MPAA Rating: PG-13/ Genre: Mystery-Thriller/ Stars: Storm Reid, Ava Zaria Lee, Ken Leung, Nia Long, Joaquim de Almeida, Daniel Henney, Amy Landecker, Tim Griffin, Michael Segovia, Megan Suri/Runtime: 111 minutes
I think it can safely be said dear reader that, among the other constants present in the land of movie magic, one that is certainly worthy of note is the fact that even though big-budget tentpole films like the ones released by Marvel or even the latest Avatar film often capture the majority of the audiences let alone box office grosses, there is still slots and opportunities to be found for distinct low to mid-budget cinematic fare as well to have triumphs of their own. A concept incidentally which I think was perhaps made best evident by the surprise success of Terrifier 2 this past October. Yet when you also factor in such examples as found footage slices of cinema like Project X “2012” to one that is presented strictly in the first person like 2016’s Hardcore Henry, there is no denying that film helmers are constantly on the prowl for ways to take the idea of immersing a movie goer to the next possible level. Perhaps this is why a 2018 slice of cinema known as Searching did as well as it did with both critics and the general movie goer in equal measure gaining not just positive reviews, but also managing to gross a solid 75 million dollars on a budget of just 880,000 dollars. Indeed, here was a mystery-thriller regaled to us through technological devices including video calls and computers that also turned out to be more than just a gimmick with a film on the side, but rather a phenomenally well-made slice of cinema period. Perhaps it was because of this and the aforementioned critical and financial successes that the studio that distributed Searching decided to give the green light to a successor set in the same universe, but by no means a direct sequel in the hopes that it would prove to be just as much a success as its predecessor. That successor incidentally is the slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today in the form of the recently released Missing and I must confess I did enjoy this slice of cinema quite a bit. Indeed the novelty that was very much a part of the first installment might not be as prevalent as it was during the first go-around and there might be some flaws to be found here and there, but the work done behind the camera is taut and the work done in front of the camera is on-point as well thus making this one incredibly well-done mystery-thriller that I can assure you will have you both scratching your head trying to figure it out whilst on the edge of your seat in the best way possible.
The plot is as follows: Giving us a brand-new collection of characters whilst still taking place in the same universe as its 2018 predecessor via some amusing winks and nods that I shan’t spoil here, this slice of cinema gets underway by introducing us to our main character, an 18-year girl by the name of June. June, we rather quickly learn, is busy making preparations for a solid week of fun with no parents around whatsoever. The reason for this is because her mom Grace, whom she doesn’t exactly have the most solid relationship with in the world for….reasons, and her seemingly decent boyfriend Kevin who she met through an online dating service are about to head out for a delightful and romantic trip to Colombia. Of course, it should come as no surprise to learn that soon the pair of lovebirds are off, a grand party is held at the house, and fun is surely had by all parties concerned. Soon enough though, we see things begin to take a bit of an ominous turn when the day arrives where our heroine is to head to the airport to pick her mom and Kevin up and, despite being on time and rocking a fairly amusing sign to boot, the couple inexplicably doesn’t show up. Yet after hours turns to days and there is no sign of the happy couple, we see that our heroine reaches out to her mom’s lawyer and puts on file an international missing person’s report. Yet when circumstances finally force her to take matters in her own hands, we see our intrepid young heroine begin an investigation all her own. One that will not only see her team up with an affable and decent man on the ground in Colombia by the name of Javier to acquire evidence, but also result in secrets making themselves apparent to say nothing of people like her mom who she thought she knew really start to be thrown into serious question. Thus can our heroine get to the bottom of this sinister puzzle or is this one mystery that she is going to wish she never solved? That I will leave for you to discover for yourself dear reader…..
Now right off the bat, it should be noted that in terms of the work being done behind the camera we are able to witness, through partnering up with the helmer/co-writer and co-writer of the original (who incidentally are given both producer and story credit with this slice of cinema as well), that the creative team behind this entry have managed to sculpt for this film an incredibly brilliant script that is particularly skilled at providing us and its main heroine with a seemingly never ending string of misdirection at its finest. As a result, if you attempt to figure this puzzle out before the heroine and even if all 5 or 6 of your senses are able to pick up on the clues that are distributed, you are still going to find yourself delightfully thrown for a loop as some pretty huge bombshells manage to result in some pretty significant curves in the narrative….only to then have those curves wind up being annihilated too. To be sure, there are some sidesteps in terms of actuality that this film chooses to engage in with perhaps the best example being that a character whose salary is about 8 dollars per hour manages to be one of the most helpful people in the entire movie. All the same though, this slice of cinema is still grounded in reality just enough to not be completely absurd. Indeed for those of you with a lively passion for true crime, I can safely say that this slice of cinema is one that you will surely have a fair bit of fun watching. Indeed through the utilization of going through browser histories, camera footage, and location tracking to name but a few examples, we see that our heroine is able to brilliantly utilize these cyberspace era investigative tools to try and locate her mom and it proves to be quite riveting. Along with that, it should also be noted that as the latest installment in the fairly new genre of movie magic that is the screen life genre, this slice of cinema is able to operate as further proof that there is a fairly wonderful degree of plausibility to this genre. Yes, there are some easy way outs that are engaged in here with perhaps the most crucial being our heroine’s Facetime seemingly always being on thus making it so we can constantly see her whilst she is looking for clues. Even with that in mind, what turns out to be more well-done is the manner in which this slice of cinema is able to, from a visual perspective, show us this puzzle whilst keeping a firm grasp on how realistically people use technology. Yes, much like the finer examples in this genre, this slice of cinema is not only able to use technology that we are fully aware of in the world around us, but it also does a potent job at gifting us with a look into our cast of characters’ psyches through such elements as frantic hunting and writing of messages only to have them eliminated or not sent at all. No, in a lot of ways this slice of cinema is not a game changer for this distinct genre, but there is one thing it is. That being further evidence of just how wonderfully realistic a tale can be told with the story that unfurls for us here being one that is riveting, thrilling, and genuinely mysterious in equal measure.
