“Neglected” follows Matthew Shaw, a detective who is met by a blood-soaked adolescent with an ultimatum: solve a series of gruesome murders or his son will die.

At its core, “Neglected” is a movie that covers heavy topics. It explores foster care and the children within it, specifically the systematic failures that result in abuse and… neglect. This sounds good on paper. And the messaging is relevant. Unfortunately, however, it doesn’t know how to tie this into an engaging film.

This is a cat-and-mouse thriller that leaves little to the imagination. Out of the gate, you know there’s been three murders. This immediately eliminates suspense. What follows is guided detective work, simply moving from location to location with little actual crime solving taking place. Because Detective Shaw is fed information throughout the runtime, there’s nothing remaining for the audience to decipher. And with minimal miscues or true surprises along the way, “Neglected” becomes too by the numbers.

So much so that you’ll likely be left wondering if there’s more to the story. Because there has to be… right? Unfortunately for “Neglected,” however, there’s not.

Pacing issues run rampant here. Even with a short 93-minute runtime, there’s not enough material to fully fill the length. Large stretches of “Neglected” feature aerial shots of characters driving from location to location. It’s an effective transition at times, but becomes wildly overused here. The film also suffers from “too many endings” syndrome. There is a definitive point where you’ll be certain that the credits are about to roll. Well… if you’re like me, you’ll be wrong. Because the movie keeps going for an additional 15-20 minutes. As Stephen Edwards’ score reaches a triumphant point, “Neglected” has the perfect opportunity to end. Instead, it ties a neat bow on every subplot only to reach the same conclusion.

This contributes to another one of the film’s biggest problems — it’s unrealistic. Get ready to suspend disbelief, because “Neglected” pushes the boundaries of being a real-world scenario time and time again. Many similar genre entries face the same issue, but here it’s exacerbated. That’s because it tries so hard to be grounded, despite characters continuously making questionable decisions that make it the opposite.

Josh Duhamel (Detective Shaw) and Dylan Sprouse (The Kid) star. After “Preschool” in March, this is a different kind of role for Duhamel. Rather than delivering jokes, he is required to show range here. While his character is the emotional anchor of the film, it’s actually Sprouse who showcases surprising spurts of emotion. With that being said, it’s a “strange” bout from Sprouse, meaning it’s largely inconsistent. He fully dives into the crazed persona of a serial killer while also seeming completely normal. With constant smirks and “hehehe” laughs, the exaggerated aspects of his character come across as forced more often than not.

Despite this, Sprouse and Duhamel are able to bounce back and forth for a number of heated exchanges. And this is specifically evident in the final act. It takes time for these actors to fully become the characters, mostly because of the slow-paced development. While they initially seem one-note, more information is gradually revealed that gives audience members the opportunity to cast their own judgment. By adding depth to the individuals, these performances grow stronger in the process.

Amid the thrills, “Neglected” is focused on analyzing the hidden details of these characters. The camerawork aids in this, with intense close-ups during scenes of dialogue. When the personalities are fully cut loose, handheld footage puts viewers right in their shoes.

It’s clear that writer-director David Lipper is very passionate about this subject. And while the movie itself doesn’t fully come together, the message resonates in moments. Especially when it asks the audience to analyze their own beliefs. Because at first, it guides you toward thinking Sprouse’s character is “crazy.” And yes — he very well may be. But his intentions aren’t. While examining the “why” behind it all, “Neglected” becomes a fascinating character study.

“Neglected” has heart but not much else. The film focuses on relevant subject matter, yet fails to craft a compelling narrative around it.

Rating: 2 out of 5