Hayden Panettiere leading a harrowing thriller that handles a topic as unnerving as child abduction could have gone in a variety of different, potentially distasteful directions. Thankfully, that was not the case with this surprisingly decent cat-and-mouse thriller, written and directed by Kerry Bellessa. Interestingly enough, 2012’s Amber Alert was also helmed by the same creative team, marking 2024’s iteration as a de facto remake. As we all know, an amber alert signals a missing child. In Bellessa’s feature, the alert itself is merely an introduction to an intense pursuit across Kentucky to rescue a poor little girl before the unthinkable happens.
A creepy opening scene follows an unseen driver prowling the streets, on the hunt for their next victim. From this cold open, the mood has been set with unnerving vibes. Before Charlotte (Ducky Cash) has been snatched by this freak, we meet Jaq (Panettiere, Scream VI, NBC’s Heroes), who just barely misses her rideshare. Desperate to get to her destination in a timely manner, Jaq offers to tip heavily if Shane (Tyler James Williams, Everybody Hates Chris, Let it Shine), currently off duty, will cart her along to her destination. Their ride certainly does not go according to plan. Abducted from a picnic in broad daylight, Charlotte is lured away from her mother with an oversized, dramatic stuffed doll. A man in a stereotypical black Toyota Camry opens his door invitingly. By the time the authorities issue the official amber alert, the county’s most popular make and model vehicle could be lightyears away—and without a license plate, could be akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
Once the alert hits the phones of Jaq and Shane, Jaq realizes that the black Camry in front of them with heavily tinted windows seems a bit suspicious. She makes a call in to the authorities, who have been inundated with tips. As such, Jaq’s concerns are not taken very receptively. Jaq, with the help of Shane, decides to take matters into her own hands in order to save Charlotte. The duo inch closer and closer to recovering Charlotte from the clutches of a maniac. In the meantime, a 9-1-1 call center and a police sergeant still work their hardest to bring the child home safely. If anything, we could have done without this element of the story, as it contributes minimally to the larger whole.
As far as PG-13 thrillers go, Amber Alert does an immaculate job in ratcheting up the tension while slowly building out Shane and Jaq as believable characters to root for. Both have a connection to parenting in their private lives, making their journey to rescue Charlotte that much more nail-biting. Panettiere and Williams play off each other well, particularly as we approach a disturbing climax that grounds the action, finally moving off the highway. Seeing Panettiere in this type of role so soon after her fiery revival in Scream VI proves that she is here to stay—while Jaq and Kirby bear little in common, both present strong female characters devoted to righting the wrongs of the world. One can only hope Panettiere does not leave behind the horror or thriller genres anytime soon.
While there are suspenseful moments, the content regarding child abduction never gets too heavy for a more casual and less jaded viewer. Eventually, Bellessa loops back around to the truly disturbing, capping off the film with a vital message about the importance of the amber alert. More than 1,300 children have been saved thanks to amber alerts, which is an incredibly grounding statistic when contemplating the alternative is too painful. By truly paying attention to one’s surroundings and displaying compassion for the situations of others, these awful types of occurrences can be resolved, if not quite as dramatically as in Amber Alert. A gripping thriller with crackling moments of characterization, Amber Alert gives Hayden Panettiere a role that fits her like a glove.
Signal the Amber Alert, ringing out in select theaters and On Demand this Friday, September 27th.
Sounds pretty good, Ginger really wants to see this movie. Great review Josh, keep up the good work