Of course, it also doesn’t hurt when a slice of cinema’s collection of performances in front of the camera also turn out to be fairly well done and that is most definitely the case here as well. This starts with a fantastic turn by Storm Reid in the lead role of June. Indeed, I must be honest with you and point out that at first blush it would appear that Reid is portraying her character in this in a way that seems like your run of the mill teenage heroine. In other words this protagonist is very much yearning to be treated like an adult, wishing to be independent, giving her mom grief for this and that, and severely belly aching over the rules her mom has laid out for her. Yet as this slice of cinema manages to go along we see that there is more to than this heroine than meets the eye especially as we see her ever-rising wave of concern for her mom and certain things from her past come forth thus providing this slice of cinema with an emotional center. It is also in these moments where we see Reid really make this role her own and put on one heck of a performance especially in moments where she butts heads with a member of federal law enforcement over how little has been done about her mom’s case. Indeed not only do these and other moments of a similar vein in this feel achingly real and genuinely heartbreaking in equal measure, but the phenomenal work done here by Reid also manages to do an incredibly effective job at showcasing for us the sheer volumes of agony and fury that her character is experiencing in this even when she is doing something such as talking to another person over a video call on her phone. Suffice it to say that this is an incredibly potent performance and one that I hope leads to just as amazing career opportunities in the future for this genuinely remarkable talent. Now along with the electrifying work done here by Reid, I should also note that one of the components that this slice of cinema does perhaps a much better job at than its equally as riveting predecessor is in how much time we get with and attention which is devoted to the strong support cast that this film is also equipped with. As a result, not only do we get a trinity of wonderful support performances from such talent as Nia Long, Ken Leung, and Joaquim de Almeida (who not only am I actually glad to see play a good guy for once, but whose role in this is a genuine delight with the screen time he is given), but the film also does a great job at giving each of these individuals moments throughout that really help to both distinguish them as individuals as well as to propel the core mystery forward.
All in all I think it can be safely said beyond a doubt in my mind that when it was first released in theaters all the way back in the long ago year of 2018, the slice of cinema that is Searching was one, among other attributes, that managed to showcase for audiences how to conjure up a riveting mystery thriller that not only kept you guessing, but also left you on the edge of your seat all while being regaled to all of us piece by piece solely through utilizing the various technological devices and creations that have managed to play such an integral part of our lives in the past 5 decades or so. In that regard, I can safely say that, much like it’s predecessor, this slice of cinema is one that you should definitely ponder for a solid moment before buying a ticket to go see it (and no ticket cost has nothing to do with this internal debate….this time at least). This is because if your own internal level for how much you are willing to believe is not willing to let you get onboard with the possibility of someone having their webcam on 25/8 or in the idea of a teen sleuth managing to completely outsmart no less a group than the FBI then this slice of cinema is going to be quite the agonizing sit for you and for that I am sorry. Yet, if you are able to look past these things you will find that this film may have its fair share of flaws, but it also does fairly good work even while operating with an all-new tale and collection of characters to follow at conjuring up a slice of cinema that feels and looks very much like what would have happened if the brilliant Alfred Hitchcock had known a thing or two about computers and decided to make a thriller revolving all around them. Even with that in mind though, there is no denying that at its core, this slice of cinema is one that, technological trappings aside, is very much an old-school kind of detective saga that has been spruced up for a present-day movie goer who is completely on board with the narrative hook of a film being regaled primarily through the perspective of the various technology from computers and cellular devices all the way to webcams and social media profiles that they utilize on a fairly daily basis. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in really clever work on both sides of the camera, I think it can safely be said that the team on this film has not only stayed honest to the heart and soul of what worked in the first installment in this blossoming series, but it also has taken it down new and quite intriguing avenues that you will be definitely pondering long after the credits have begun to roll. Here’s hoping that the next installment is able to work just as well if not more so. Make of that dear reader what thou will. On a scale of 1-5 I give Missing “2023” a solid 3.5 out of 5.
