by Jeffery Rahming, Contributing Writer
Modern-day thrillers often don’t have the same sense of danger and mystery as their predecessors. The gritty, hard-hitting investigation of old-school crime movies doesn’t translate well in a world where any teenager with a phone can track someone’s global location, and social media sleuths can investigate crimes better than some officials do. Instead of shying away from this challenge, Missing fully embraces it. The story is not only centered around the internet and technology, but exclusively takes place on screens, whether that be on a computer, a phone, or a smartwatch. Though they risked coming off as gimmicky, writers-directors Nick Johnson and Will Merrick were able to make a compelling suspense story with many twists and turns.
Missing stars Storm Reid as June Allen, an 18-year-old raised by her overbearing mom, Grace (Nia Long). Grace goes off with her new boyfriend to vacation in Colombia, leaving June alone in the house for a week, an opportunity she uses to throw ragers at her home. But when her mother never returns from Columbia, June turns to the internet to help her find her.
Missing goes a long way to update the crime drama genre to the modern age. Far from just being a conceit, the use of technology is very inventive. The whole film taking place on screens provides a unique style, but the story still feels just as tense and perilous as any other great thriller. A movie that consists primarily of clicking, typing, and FaceTimes doesn’t seem inherently exciting, but some clever editing and a fantastic performance by Reid help to make the experience more intense than it has any right to be. Not to mention the impressive pulsating electronic score by Julian Scherle that drops in and out at just the right moments.
The movie is full of twists and turns, and perfectly balances its investigation plot with moments of genuine emotion and terror. The script goes in a few wild directions, but like any good mystery, it all makes sense by the end, though a few scenes do feel a little contrived. I loved that the film also touches on how online culture has affected missing-person cases. The internet does help with June’s dilemma, but it also turns it into a spectacle. Not only does June have to deal with her mom disappearing, but podcasts, TikToks, and mainstream news spin the situation into entertainment content while she’s going through this nightmare. Intentional or not, this is an excellent commentary on our consumption of true crime content. We watch them while rarely thinking about the feelings of those whose trauma is exploited.
In the end, Missing is both a riveting tale of suspense and an emotional journey. It’s one of the better modern thrillers to come out in a while, and is certainly better than most of the middling thrillers we’ve been served on Netflix. I can’t say too much about it without giving its best plot twists away, but if you’re looking for something that will have you at the edge of your seat, this is worth a watch.
Score: 8/10
Missing is currently playing in theaters
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