movie review of last seen alive

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Last Seen Alive Reviews

And just like that, Gerard Butler’s back to making B and C movies?

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/4 | Dec 28, 2022

We’re left waiting for a movie that grabs our attention in its first fifteen minutes to take us someplace…anyplace. It never does.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Dec 27, 2022

An extremely generic kidnapping thriller that plays like a really lousy episode of “Ozark.”

Full Review | Oct 12, 2022

This is the kind of poor man’s thriller that already doesn’t have a very high bar to clear yet still manages to disappoint based on limited imagination or limited means.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Oct 7, 2022

[Brian Goodman] isn't willing to plant his feet on the ground and lets his imagination fly high with some graphic, very graphic, violence scenes. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Oct 6, 2022

Kind of a good time for the wrong reasons.

Full Review | Original Score: D- | Oct 5, 2022

It has a tired premise like those used frequently in unimaginative thrillers.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Sep 10, 2022

Frustratingly generic thriller.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 7, 2022

Sometimes 'serviceable' is good enough.

Full Review | Original Score: 2 stars | Jun 19, 2022

Caught in two minds as to whether it wants to be a psychological thriller or an action-adventure, Brian Goodman's film never manages to get its story straight.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 15, 2022

Cliches and contrivances sap away most of the suspense in this derivative B-movie vigilante thriller that squanders some reliably intense Gerard Butler confrontations.

Full Review | Jun 8, 2022

Creative risks aren't taken here, with Butler basically asked to be the hero yet again, trying to convey confusion in a movie that doesn't trust the audience to appreciate such a disorienting journey.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Jun 3, 2022

The American actor Ethan Embry is a highlight as Knuckles, a childhood friend of Lisa’s who Will thinks knows more than he is admitting.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 31, 2022

Last Seen Alive is as generic as it gets and should serve as a warning to anyone looking to cash in without effort with one of cinema’s most overdone plots.

Full Review | May 31, 2022

The low-flying standard of the direction by Brian Goodman can best be summed up by the golden moment when a tracking camera shot pauses to focus on a cannister that has FLAMMABLE emblazoned on it. Take a wild guess what happens soon after.

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | May 19, 2022

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Last Seen Alive

Will's soon-to-be ex-wife mysteriously vanishes at a gas station. He delves into the town's criminal underbelly while running from the authorities in a race against time to find her. Will's soon-to-be ex-wife mysteriously vanishes at a gas station. He delves into the town's criminal underbelly while running from the authorities in a race against time to find her. Will's soon-to-be ex-wife mysteriously vanishes at a gas station. He delves into the town's criminal underbelly while running from the authorities in a race against time to find her.

• Brian Goodman
• Marc Frydman
• Gerard Butler
• Jaimie Alexander
• Russell Hornsby
• 341 User reviews
• 55 Critic reviews

• Detective Paterson

• Barry Adams

• Deputy Anderson

• Assistant Deputy

• Patrol Officer

• Ghost Worker

• Hazmat Officer
• (as David Steven Perez)

• (as Robin Inez Fletcher)
• Gas Station Employee
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Gerard Butler posted on his Instagram page on October 5, 2022: "I'll let you in on a little secret. I took this movie on as a fun challenge/experiment. I improvised the whole movie. I was only ever shown the first ten pages and even they were thrown away once we were on set. We shot the movie in 8 days. I was drawn to the idea of how it would feel stepping into scene after scene having no idea what was gonna be thrown at me. I've never taken on anything like that and it was both challenging and exhilarating. You can't help but be in the moment. Obviously there were certain parts where I would have to be guided in a general direction but mostly it was flying by the seat of my pants. Amazing work by the rest of the cast having to play off me given I had no idea what was about to come out of my mouth. And to our director Brian Goodman-love you brother."
• Goofs At the end of the movie at the parents house you can see the camera man crew in the reflection of the window. You can clearly see how the cameraman rushes off not to be seen.
• Connections Featured in OWV Updates: Multimedia Update (16/07/2023) + The First Poster from OWV Cinema (2023)
• Soundtracks Back At One Performed by Brian McKnight Written by Brian McKnight Published by Universal Polygram Int. Publishing, Inc. Courtesy of Motown Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises

User reviews 341

• fridayblues
• Jun 6, 2022
• How long is Last Seen Alive? Powered by Alexa
• June 3, 2022 (United States)
• United States
• Nhân Chứng Sống Cuối Cùng
• Savannah, Georgia, USA
• Voltage Pictures
• Perfection Hunter Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 35 minutes

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Last seen alive, common sense media reviewers.

