In 2012, Kerry Bellessa’s Amber Alert was not well received by critics and viewers, particularly because of the main characters and the choices they made. So it was surprising when the same director returned twelve years later with what is essentially a remake of a rather divisive movie. The plot is, more or less, the same this time around, but a few creative changes make this new version of Amber Alert more watchable.
Like in the original movie, this new story happens over the course of one night. And the first significant difference between the two versions — apart from the obvious change in filming style — is the cast. Instead of three friends tailing a potential kidnapper, Hayden Panettiere (Scream 4, Scream 6) and Tyler James Williams (The Walking Dead) play total strangers. Jaq (Panettiere) is late for a date when she flags down Shane, an off-duty rideshare driver played by Williams, and convinces him to drive her to her destination. The eponymous alert has since been issued, following a fresh abduction, and Amber Alert starts to pick up speed.
If you’re already familiar with the previous Amber Alert, you can quickly gather how this remake will play out. Not word for word, of course, but it comes close at times. Several scenes are recycled with minimal adjustments, although now supporting characters, such as an emergency dispatcher (Saidah Arrika Ekulona) and a cop (Kevin Dunn), are given facetime and more interaction with the leads. That Bluetooth plot device is also kept intact. What is different, however, is the dynamics between the rescuers. As opposed to the clamoring carload before, Jaq and Shane are comparatively calm.
If you couldn’t make it through the ear-splitting shouting matches of the original, Panettiere and Williams’ conversations should be more tolerable. Mild flirting is eventually eclipsed by plot-driven talk, including a surprising game of chicken between Jaq and the assailant (Kurt Oberhaus). This update, also co-written by Joshua Oram, was smart to make the pursuit more personal for the characters. Just when it seems as if the central performances are a bit uneven, with Williams doing a lot of the heavy lifting, Panettiere loosens up after a heartfelt monologue.
Amber Alert would be best for the totally uninitiated, or those who know of but still haven’t seen the 2012 movie. That being said, this new take could also be seen as something of a redemption. It examines the shortcomings of the original and tries to correct them. At the same time, though, the rawness and excessiveness of the found-footage iteration are what made that movie leave a mark. This tamer reworking is certainly palatable, but maybe too much so. Even the villain feels less intimidating now.
The first Amber Alert is an acquired taste with its fair share of issues that keep it from being an easy rec. This remake remedies some of those problems, namely the characters, yet at the same time, it dials down the intensity. Nevertheless, this viewer-friendlier variation of a grueling child-abduction thriller is led by two likable leads. And it’s nice that we can finally root for the heroes as opposed to just tolerating them.
Starting on September 27, Amber Alert plays in select theaters and is available on Digital/VOD.
Pictured: Amber Alert poster courtesy of Lionsgate.