Missing is a deviously unpredictable mystery that will have audiences fully engaged and thoroughly entertained.
June (Storm Reid) is an 18-year-old college-bound teenager ready to live her life outside of her mom’s (Nia Long) restrictive rules. She just has to make it through the summer. Luckily, her mom and her boyfriend (Ken Leung) are going on a vacation and leaving her home alone for a week. After a week of freedom, and a crazy party, June heads to the airport to pick up her mom. She even made a sign welcoming her mom back from prison so everyone at the airport can see. But after hours of waiting, June realizes something is wrong, and her mother is Missing.
Missing is a Masterful Mystery
Missing is all about the mystery. From the moment it begins it has the audience trying to piece together what happened to Grace/June’s Mom. The added barrier of it happening in another country adds a wonderful obstacle for June to have to work through. There are countless roadblocks and twists throughout the entire film but it never feels out of the realm of possibilities or a cheap copout. The story ends up in truly wild and unexpected places, but it is subtly embedded into the possibilities and logic very early. It all ties together rather neatly, despite the grand and surprising events that unfold.
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Screens on Screens on Screens
What enhances the mystery and the story is the way the film is shot. The use of cameras and devices that are extremely common places and putting them all together on a single screen keeps masterfully controls the energy coursing through the audience. The fast cuts, multiple windows, and tab exploration raise and amplifies anxiety, while long seemingly candid shots from a single device are used to land strong emotional impacts. Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick, and Steven Holleran deserve massive applause for the kinetic cinematography that is organically woven into the movie’s experience.
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Storm Reid and Nia Long are a 1-2 Knockout Combo
Storm Reid and Nia Long are an explosive combo. The parent-child relationship was wonderfully captured and the evolution and realizations of their relationship are remarkably portrayed. Reid goes from rebellious to an understanding child in the instant she realizes the danger her mom is in is astounding. While Long’s release of the reigns without letting go of duty and responsibility is very subtle but emotionally impactful. It’s even more impressive that the shots that capture these performances aren’t specifically designed or traditionally captured to highlight them. The movie is releasing at a quiet time of the year, but the performances resonate like a summer blockbuster.
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There’s Nothing Missing from Missing
Sony Pictures Missing is a direct and to-the-point, fun time at the movies. It is a mind-boggling mystery that will have audiences questioning the clues they missed as well as enjoying the little details they pick up on the consequent rewatches. It is a very well-thought-out, captured, and performed mystery that will likely have a bigger impact once it hits home. It’s a great mystery, with matching performances, and was uniquely captured using what appears to be extremely common and available devices. It is a fun and enjoyable movie, that might not initially capture the general audience’s attention, but will likely be a film people are surprised hasn’t been watched in the years to come.
Missing gets an 8/10.
Missing releases in theaters on January 20, 2023, tickets are available now
About Missing
Release Date: January 20, 2023 (USA)
Directors: Nicholas D. Johnson, Will Merrick
Story By: Aneesh Chaganty, Sev Ohanian
Production Companies: Stage 6 Films, Screen Gems, Bazelevs Company
Distributed By: Sony Pictures Releasing
Cinematography: Steven Holleran
Rating: PG-13
Cast: Storm Reid, Nia Long, Megan Suri, Ken Leung, Daniel Henney, Joaquim de Almeida, Amy Landecker, Tim Griffin
Synopsis:
From the minds behind Searching comes Missing, a thrilling roller-coaster mystery that makes you wonder how well you know those closest to you. When her mother (Nia Long) disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s (Storm Reid) search for answers is hindered by international red tape. Stuck thousands of miles away in Los Angeles, June creatively uses all the latest technology at her fingertips to try and find her before it’s too late. But as she digs deeper, her digital sleuthing raises more questions than answers…and when June unravels secrets about her mom, she discovers that she never really knew her at all.
Would you be able to find a Missing person using just your technology? What mysteries have you solved using technology? Do you want more movies captured across personal devices? Let us know what you think and any of your modern-found footage ideas on social media.
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