Potboiler action-thriller has swearing, violence, drugs.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Caring for loved ones. Being brave and persistent.

Will and Lisa have marital difficulties, but Will

Some gender and ethnic diversity among the main an

Character manhandled, bloody injuries. Physical th

A married couple discusses one partner's infidelit

Language used includes "s--t," "motherf----r," mul

Will works in real estate -- some discussion of ea

Characters mass produce methamphetamine to be deal

Parents need to know that Last Seen Alive is an action thriller with strong language, some bloody violence, and drugs. Real estate developer Will Spann (Gerard Butler) is trying to save his marriage when his wife, Lisa (Jaimie Alexander), suddenly disappears. The movie hinges on suspense and certain…

Positive Messages

Caring for loved ones. Being brave and persistent. Overcoming adversity.

Positive Role Models

Will and Lisa have marital difficulties, but Will remains committed to their relationship. Will cares for his wife and literally fights to get her back under difficult circumstances. Lisa is unhappy in her marriage and there is reference to her having had an affair. She tries to communicate her feelings to Will, but often without success. A police officer uses excessive force to try and get information from suspects.

Diverse Representations

Some gender and ethnic diversity among the main and supporting cast. Character's discuss Will's mental health and temperament in light of his marriage troubles and then sudden disappearance of his wife.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Character manhandled, bloody injuries. Physical threats of violence. Reference to death and murder. Fighting with punches, kicks, and blunt instruments. Character bound and restrained with heavy duty tape. Warning shots fired from a pistol. Reference to getting shot. Character beaten unconscious. Characters threatened at gunpoint, shot, and killed. Bloody wounds but no gore. Explosion and property damage.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A married couple discusses one partner's infidelity. Character shown in underwear.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language used includes "s--t," "motherf----r," multiple uses of "f---ing," and "f--k."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Will works in real estate -- some discussion of earning lots of money and taking out large life-insurance policies. Also owing people money. Characters manufacture and deal drugs to enrich themselves. Character tries to extort money in exchange for information.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters mass produce methamphetamine to be dealt. Character smokes unidentified substance from a pipe.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Last Seen Alive is an action thriller with strong language, some bloody violence, and drugs. Real estate developer Will Spann ( Gerard Butler ) is trying to save his marriage when his wife, Lisa ( Jaimie Alexander ), suddenly disappears. The movie hinges on suspense and certain characters not being honest with Will and Detective Roy Patterson ( Russell Hornsby ), who each carry out their own investigations into Lisa's possible abduction. Violence features occasionally, as Will resorts to desperate means. The most extreme cases include gun violence, shootings, and death, with some bloody injuries but no gore. Detective Patterson also uses force when dealing with violent criminals who are reluctant to talk to him. Swearing is constant, with multiple variations of "f--k" used throughout. Various characters are motivated by money -- Will's wealth plays a factor in his efforts to find his wife. Drugs are also dealt and manufactured at scale in some scenes, while there is also some drug use, including a character smoking an unidentified substance from a pipe. There is some discussion of Lisa's infidelities and a man is also seen in just his underwear. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (1)

Based on 1 parent review

If you like sitting in the edge of your seat~ this is a great movie!

What's the story.

LAST SEEN ALIVE follows real estate developer Will Spann ( Gerard Butler ) in the aftermath of the mysterious disappearance of his wife, Lisa ( Jaimie Alexander ), at a gas station.

Is It Any Good?

Caught in two minds as to whether it wants to be a psychological thriller or an action-adventure, Brian Goodman 's film never manages to get its story straight. Saving its Taken -like revenge rampage for the closing stages, Last Seen Alive still can't manage to create a sense of intrigue about any of its characters. Central to this is Butler's Will, who manages to be equal parts real estate developer, vigilante warrior, and super sleuth -- basically whatever the convoluted plot needs him to be in order to move things forward.

