In Louisville, Kentucky, a black Toyota Camry drives around children in the suburbs. Monica Bryce (Katie McClellan) and her mother Gail (Claire Slemmer) are playing with Monica's younger son in the park while her two other children are playing hide-and-seek. Gail video records her grandson on the phone and Monica sees when her seven-year-old Charlotte (Ducky Branson) is kidnapped by the Camry in the footage. She calls 911 and the operator Cici (Saidah Arrika Ekulona) reports to Sgt. Phil Casey (Kevin Dunn) that reluctantly releases the Amber Alert since the plate was not captured by the video and Camry is a popular car. Meanwhile, Jacqueline "Jaq" (Hayden Panettiere) has an appointment, but she misses her Uber. She sees another one bringing a passenger to her building, but the driver Shane (Tyler James Williams) has finished his work since it is his son's birthday, and he is going home. Jaq offers a "fat tip" to Shane and he accepts her offer since she is going on his way home. When Jaq receives the Amber Alert, she suspects of a Camry and asks Shane to follow him. When the car stops at a gas station, she approaches the car, but she is only able to see the feet of a girl since the tinted window is too dark. She throws one earphone inside the car to hear what the driver is talking inside. They follow the car on the road, but the Cici has been warned by a phone call that the car is driving in the opposite direction. When the driver stops his car, Shane stops his Uber too and the man arrives and tells them that his daughter Olympia is one the backseat. He also says that his name is Aaron (Kurt Oberhaus) and the Amber Alert is suspended. Shane and Jaq apologize, and the driver goes away, but soon Jaq realizes that he gave the phone call in the gas station to get rid of the police. The cat and mouse game restarts, but will they be capable to reach Aaron?

"Amber Alert" (2024) is a surprisingly great thriller considering its low budget. There are flaws, but despite of that, the movie is believable. For overseas, it is interesting to see how the Amber Alert works, involving the local population in the call. The pedophile Aaron seems to be a normal guy and lures the police and Shane and Jaq. The conclusion could be better, but it is part of the tense entertainment and the budget. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): Not Available.

It reminded me about 8-year-old Tori Stafford's case, but this was in Ontario Canada. They did not have the license plate of the vehicle and would not issue an amber alert. The girl was raped and killed within a couple of hours of her abduction. People were literally in the Home Depot parking lot and saw the girl, as one of the abductors was purchasing a hammer to kill her after her boyfriend raped her.

The girl's mother was a recovering drug addict on welfare, so the abducted girl was not treated as a priority. The worst part, the abduction was literally filmed by surveillance cameras right in front of her school. The girl and her mother knew the abductor. It was such a gruesome case.

That being said, I don't think this movie reflects how the U. S. handles child abductions. Child abductions fall under the jurisdiction of the FBI. That house should have been covered with police, not one lone police officer. A man was killed in front of his child and house in the U. S., because of a prank call alleging he was holding a child hostage. The prank called was jailed. His niece committed suicide not too long after that, because she was traumatized from walking across his dead body. In that case, he was a racial minority and police (black and white, due to all races internalizing the white gaze) are racist and assume every racial minority man is armed and dangerous.

Cons about the movie:

The ending was rushed and incomplete. There was no resolve to the question of who was Olympia and what happened to her. Was she actually sick? Who was the bag of saline for or was that actually saline? Was he a traumatized father reliving how his daughter died? Was he a pedophile who abused his daughter or did he just create child pornography. The movie did not really have an end.

It was a low budget film. Most of the movie is just one car following another car on a highway. The movie is unrealistic, because the cops would respond more quickly knowing that the first 24-hours of an abduction is critical, as most children, like Tori, are dead within two hours of being abducted.

Amber Alert (2024) delivers a tense and suspenseful thriller that keeps you on edge for most of its runtime, but ultimately falls short of being a standout in the genre. The movie revolves around a child abduction case, using the titular "Amber Alert" as its central plot device, and blends elements of crime drama with psychological tension.

The film's greatest strength lies in its atmosphere. The pacing is relentless, with enough twists and turns to maintain engagement, especially in the first two acts. The direction does a commendable job of creating a sense of urgency and dread, with handheld camera work and dark, claustrophobic settings that enhance the mood.

Performances are solid across the board, especially from the lead detective, whose emotional conflict adds a human layer to the otherwise procedural narrative. The abductor is portrayed with chilling ambiguity, keeping the audience guessing about motives and identity until the final act.

However, where Amber Alert stumbles is in its third act. The resolution, while satisfying, feels rushed and a little predictable. Some of the emotional beats don't land as effectively as they could, and the supporting characters often feel underdeveloped, leaving you wanting more depth. Additionally, the film occasionally leans too heavily on familiar thriller tropes, making parts of the story feel formulaic.

Overall, Amber Alert is a well-crafted thriller that delivers enough tension and drama to be worth watching. It may not break new ground in the genre, but for its strong performances and atmospheric direction, this film should be on your watchlist, though it may not leave a lasting impression.