Dog’s Movie House: “Missing” A Unique, Involving Thriller!

The story in “Missing” is very engaging, with a mystery that doles out several twists and turns. Nicholas Johnson’s script is tight and well-constructed and his direction is the same. As in “Searching” everything is from the point of view of some type of media, be it June’s computer or other forms of video surveillance cameras (Ring doorbells, etc.) scattered throughout the film. Although folks of the younger generation will identify with the technology June is using more than us old fogies, “Missing” feels relatable as Storm Reid gives a very good performance as a young woman who realizes her relationship with her mother is not what she thought it was. Reid dominates the movie and that’s a good thing as you are firmly in her shoes as she navigates both the internet and the police department in an attempt to figure out the truth. The script features red herrings galore and the final act twist is logical enough to work as an organic part of the story rather than a gimmick.

Nia Long does very good work in her limited screen time as Grace, especially in the film’s back half. Grace has a tendency to hold on too tight to June and the reasons are not what you think. Leung does some good work as the geeky Kevin, injecting just the right amount of creepiness to make you doubt his intentions without going over the top. And de Almeida is a welcome presence as Javi, a man whose circumstances help him establish a bond that’s more than professional with June.

Unlike most “found footage” movies, “Missing” doesn’t make you sick with jarring camera work or make you suspend disbelief over the fact that a character is still holding the camera when the logical thing to do would be to drop it and run like hell. “Missing” is well constructed and the social media technique, though limited when it comes to the type of stories you can tell, is a stroke of genius in a genre exercise such as this. “Missing” is highly recommended. 4 Out Of 5 On Kendog’s Barkometer! So Sayeth The Kendog!

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