The flashback scenes of marital strife try to give us some indication of what sort of person Will is. But these are never linked to his life or work well enough for them to carry any weight. Likewise, the bad guys pretty much appear out of nowhere toward the end, half-borrowed from the first season of True Detective with their shotguns and rural meth lab. Butler does his best to sell the drama and the trauma of Will's situation. But he looks much more comfortable playing men whose missions make more sense, be it defending Sparta ( 300 ) or saving the President's skin in the Has Fallen series. Will's wife isn't the only thing missing in Last Seen Alive : it also needed a dose of originality, other than its bizarre suggestion that couples who survive kidnappings together, stay together.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Last Seen Alive . What impact did it have? What consequences were there? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

Discuss the strong language used. Did it seem necessary or excessive? What did it contribute to the movie?

How were drugs depicted in the movie? Were they glamorized? Were there consequences? Why does that matter?

Discuss Will and Lisa's relationship problems. How did these affect the way they talked to one another? How did the movie's use of flashbacks reveal more about them?

Did the movie remind you of any others you've seen?

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 3, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : August 9, 2022
• Cast : Gerard Butler , Jaimie Alexander , Russell Hornsby
• Director : Brian Goodman
• Inclusion Information : Black actors
• Studio : Vertical Entertainment
• Genre : Thriller
• Run time : 95 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : pervasive language, violence and some drug material
• Last updated : May 15, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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'Last Seen Alive' Review: Gerard Butler's thriller is breezy and packs a punch

Gerard Butler's Will Spann delivers a few biffs and some generous doses of expletives as he takes on some drug dealers in search of his wife, Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) in Brian Goodman's 'Last Seen Alive'. The thriller does enough to hold the attention but does have its share of holes. It's pretty surprising that a movie starring Butler gets less publicity. It's not a bad movie either. It might not be one of the best works from Butler, but it definitely passes for a one-time watch and is breezy enough to run through with some popcorn and soda. The story is standard. It's boilerplate where a husband goes in search of his missing wife, and how he's entangled in a mess that sees him evade authorities and take matters into his own hands.

Butler comes off a good flick. His 'Copshop' did pretty well as far as slick con movies go, and now he returns to his usual action hero mode . His career trajectory is almost Bruce Willis-like cementing his status as one of Hollywood's dependable action heroes. He packs a mean swing, he's buff, and he's almost certainly capable of shouldering a movie on his own, just as he does with 'Last Seen Alive'.

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Will has been having issues with Lisa. The latter feels the need to take a break and decides to head to her parent's house in Emerson. Things go from bad to worse when she gets kidnapped by a handyman who works for her folks. A worried Will searches and reluctantly works with Detective Paterson (Bill Hornsby), only to later take charge of things. He follows some leads, whacks the living daylights of a few baddies, and whether he finds Lisa forms the crux of the 90-minute affair. There are enough questions about the motive which the antagonists don't necessarily establish, but hey, you kidnap a person, surely there's a ransom call in the offing at least.

Butler occupies almost every frame in the movie, and it seems to have been easy work considering it takes place mostly in two locations. 'Last Seen Alive' qualifies for a decent flick even if it's got the clunky lines that somehow make their way into the film. Goodman manages to make something out of a flimsy plot that has three very straightforward acts — the kidnapping, the hunt, and the outcome. It's predictable, but it's Butler, and the man doesn't disappoint, even if he's not saving the President this time.

Last Seen Alive

Where to Watch

Gerard Butler (Will Spann) Jaimie Alexander (Lisa Spann) Russell Hornsby (Detective Paterson) Ethan Embry (Knuckles) Michael Irby (Oscar) Cindy Hogan (Anna Adams) Bruce Altman (Barry Adams) Jordan Salloum (Peter) Dani Deetté (Deputy Anderson) Chip Lane (Assistant Deputy)

Brian Goodman

Will's soon-to-be ex-wife mysteriously vanishes at a gas station. He delves into the town's criminal underbelly while running from the authorities in a race against time to find her.

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REVIEW: “Last Seen Alive” (2022)

Will and Lisa Spann are going through a tough patch. Their marriage is on the rocks, and Lisa has asked for some time apart so she can sort things out and clear her head. Will wants to forgive and move on (there are hints of infidelity), but Lisa needs some space. So he’s driving her to her parents home where she plans on staying a few weeks until she can figure out what to do next. With only a few miles left, Will stops at a convenient store for gas. And so begins “Last Seen Alive”, the new(ish) yet not-so-new action thriller starring Gerard Butler.

Directed by Brian Goodman from a screenplay by Marc Frydman, “Last Seen Alive” is a case of a genuinely interesting setup that goes nowhere. And while it’s essentially an action thriller, the action is scarce and the thrills are nonexistent. So we’re left waiting for a movie that grabs our attention in its first fifteen minutes to take us someplace…anyplace. It never does. It never develops or maintains any tension. It can’t make the characters worth our investment. And the stakes never feel as high as they should.

