Point Last Seen (1998)

Overrated and overhyped

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

While this movie does move fairly slowly, that is part of its intention. It is all about paying attention to the small details of life. And the tracking of a lost girl is a metaphor for life, how we try to keep on the track of our own lives but we can all too easily lose our way. Linda Hamilton gives an excellent performance in the lead role and it is her acting and narration that holds the whole film together. Kevin Kilner gives a formidable performance as the psychopathic husband. Some reviewers complain about the flashback scenes, claiming they are confusing, but to me they were very clear and they added to the dimensions of Hamilton's character. This is not a classic movie, but it is a superior television movie and it is well worth viewing.

I have seen this film several times on Channel 5 in the UK in the last few years, and have found myself stumbling across it again today. It reminded me just how enjoyable (if you can use that word in this instance) the film is to watch. It's moments focussing on the different agonies of Linda Hamilton's character lead to peaks and troughs in the flow of the movie - making it a roller coaster of a film that isn't your typical.Sure it has it's weaknesses-it is prone to it's corny moments, but I find that this adds to the enjoyment of this particular film. The voice-overs by Linda Hamilton also have the potential to irritate but I find them quite soothing/calming and they definitely add something to understanding her character. Maybe it is the accent!

Boring can most aptly describe this drama of sorts that follows Linda Hamilton as she preaches about why men are bad (her kids are taken from her abusive husband and she "learns" from this). It's also quite corny, with bad voice-over monologues that are the sort of unnecessary, lazy techniques that Robert McKee preaches about.Some work and some don't. This doesn't.Hamilton has admittedly purposely done these made-for-TV movies because she wants to stray away from Hollywood. She has succeeded - and they suck.

Linda Hamilton is convincing as a search and rescue tracker searching the desert for a lost little girl. While the dialogue in many instances of the film left something to be desired, Hamilton's voice-over work when revealing the character's inner feelings and motivation was exceptional. In a particularly well-acted scene near the end of the film, Hamilton brings a heartfelt realism and poignancy that every mother can understand.Kevin Kilner brilliantly played the violent ex-husband and kidnapping father that you love to hate. Kilner is usually a very pleasant presence on screen, which is what makes this evil performance so impressive.Way off-the-mark were the flashbacks scenes meant to show the characters early in their marriage. While the premise was a good one, in order to help viewers understand the relationship and its origins, Hamilton's character was played by a young actress who looked nothing like Hamilton while Kilner remained in his character's shoes, looking not the least bit younger.