Amanda Seyfried stars as Jill, a troubled young girl who`s traumatized by her recent abduction by a stereotypical psycho killer that no one believes exists. The cops think she`s loony, she lives by herself, her dog just died…ok, we made up that last bit. But things aren`t looking good for our sweet young protagonist, and matters take a turn for the worse when her kid sister goes missing.
Inexplicably, Gone is a film that features lots of running, but still feels like it`s going nowhere. Director Heitor Dhalia suffuses the movie with traditional noir elements: low-key lighting, clueless sleuths, grimy locales. Unfortunately, the serviceable packaging can`t conceal the fact that the heart of the film – its story and characters – is grossly inadequate. The fact that the film is filled with unused subplots and an unceremonious conclusion only serves to add insult to injury.
Amanda Seyfried has nowhere to show off her acting chops, as the film forces her into a character role that`s so unconvincing and petulant that it`s impossible to root for her, even in the face of imminent dismemberment. We weren`t expecting Shakespeare, but the character of Jill is so unforgivably lackluster that even the best plot twist wouldn`t be able to conjure up the necessary suspense for an effective thriller. Then again, the film`s script came from the scribe who gave us the words to Underworld: Awakening… `nuff said.
Gone is a thriller that features an uninspired conclusion, a cumbersome pace, and an unlikeable protagonist…the only fishy thing about the film is its excessive number of red herrings.
Summary: Begone!
Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Raphael Lim