At the convenient store, Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) goes inside while Will (Butler) fills up their tank. After waiting a bit he goes in to check on her but can’t find her anywhere. He checks the bathrooms, asks the unhelpful clerk (Michael Irby), and even make circles outside the building asking motorists and truckers if anyone has seen her. Convinced something is terribly wrong, he calls the police. Detective Paterson (Russell Hornsby) eventually responds and begins one of the most perfunctory and scattershot investigations ever put on screen.

Of course we predictably run through the whole ‘ Will as a suspect ’ angle. And with this being a Gerard Butler movie, you kinda know at some point he’s going to take matters into his own hands. But as Will’s actions and reactions get more bizarre (unintentionally, mind you), it gets harder and harder to buy into him or the story. And no amount of super-seriousness from Butler can change that. Meanwhile Hornsby (who’s a really good actor) is handcuffed by an aggressively generic cop character – a carbon copy of the kind we’ve seen in countless movies through the years.

While nobody seems to be phoning it in, no one is able to bring any energy to “Last Seen Alive” (which is something it desperately needs). It turns out to be one of those maddening movies where people routinely do dumb things, don’t ask the obvious questions, and seem completely oblivious to common sense. And with no compelling characters or exciting action to pick up the slack, the movie sits stuck in neutral and basically squanders a promising start. “Last Seen Alive” is now streaming on VOD and Netflix.

VERDICT – 2 STARS

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8 thoughts on “ review: “last seen alive” (2022) ”.

Honestly, if it wasn’t for Gerard Butler, this movie never would’ve gotten any attention, and rightfully so. To me, this was Break/Down lite. Butler is so much better than this.

He seems stuck in these mediocre to all-out bad ‘action thrillers’. Every once in a while one will be pretty good (I liked “Greenland”). But most are pretty blah.

Oh no, not another goddamn SHUT-UP BUTT-WAD film. Fuck that Irish cunt and his essence of mediocrity.

What Gerard Butler’s next movie needs a fight scene in KFC.

It comes out in a few weeks so we shall see. 🙂

Excellent review. It started off intense and with promise then went off the rails. Sometimes unlikeable characters can win me over but I really hoped the worst for both of them.

It does start off well and I had hopes. But it squandered them pretty quick. Such a bummer.

How can the film.a movie in Georgia and say they are in New Hampshire. The boat was registered in GA There Palms in the woods And Spanish Moss in the trees

Either film it in New England or just change the story to be from Georgia.

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Movie Review: Last Seen Alive

Credit: Last Seen Alive

It kind of has to be said that a lot of fans of Gerard Butler have grown used to seeing him in movies like 300 , Olympus Has Fallen , and several other action movies where he’s a certified badass that knows how to get things done. But in Last Seen Alive he’s a man simply looking for his wife, and on top of that, he’s not the kind of guy that knows how to go around getting answers out of people with unique torture methods or weapons designed for warfare. This time, he’s a regular individual who is smart enough to be well off and yet isn’t that skilled in handling himself around those who wish him harm. The story does take a bit to get going. Still, it’s the type that strikes hard and strikes deep mainly because it’s a story that could happen to just about anyone since it’s not so fantastic in nature and does have roots in the genuine fears of many people around the world where such things as kidnapping and trafficking exist.

There’s trouble in Will and Lisa’s marriage, that much is obvious. 

This dynamic is played up throughout the movie since it becomes clear right away that Will and Lisa are having issues in their marriage since the whole idea behind apologizing to Will carries with it the feeling that she’s done something that could have very easily ended things between them. But as the audience is shown throughout the rest of the movie, Will isn’t exactly open to the idea of a divorce, or even the possibility of time spent away from his wife. His in-laws don’t appear to really like him that much, but it does feel that for the sake of their daughter they remain civil toward him, and are ready to help, in their own way, when it becomes obvious that Lisa has been kidnapped. But flashbacks throughout the movie make it known that the couple had argued a time or two before the movie started, and Will felt personally wounded that Lisa would need to spend any time away from him just to get her head straight. 

Will’s reaction feels accurate when thinking of how just about anyone would react. 

