Quickly
Socially
Trending
Crypto
Missing Movie Review: Going into Missing I really didn’t know what to expect considering this was my first experience with a screenlife film. I had heard the acclaim relating to Searching, and yet there was something still holding me back. Limited by the confines of a computer screen in telling a story, I was intrigued to check out its trailer, but still ended up walking away unimpressed. So, it came as a real surprise when I found myself to be enjoying the film at times, even though there are a few caveats laid out in the path. Missing Trailer: Storm Reid and Nia Long’s Sequel to the 2018 Thriller 'Searching' Will Release in Theatres on January 20, 2023 (Watch Video).
Directed by Will Merrick and Nick Johnson from a story by Sev Ohanian and Aneesh Chaganty, Missing sees the young June Allen (Storm Reid), try to unravel a mystery after her mom goes missing in Columbia when vacationing with her new boyfriend. Taking her to unexpected places and being treated to answers she wouldn’t like; June quickly realises that the mystery goes deep and poses a threat to her own life as well.
The most striking part about Missing is Storm Reid herself. She is very much a driving force behind the film, and pulling off this role probably wouldn’t have been an easy task, considering Reid is just staring into a computer webcam for majority of it. Showing great desperation in wanting to find her mother, while not being able to travel to Columbia herself, it added a nice layer of stakes to Missing that pulled me into her story. Not to mention the history behind June, which added even more depth than expected.
Missing is a story that’s told through a computer screen, and getting used to that format certainly took some time. However, when you are into that world, you will notice how much there is on display here. Characters talk through facetime for majority of the film, and even when they are in the same room, it’s all brought together in a way that was pretty smart. It’s pretty funny though because literally everyone in this movie owns an IOS device in some capacity, and I just had to think to myself that it feels like a big budget commercial for every Apple product out there.
Watch the Trailer for Missing:
The plot here very much relies on its central mystery being captivating, and it is in parts. Especially the big third act reveal that I definitely didn’t expect, and after a long time I felt rewarded with not being able to guess where the movie was going. It keeps you guessing, and when you think you got it, Missing subverts your expectations in the best way possible. However, to reach to those points, Missing certainly does venture off into the territory of using plot conveniences.
There are reveals and sequences over here that very much feel like they were pushed out of the way just so that the ball could get rolling. One involving the boyfriend of June’s mom, Kevin (Ken Leung), who’s story I won’t spoil here, but it ends on a very anti-climactic note and it did lead me to a bit of disappointment. Some of the reveals also lack some logical consistencies to them. There were definitely moments that didn’t add up at, and the more I thought about them, the more complicated they felt.
Some of the side characters too are just not that memorable too. The one in particular that felt ignored was June’s friend Veena (Megan Suri), who Missing does try to make a big deal out of, but she is just someone who hangs out in the background. However, there was one side character that did stood out the most, and he was Javier (Joaquim de Almeida), a cleaning and delivery service provider who remotely helps out June in Columbia to help find her mother. He is just very wholesome all around, and he too has some depth that definitely made him stand out. Who would have thought that the guy who played the main villain in Fast Five would actually make for such a wholesome character. The Consultant Series Review: Christoph Waltz’s Intimidating Turn Will Give You the Chills in Amazon’s Sinister and Compelling Workplace Thriller (LatestLY Exclusive).
For a screenlife film too, I would say there were some jokes sprinkled out through here that did feel quite innovative I would say. It uses technology to its advantage, and even in a story that does feel grim, at times there was levity which got a good laugh out of me. It does take time getting used to, but when you are into Missing’s groove, it’s just smooth sailing from there.
Yay!
Mystery is Captivating
Storm Reid
Nay!
Some Side Character’s Aren’t Memorable
Some Reveals Can Feel Anti-Climactic
Final Thoughts
Missing was a genuine surprise. While the plot occasionally goes the way of having conveniences to assist it, the central mystery is captivating. Propelled by a dedicated performance from Storm Reid and a good visual style, I would Missing is worth your time. The film is playing in theatres right now.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 24, 2023 11:08 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Google Trends
