To have a loved one suddenly vanish from the face of the earth is probably one of the most nightmarish scenarios anyone could ever experience. But soberingly, every day throughout the world, people go missing.
Many eventually resurface, though many more don’t.
In the event someone you love does disappear, how far would you go to locate them? And are these measures ultimately worth it?
These are the questions posed in the thriller “Missing”, a story about a woman’s disappearance and her daughter’s attempts at finding her.
If the title and plot sound familiar, it’s because this is the sequel to 2018’s “Searching”, which saw a father looking for his daughter. And while “Missing” is a standalone story featuring new characters, the events of “Searching” are referred to in an Easter-egg reference.
Similar to its predecessor, the film employs technology such as laptops, handphones, security cameras and smartwatches to show the audience what it wants. Given how connected people are these days, it is apt that the film creatively tells its story through WhatsApp calls and live chats.
“Missing” follows June (Storm Reid) and her single mother Grace (Nia Long), who have a loving, albeit complicated, relationship – typical of those between parents and teenagers.
The story unfolds when Grace goes on vacation to Colombia with her new beau Kevin (Ken Leung). Naturally, for June, this means parties and raves at home.
But when her mother fails to return from her trip, she begins to suspect something might be amiss. Thus begins June’s intense internet hunt to uncover her mum’s fate.
The plot might sound simple, but make no mistake: this is an intriguing thriller that will likely satisfy fans of whodunits.
The enigma behind Grace’s disappearance has many twists and turns, with a new revelation at virtually every corner. Each character with a speaking role has the potential of holding the key to unravelling the mystery.
One minute, you think a person is innocent. Next, you suspect they may be guilty. As in the real world, the characters have secrets, which the audience discovers at the same time June does.
And speaking of June, Reid plays her with earnestness and authenticity, whether she is behaving as your typical rebellious teen, or is desperate and resorting to any means necessary to uncover the truth, authorities be damned.
Thankfully, the movie doesn’t go down the path of making her a super hacker or something along those lines; instead, her actions are grounded in reality.
Still, some suspension of disbelief is occasionally required, such as instances where characters are saved thanks to contrived coincidences.
Indeed, if certain players only knew not to use the same passwords for everything, the plot would have stopped dead in its tracks!
At the heart of “Missing” is a mother-daughter relationship that is tested when one party realises you might not always know those who are closest to you. Who, then, can you truly trust?
The underlying mystery leaves you guessing until the last moment. And kudos to the film, with its brisk 111-minute duration, for giving you ample time to process information without dragging on unnecessarily.
All in all, with a well-crafted plot, solid performances and a satisfactory climax, “Missing” is very much a can’t-miss.
As of press time, ‘Missing’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.