The realistic feel of this movie is what makes it both easy and difficult to watch since one can’t help but feel that they might react in the same manner if their spouse suddenly went missing. The fact that Will is just about to lose his cool when the cops show up is indicative of how people might react if they felt that their significant other were in danger, as Butler makes it loud and clear that his character is under duress and is growing tired and more than a little frustrated by the lack of action that is being taken to find his wife. In the meantime, he starts to take matters into his own hands as he assaults the cashier at the gas station; it turns out to be one of the people who are in on the kidnapping. The protagonist then steals the box that holds the recordings that show his wife speaking to another man who her parents claim she’s known since childhood. Will quickly deduces that talking to this man would help to solve where his wife has gone, and eventually, he finds his way to the man’s, Knuckles , trailer, where he proceeds to beat the man into submission and finds out that Knuckles abducted his wife and is now set to go on the run since he made a mistake, meaning that his boss, Frank, is going to punish him. 

Butler gets to show something of a vicious side in this movie.

When he discovers where the people who took his wife are set up, meaning a meth lab in the woods, he bluffs his way into the camp and begins to sneak around, killing several of the meth cooks in the process as he even takes out the gas station attendant, Oscar, after the meth dealer attempts to ransom the whereabouts of his wife. Unfortunately, a fire started in the meth lab only moments before finding the ingredients being used to cook the product, and as one would guess, boom. Oscar is immolated, Will is blown off of his feet, and the cops eventually show up to close down the operation and, in the case of the lead detective, to see if Knuckles was correct when he stated that Lisa was already dead.  

In the end, it does feel as though justice is truly served. 

The upside of this movie is that it does have an ending that people can get behind since after hearing a bit of banging and scuffling in a nearby storage shed, Will finds Lisa tied up and gagged, but very much alive. The cops end up absolving Will of the charges he accrued, and while it might not be a complete happily ever after story, Will and Lisa are shown reconnecting at her parents’ home, and it would appear that things are at least on the right path. 

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A lover of great stories and epic tales, Tom is a fan of old and new-school ideas. As a novelist and a screenwriter, he enjoys promoting one story or another. With 18k+ articles and 40 novels written, Tom knows a little something about storytelling.

Does Will Find His Missing Wife Lisa in the Ending of 'Last Seen Alive'? (SPOILERS)

Oct. 5 2022, Published 3:14 p.m. ET

Spoiler alert: The following article contains major spoilers for the film Last Seen Alive , now streaming on Netflix .

The premise for the film Last Seen Alive on Netflix is downright terrifying because it's something that can easily happen in real life — and it has. After Lisa Spann (Jaimie Alexander) asks her husband Will (Gerard Butler) for a marriage separation, he drives her back to her parents house for some time apart.

They stop at a gas station about fifteen minutes away for Lisa's parents house – and to say everything goes to hell would be an understatement. Lisa is abducted, and Will finds himself left alone with the police eyeing him as the prime suspect.

So what happens in the Last Seen Alive ending? Let's break it down.

'Last Seen Alive,' could also be called, 'Will's Very Bad, Very Long Day.'

The 'Last Seen Alive' ending, explained.

You know that one saying? The one that basically says you're more likely to be attacked/murdered by someone you know? It turns out that's the case with Lisa's kidnapping.

Will discovers that Lisa was kidnapped by her parents handyman, Knuckles (Ethan Embry). But why would Knuckles kidnap a random woman from a gas station? Is he salty about being named Knuckles?

Lisa's parents reveal to Will that Knuckles has known Lisa since their school days. Will asks Lisa's mom Anna (Cindy Hogan) if Lisa would recognize Knuckles enough to actually get in a car with him.

Anna says no, and Will sets off in hot pursuit of Lisa's kidnapper. It turns out Knuckles kidnapped Lisa, knowing how wealthy her parents and Will were. Knuckles had hoped to get ransom for Lisa for drug money from a man named Frank (David Kallaway).

Basically, Knuckles' plan was terrible from the start, since Frank is pissed that Knuckles kidnapped Lisa in an area where he was caught on camera. He orders Knuckles to get rid of his incriminating evidence (aka Lisa) and basically bury her somewhere where she can't be found.

Wait, so is Lisa dead?

Thankfully, Will hunts down Frank, who claims he doesn't know a Knuckles (given that name, we wouldn't claim to know him either TBH). Frank ends up dying during his confrontation with Will, which doesn't help matters in the search for Lisa.

