Vanished Review: Kaley Cuoco’s Latest Mystery Thriller Offers A Shallow, Bingeable Thrill Ride

by

I just finished watching Vanished, the new thriller with Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin, and honestly, it left me wanting more. It’s definitely fast-paced – the show throws you right into the action with a really intense opening scene where Kaley’s character, Alice Monroe, is escaping someone. That scene pretty much sets the tone for the whole series, which tries to pack a huge global conspiracy into just four hours. While it’s a thrill ride, it doesn’t quite feel completely satisfying.

I watched the entire series in one sitting, and honestly, I’m a little surprised it’s being released weekly on MGM+ in some regions instead of all at once. It’s a fast-paced thriller that’s perfect for binge-watching on a cozy weekend.

I doubt this will work well as a weekly series. The central mystery is okay, but the characters aren’t very engaging, and the plot twists aren’t shocking or unexpected.

There’s Little Room For Character Growth In Four Episodes Of Vanished

Credit: Bruno Calvo/AGC Studios/Fragile Films/MGM+

After a thrilling start, the series Vanished flashes back to how Alice and her boyfriend, Tom Parker (played by Claflin), first met during a romantic trip to Paris. Unfortunately, the connection between Kaley Cuoco and Claflin doesn’t quite spark on screen. This is a problem because the story relies heavily on Alice’s feelings for Tom and her frantic search when he disappears on a train to Marseille.

The movie tries to show their connection through weak scenes – a disappointing intimate moment, a flashback to how they met, and dreamy romantic sequences – but these don’t make their long-distance relationship feel believable. Alice is rightly upset when he disappears, but the film doesn’t give us enough reason to care about their relationship beyond her simply stating they’d been together for four years. It’s hard to feel invested in what happens to them.

Honestly, the more I learned about Tom, the more confused I was about why she’d risk everything for him. It just didn’t make sense to me!

The most compelling relationship in Vanished is between Alice and Hélène, a journalist played by Karin Viard. Hélène starts out with unclear motives for helping Alice find Tom, but the two women eventually learn to collaborate. Despite Hélène’s quirky personality, they form a working partnership and a close, almost friendly, bond as they both pursue the truth.

Both Kaley Cuoco and Karla Souza deliver solid performances, and I found their attempts at solving the mystery quite entertaining. One scene where Hélène creates a distraction was a particularly fun change of pace. Cuoco especially shines at portraying Alice’s inexperience. Alice is driven and determined, but she’s not a natural spy or brilliant detective, and you can really feel her fear throughout the show.

Vanished Is Overly Reliant On Its Fast-Paced Storytelling

Credit: MGM+/Prime Video

Honestly, one of the biggest weaknesses of this thriller is the lack of a truly memorable villain. Everyone Alice clashes with feels…flat. They’re all just stock characters you’ve seen a million times, and it really hurts the tension. You expect a good crime thriller to have someone genuinely compelling or frightening pulling the strings, but this film just doesn’t deliver. Even the shadowy hitman who’s supposedly tailing Alice isn’t much of a threat – he’s surprisingly inept, which just deflates any potential suspense.

The most unsettling part of the show features Alice cornered by a group of strangers in a dilapidated apartment building. However, even with everything happening, it doesn’t really feel like she’s in serious trouble. It’s usually pretty obvious who’s going to rescue her just before they arrive. The only truly satisfying moment was when Alice finally got to physically fight back, using a surprisingly effective weapon.

The show’s short length – just four episodes – didn’t allow for much character development or exploration of their histories. The story rushed forward constantly, and honestly, that’s what kept it engaging. It moved so quickly that it pulled you in, even if you weren’t deeply invested in what happened next.

The show’s location, Marseille, feels wasted. The story wouldn’t have changed much if it had been filmed in almost any major European city. While Alice’s inability to speak French creates a communication barrier, the show misses an opportunity to explore how the city’s culture could have played a role in the unfolding events.

Overall, Vanished feels very familiar – it borrows heavily from other TV thrillers and miniseries you’ve probably already watched. While it has flaws, it’s surprisingly engaging. Once it grabs you, it’s hard to stop watching, and that might be enough to make it worthwhile.

The new series Vanished will debut on MGM+ in the US, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Latin America on February 1, with episodes released each week through February 22. Viewers in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand can watch all episodes at once on Prime Video starting February 27.

Read More

2026-01-30 10:59