is a worthwhile, enjoyable time-waster.
6.7/10