Just when Will thinks the trail runs cold, he runs into Oscar the gas station guy — who also offers up information about Lisa's well-being for ransom. Oscar has proof that he knows where Lisa is. He shows Will her phone.

However, Oscar ends up dying too. What's a guy like Will to do? Just when it seems like his trail has run cold again, Will finally finds Lisa. She's locked in a shed near the hole Knuckles dug for her body.

Thankfully, Lisa is very much alive. At least Knuckles did that part right. Will and Lisa are reunited and reconciled, and they all live happily ever after. You can stream Last Seen Alive now on Netflix.

Where Was Gerard Butler's Newest Thriller 'Last Seen Alive' Filmed? Here's What to Know

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REVIEW: Last Seen Alive (2022)

10 comments

Run Time: 95 Mins Rated:  R What To Expect: Taut, clean entertainment; no politics, just fast-paced action and thrills.

A new action-thriller from director Brian Goodman (2017’s  Black Butterfly with Antonio Banderas), Last Seen Alive seemingly appeared out of nowhere, dropping in a handful of cinemas in select territories with absolutely no fanfare. At the time of writing this review, a release date for the United States and the U.K. has not even been announced; only Australia and the Netherlands have seen it so far. Despite this, and despite its current 5.8/10 rating on IMDb (plus the three middling user reviews), Last Seen Alive  is deserving of your attention whenever it becomes available to you. Led by the reliable Gerard Butler, this is a taut, gritty action-thriller that moves at an agreeably frenetic pace and never becomes bogged down in extraneous subplots or politics. It certainly emanates more gravitas than your usual, bog-standard direct-to-video revenge film starring the likes of Steven Seagal.

Will Spann (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 brings in the local authorities to assist, but he 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 safely retrieve his wife, 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), Last Seen Alive  is relentless and no-nonsense from the word “go”; in fact, Lisa’s abduction occurs within the first ten minutes. With the feverish pace and the lack of narrative flab, it reminded me of the Kurt Russell/Jonathan Mostow movie  Breakdown , though the scope is more modest and there aren’t any expensive set-pieces. Indeed, the thrills here are derived from smaller moments, such as a tense scene in which Will sneaks into a suspect’s trailer and gets into a brutal brawl, or a sequence of Will sneaking around a drug camp trying his hardest to remain undetected. This is not to imply that the movie feels cheap or nasty, however; on the contrary, it feels expensive and skilful outside of a few moments (there’s a shonky-looking digital explosion in the third act that won’t impress anybody). Nevertheless, the screenplay feels overly clichéd at times and the dialogue is fairly standard – there’s not much in the way of wit or humour. Then again, I doubt anybody expected sharp dialogue.

Last Seen Alive is, thankfully, an R-rated action thriller. I went into the cinema blind and unaware of its rating (I took my mother, who loves Gerard Butler), but the word “motherfucker” is literally said within the first ten seconds of the flick (in the first line of dialogue), before the movie’s freaking title card. Do not expect non-stop profanity or excessive bloodshed, but the movie does not shy away from bloody bullet wounds or swearing, nor does it feel like it’s 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. Butler expectedly shines in the leading role; although he’s not on the same level as Stallone or Schwarzenegger (not even close, of course), he’s a reliable action star who looks believable when wielding a firearm. Those of you who enjoyed Butler’s turn as Mike Banning in the  Fallen movies (not to mention Copshop and Den of Thieves ) will have a good time with  Last Seen Alive .

Mid-budget, R-rated action-thrillers like Last Seen Alive are becoming rarer in 2022, as the genre is mostly dominated by direct-to-video rubbish, and studios are more concerned with superhero movies or agenda-driven pap, which makes this one all the more refreshing. It would not surprise me if this screenplay was first written back in the 1990s, as the narrative is gloriously old-fashioned in all the best ways (I’ve mentioned Breakdown but I was also reminded of  Frantic with Harrison Ford). This is a throwback, old-school manly movie that’s worth your time for fans of the genre.

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Last seen alive.

Directed by Brian Goodman

He'll stop at nothing to get her back.

After Will Spann's wife suddenly vanishes at a gas station, his desperate search to find her leads him down a dark path that forces him to run from authorities and take the law into his own hands.

