Missing (2023) - Mini-Review
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© SONY PICTURES RELEASING
Directed by: Will Merrick, Nick Johnson
Written by: Will Merrick, Nick Johnson
Starring: Storm Reid, Joaquim de Almeida, Ken Leung, Amy Landecker, Daniel Henney, Nia Long
Runtime: 111 min
Synopsis: When her mother disappears while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June's 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...
© SONY PICTURES RELEASING
The critically acclaimed Searching ended up in my Top10 of the respective year of release, so I couldn't have been more excited for its standalone sequel, Missing. Aneesh Chaganty and Sev Ohanian may have stepped down from their previous main roles, but they still keep story credits in this one. Hence, Will Merrick and Nick Johnson have an extraordinary opportunity for their directorial debuts, and I'm happy to report they rose to the occasion.
The screenlife storytelling method - narrative technique that unfolds entirely on digital screens - is a hallmark of this saga and remains a fascinating, detail-oriented manner of creating impressively intricate stories. The ability to construct a complex, layered narrative with fully developed characters solely through computer screens, security cameras, text messages, social media posts, online videos, and God knows what else is genuinely mind-blowing. A fantastic, immersive experience.
Despite a somewhat generic mother-daughter emotional core, Missing makes it efficient and well-developed. A superb score from Julian Scherle (Heart of Champions) accompanies the tense unraveling of the missing person case, reminiscent of the original film, adding to the overall captivating atmosphere. The pacing is beautifully handled, making time fly by and ensuring high entertainment value, suitable for both theater and home viewing.
Missing is a rollercoaster ride of surprising twists, keeping the audience guessing throughout. Nevertheless, contrary to the more focused Searching, some situations stretch believability, adding minor detours that distract from the thematic focus and the central plot. On one hand, this ends up contributing to the unpredictability levels. On the other hand, it may push away viewers who are more nitpicky about narrative plausibility.
The cast delivers strong performances, with standout acting from Storm Reid (The Last of Us), who continues to make a name for herself year after year. Still, the screenlife format presents a challenge during key moments, as the camera rarely focuses on the actors' faces. This distance somewhat diminishes the impact of some of the film's most crucial, passionate scenes.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Missing may not surpass the original, but it stands as a compelling standalone sequel. The screenlife storytelling technique remains fascinating, as debutants Will Merrick and Nick Johnson bring an insane level of mind-blowing detail to every single digital frame. The tense, twisty narrative holds a generic yet efficiently developed mother-daughter emotional core. accompanied by a wonderful score, smooth pacing, excellent performances, and high entertainment value. Believability is stretched a tad too much in a crazier screenplay, and the screenlife format poses a challenge in conveying the more dramatic moments. Minor issues that won't change an inevitably fantastic reception from a broad audience.
