Movie Review: ‘Pursued’ – When Curiosity Turns into a Deadly Obsession.

What would you do if you stumbled on a shocking and gruesome murder on social media and no one believed you? Would you ignore it, or would you take matters into your own hands? That’s the premise of the thriller ‘Pursued‘, a film that explores the fine line between curiosity and danger in our hyperconnected world.

Directed by Jeffrey Obrow, who also shares writing credits with Julie Pifher, ‘Pursued‘ tells the story of Lark (played by Madison Lawlor), a 17-year-old girl living in a small, quiet town and still reeling from the loss of her father. When she stumbles upon a disturbing online exchange that seems connected to the murder of a local woman, her curiosity turns into what seems like an obsession to find answers. Convinced she’s found the man behind the crime, she decides to expose him herself.

From its opening scenes, ‘Pursued‘ feels like a familiar mix of a teen drama and psychological thriller set in a small, calm town. The film introduces Lark as a typical girl caught between grief, guilt and a consuming need to make things right. Her mother, Carol (played by Molly Ringwald), is trying her best to rebuild their lives, while her teacher, Jack (played by Sam Trammell), steps in as a mentor figure who believes in her relentless sense of justice. Together with her best friend Nicole (played by Taylor Blackwell), Lark sets out to lure the killer from behind the screen with a fake identity. And as you would expect, this sets off a chain of events that puts her and the people closest to her in danger.

The film’s premise is undeniably gripping, and Madison Lawlor’s performance carries much of its emotional weight. She plays Lark with a kind of quiet intensity that feels real and empathetic. There’s something raw about her portrayal, a young woman torn between courage and recklessness, between wanting to do good and being consumed by her own sense of guilt. Lark has a heart that’s too big for her own safety, and that’s exactly what makes her performance so believable. Her dynamic with Nicole, her friend (played by Taylor Blackwell), also adds a warmth that grounds the story. Their friendship feels natural, unforced, and deeply human. It’s the kind of dynamic that makes you wish the film had spent a little more time exploring their bond instead of rushing toward its next shock moment.  Mixed Martial Artist and former UFC women’s Bantamweight champion, Miesha Tate also stars in this film as Drea.

Unfortunately, that’s where ‘Pursued‘ begins to stumble. The film struggles with its tone; it’s never quite sure if it wants to be a grounded crime thriller or a campy horror flick. One minute, you’re watching a tense scene of our lead trying to unravel a mystery, the next, you’re witnessing a character eat his pet tarantula out of spite. The result is a story that feels uneven, as though it’s constantly switching gears and can’t decide what kind of fear it wants to instil.

The narrative also takes a few bizarre turns. A detour into an underground sex club feels like it belongs in another movie entirely, and certain sequences seem more focused on shock value than story progression. You can sense that the director wants to dig deeper into other themes, but the execution often feels unfocused.

That said, ‘Pursued’ isn’t without its strengths. There are a few genuinely effective visual moments, like a haunting image of a body floating in a swimming pool with red clouds of blood spreading like wings. These flashes remind you that the film’s potential lies in its atmosphere, not necessarily its plot twists. There are also a handful of solid jump scares and a moody colour palette that captures the film’s sense of unease and danger. But, beyond the style and scares, what truly keeps this film from collapsing under its own weight is the sincerity of its lead performance.

If there’s a disappointment here, it’s that the script never fully earns its emotional stakes. For all the danger and chaos, we’re never given a clear sense of why Lark risks so much or what truly drives her need to confront evil head-on. When Lark convinces her teacher to help her, you can’t help but wonder what his reasons for helping her could be. Jack insists that Lark has a heart that can’t turn a blind eye to other people’s suffering, and so he, too, can’t help but be there. But is that worth risking his job and possibly ending up in jail for helping his student break some laws in the quest to expose a killer? Similarly, the killer’s motivations remain vague and exaggerated, robbing the story of psychological depth.

In the end, ‘Pursued’ feels like one of those late-night thrillers you stumble upon by accident and end up watching all the way through. Not because it’s perfect, but because it keeps you intrigued. It’s watchable regardless of its uneven pacing and the tonal confusion; it has the potential to be great with a tighter script and some more intentional storytelling.

I will score it 6/10.