Neglected
The brief
This straight-to-streaming thriller throws Josh Duhamel into a frantic race against time that feels more exhausting than exciting. The premise has potential but director David Lipper rushes through clunky exposition and generic murder scenes without building any real tension or dread. Duhamel does his best with material that treats emotional stakes like plot checkboxes, while Dylan Sprouse seems lost in an underwritten role. Perfect for those weekend nights when you want something loud and simple that won't demand much attention, like a bargain bin version of Seven or Zodiac.
The verdict
If you're looking for a mindless thriller to throw on during a lazy weekend and don't mind formulaic plotting, this delivers exactly what you'd expect from a bargain-bin streaming option. If you want genuine suspense or character development beyond basic plot mechanics, you'll find this more tedious than thrilling despite Duhamel's committed performance.
Watch with
- 👤 Perfect for undemanding weekend viewing
- ⚠️ Skip if you want quality thriller craftsmanship
Heads up
- Child endangerment (buried alive scenario) (moderate)
- Serial killer violence and murder scenes (moderate)
- Intense suffocation/burial themes (frequent)
Credits
- Director
- David Lipper
- Cast
- Josh Duhamel, Dylan Sprouse, Til Schweiger, Jeremy London, Jason London, Elena Sanchez, Corbin Pitts
Official synopsis
Detective Shaw is about to retire when he finds out on his last day of work that a serial killer has buried his son alive. He then races against the clock to solve three murders and find his son’s location before he runs out of air.
The Double
Make a night of it
Pair this with Time of Death (2026)
Both feature desperate races against death with ticking clock tension.
Total runtime: 1h 32m + 1h 47m = 3h 19m
