The Gerard Butler High-Speed Thriller On Netflix With Pulse-Pounding Tension

By Charlene Badasie | Updated

Gerard Butler in Last Seen Alive

The 2022 action thriller Last Seen Alive is currently streaming on Netflix. Directed by Brian Goodman from a script by Marc Frydman, the movie features a talented cast, including Gerard Butler, Jaimie Alexander, and Russell Hornsby. The story follows Will, who takes the law into his own hands after his wife disappears.

The film opens with a tense confrontation between Detective Paterson (Russell Hornsby) and a man named Knuckles (Ethan Embry), setting the stage for Last Seen Alive. The story then jumps to Will Spann (Gerard Butler), a wealthy real-estate agent, and his wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) on a road trip to her parent’s house.

Last Seen Alive‘s release on Netflix in October 2022 propelled it to instant success.

But their ordinary trip takes a horrifying turn when Lisa disappears from a gas station, leaving Will frantic. As he searches for his wife, tensions rise within Lisa’s family, particularly with her parents, Barry and Anna Adams. Flashbacks reveal strain in Lisa and Will’s marriage, but Will is determined to find her, leading him to uncover a web of secrets and deceit in Last Seen Alive.

Detective Paterson initially suspects Will might be involved in Lisa’s disappearance due to their troubled marriage. However, Will’s determination to find Lisa leads him to break into a handyman’s trailer. As Last Seen Alive unfolds, viewers are taken on a rollercoaster ride through a drug lab in the woods, where a fire ignites, adding even more urgency to the story.

Jaimie Alexander as Lisa in Last Seen Alive

The film keeps audiences guessing as it weaves a complex narrative around Lisa’s fate. Last Seen Alive was initially called “Chase” and was distributed by Voltage Pictures. Its release on Netflix in October 2022 propelled it to instant success. It became the streaming giant’s most-watched film in multiple countries, including the United States, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Hong Kong.

However, Last Seen Alive received mixed reviews from critics, with some citing a lack of character development as its biggest failure. As a result, the film holds a 13 percent critics score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Still, some folks praised Gerard Butler’s portrayal of Will and Jaimie Alexander as Lisa.

Despite the lukewarm reception to Last Seen Alive, Gerard Butler is known for his versatile roles in a wide range of films, including action, drama, and romantic comedies. Butler began his career in the theater, performing in various stage productions in the United Kingdom. He also appeared in several television series, including The Jury and Mrs. Brown.

Gerard Butler remains a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, taking on diverse roles that showcase his talent, charisma, and enduring appeal as a leading actor.

Butler’s breakthrough role came with the 2006 epic historical film 300, directed by Zack Snyder. He played King Leonidas of Sparta, a role that required intense physical training. The film’s success catapulted him to international stardom and established him as an action hero. Butler went on to star in the Has Fallen film series from 2013 to 2019, where he portrayed Secret Service agent Mike Banning.

Butler also showcased his dramatic acting skills in films like The Phantom of the Opera, Law Abiding Citizen, and Machine Gun Preacher. He also appeared in romantic comedies, including 2009’s The Ugly Truth, 2007’s P.S. I Love You, and The Bounty Hunter in 2010, before starring in Last Seen Alive in 2022. Beyond acting, Butler has ventured into film production.

gerard butler netflix
Gerard Butler as Will in Last Seen Alive

Despite occasional critical reception challenges, like Last Seen Alive, Butler’s popularity with audiences worldwide has consistently propelled his career forward. He remains a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, taking on diverse roles that showcase his talent, charisma, and enduring appeal as a leading actor.

Following Last Seen Alive, Butler starred in the 2023 film Kandahar. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh from a script by Mitchell LaFortune, the film features a talented supporting cast that includes Ali Fazal, Navid Negahban, Bahador Foladi, Nina Toussaint-White, Tom Rhys Harries, Vassilis Koukalani, Mark Arnold, Corey Johnson, and Travis Fimmel.

The story follows a covert CIA agent who finds himself trapped in a dangerous region of Afghanistan when his mission is compromised. Teaming up with his translator, he faces off against hostile forces while attempting to make his way to an extraction location in Kandahar. The movie was released in cinemas by Open Road Films on May 26, 2023.

Gerard Butler’s Next Big Movie

Butler will next be seen as Nick O’Brien in the upcoming Den of Thieves 2: Pantera from director Christian Gudegast. The movie serves as a direct sequel to the 2018 film Den of Thieves. Since the movie is set for release in 2024, fans can catch the actor in Last Seen Alive on Netflix.