Gerard Butler Jaimie Alexander Russell Hornsby Ethan Embry Michael Irby Bruce Altman Jordan Salloum Dani Deetté David Kallaway Chip Lane Alphonso A'Qen-Aten Jackson Cindy Hogan Aleks Alifirenko Jr. Emily Brinks Billy Burns Robin Fletcher David Gurule Brice Anthony Heller Samantha Lawless Christie McLendon Alexandra Miles Robert Walker Branchaud Rachel Trautmann Matthew R. Staley David Perez

Director Director

Brian Goodman

Producers Producers

Brian Pitt Nicolas Chartier Marc Frydman Gerard Butler Alan Siegel

Writer Writer

Marc Frydman

Casting Casting

Anne McCarthy Kellie Roy

Editor Editor

Cinematography cinematography.

Peter A. Holland

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Nick Page Barbara Lontkowski

Lighting Lighting

Skip McCraw

Camera Operators Camera Operators

Robert J.D. Spaulding R. Derek Keener Ramon Engle

Additional Photography Add. Photography

Ross Bartels

Production Design Production Design

Grant Armstrong

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Bobbie Harley

Special Effects Special Effects

Zackary Monroe Keeler Brian Hudale

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Edward L. Williams Reed Eriksson

Stunts Stunts

Matthew R. Staley Alphonso A'Qen-Aten Jackson Joe Bucaro III Charley Brucato Miles Brew Airon Armstrong

Composers Composers

Sam Ewing Bear McCreary

Songs Songs

Sound sound.

Kevin Strahm Greg Orloff Kyle O'Neal Phil Barrie

Costume Design Costume Design

Beverly Safier

Makeup Makeup

Jill McKay Hagen Linss Sarah Craig McEathron

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Cassandra Powell

Voltage Pictures Perfection Hunter Productions G-BASE Marc Frydman Productions

Primary Language

Spoken languages.

Italian English

Releases by Date

21 jul 2022, 12 may 2022, 19 may 2022, 02 jun 2022, 09 jun 2022, 30 jun 2022, 15 sep 2022, 13 oct 2022, 03 jun 2022, 10 jun 2022, 27 jul 2022, 01 aug 2022, 01 oct 2022, releases by country.

• Theatrical M
• Theatrical 16
• Digital 16 Prime Video

Netherlands

New zealand.

• Theatrical M/14

Puerto Rico

• Theatrical R

Russian Federation

• Theatrical 16+
• Physical 16
• Digital Netflix
• Digital 15 Sky Cinema
• TV 15 Sky Cinema

95 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by AdrianMoviez ★★ 2

the final act of this basically turned into a low budget episode of breaking bad

Review by Kylo ★★★ 5

Not a bad Liam Neeson movie starring Gerard Butler. A pretty standard mid-budget thriller. Interesting enough to keep you entertained and engaged.

Review by matt lynch ★★★

Aka GEORGIA TAX BREAKDOWN

Review by Mister Cap ★★ 6

ENGLISH below

Früher sind Schauspieler irgendwann in den Ruhestand gegangen oder haben nur noch Rollen übernommen, die ihrem Alter entsprachen. Seit "Taken" hat sich das geändert, denn gefühlt jeder alte Knacker übernimmt auf seine alten Tage Actionrollen, die in den 80er Jahren von Stallone, Schwarzenegger oder Bruce Willis gespielt wurden. Wobei die eben genannten Pensionisten auch in die Kategorie "Opa auf Actiontrip" fallen, da sie aktuelle ganz dick im Geschäft in dieser Subkategorie sind. Nun hat also auch Gerald Butler das Alter erreicht, in dem er sich in die Rentnergang einreihen kann.

In "Chase", wie "Last Seen Alive" bei uns heißt, steckt Butlers Figur in einer Ehekrise. Seine Frau Lisa (eine sehr müde Jaimie Alexander) will daraufhin eine Ehepause. Während…

Review by 📀 Cammmalot 📀 ★★ 2

”I mean he looks as suspicious as hell, right?”

Tonight’s episode of Action Cliché Theater is sponsored by Visqueen Plastic Sheeting. If you’d like to add some production value to your low budget and violent Vanishing rip-off, try some of our visqueen poly sheeting.

These visqueen rolls are so versatile that they can turn your single room set into a complete meth lab labyrinth full of spooky corners, hidden flaps and jump scares galore.

AND, if you act now, we’ll even throw in a bonus super deluxe Auto-pilot Gerard Butler completely free!

”This doesn’t make any sense…” “Oh, it makes sense to me!”

Cinematic Time Capsule – 2022 Ranked

Review by Jesse Snoddon ★ 6

Will Spann's (Gerard Butler) marriage is on the rocks. He and his wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) have made the decision to take a break. They stop at a gas station on the way to dropping her off at her parent's, where Lisa vanishes, leaving a suspicious looking Will to solve the mystery, track her down and save her before it's too late. 

At it's best moments, Last Seen Alive reaches the level of mediocre network television. Come to think of it, it mostly feels like an episode of a show drawn out for far too long. The decision to open with a sequence that ruins whatever mystery would have been in the script is a pretty major structural issue. It's as…

Review by JBird ★★ 3

Butler's wife was "Last Seen Alive", When they were on a long drive. Pals of Ethan Embry, Aren't too friendly, So many of them don't survive.

Review by Sofa Sinema ★★½

A broke down retread of Breakdown that could have used a harder edge and a bit more action and genuine suspense. Butler is all in, though. Fans will probably still enjoy his trademark ruggedness even in this more simplistic and smaller budgeted rental fare.

Review by Jonathan ★★★

“I’m good with it. Wait… Well… I’m not good with it.”  

- Will Spann -

On one side of the coin Last Seen Alive is another paint by the numbers action escapade with Gerard Butler as our leading man. On the other side it’s also another paint by the numbers action escapade with Gerard Butler as our leading man. Needless to say it’s a double edged coin. You know exactly what you’re signing up for.  Last Seen Alive is a middling action/thriller with a touch more depth than some other Butler films. Sadly it’s not enough to elevate it beyond the genre's retreaded tropes. Butler’s   wife goes missing. Butler goes searching. Butler kills some bad guys. Butler saves the day. It’s his…

Review by Andy Summers 🤠 ★½ 6

As a fellow Scot, I've always liked Gerard Butler, although his movies have sometimes tested my patience. My wife on the other hand, well she likes Butler a whole lot more than I do, and it all started a few years back when he rocked up to the Men's Wimbledon Tennis Final with his buddy Bradley Cooper, and my wife started goo-gooing and ga-gaing at him in his suit. She can be so shallow sometimes, falling for his good looks, muscles, and Scottish accent, I have all those attributes myself, and I'm here! I digress, I didn't pick this one, this was Mrs. Summers' choice for Friday Evening, and I couldn't really complain with John Wayne Day on the horizon!…

Review by King #adoptdontshop ★★½

Last Seen Alive is a B-movie that Jamie Alexander and Gerald Butler has no business being in. This action thriller used the same old tropes in abduction-themed movies so there's no moments of excitement nor eagerness here. The payoff in the finale isn’t satisfying to compensate for the weak narrative as well.

Given, Butler delivered in the truly brutal action parts and he provided the necessary ignition on boring confrontational scenes but these are no match to Last Seen Alive 's lousy script and stalled direction.

Review by David James 🍩 ★★ 16

Gerard Butler continues with the huge Divorced Guy energy in his third movie of the week for us, a methed-out riff on The Vanishing, one of the greatest thrillers of all time - and you bet your ass this wallows in gritty b-movie grist while actively rejecting anything remotely high-minded that might remind us of its inspiration. There's nothing here beyond Butler once again playing a guy trying to simultaneously win his wife back and save her life. While that worked a trick in Greenland, it's a little half-cocked here, both too knotty to really give us full sympathy for the guy (or the disappeared wife!) and too dumbly full of contrived shenanigans to maintain real tension. Why add wrinkles…

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The only review that matters

Last Seen Alive

TLDR Movie Plot

• Genre: Action Thriller
• Running Time: 95 minutes
• Released: 06/03/2022
• Box Office: $3.4 million
• Budget: $1 million

Last Seen Alive Links

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Last Seen Alive Movie Details

Brian Goodman

Marc Frydman

Gerard Butler Taylor Conrod Marc Frydman Brian Pitt Bob Shapiro David Shojai Alan Siegel

Gerard Butler Jaimie Alexander Russell Hornsby Ethan Embry Michael Irby Cindy Hogan Bruce Altman

Cinematography

Peter Holland Mark Nguyen

Production Companies

Voltage Pictures Perfection Hunter Productions G-BASE Marc Frydman Productions

Distributed By

Voltage Pictures

Last Seen Alive In Credits Order

Last seen alive movie trailer, last seen alive cast & crew friend space, last seen alive's top 8.

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Last seen alive box office ​earnings, movie guru review.