Review: 'Missing' has higher stakes and crazier twists than 'Searching' & its delivers

Missing

To be watching a screenlife (computer screen) film can be rather taxing where even as we know, our eyes begin to look for distractions after being on a phone/computer screen for a long time. But the 2018 film, Searching made sure to balance this aspect with video footage in a sleek an unique manner thus giving us an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Now, in 2023, we get its standalone sequel, Missing - the stakes are higher, the mystery is deeper and the outcome is crazier. Having had the chance to see the film beforehand here is what I thought about it-

Pacing is Faster and Stakes are Bigger

Right from the get-go, you experience how the stakes of this sequel are higher and the pacing of the film is a lot faster than its predecessor. The screenlife usage, is once again, expertly done and every situation in the screenplay justifies it. There were a couple of instances which might be questionable for a few out there on a rational level but even then, in the setting of the film, it works. The pacing of the film and usage of background score is faster in a sense where the protagonist's tryst with childhood woes, partying when her mother is away and the aftermath of her mother going missing goes by incredibly quick. Fortunately, it doesn't seem rushed though.

Meta Situations and Spiritual Hat-Tip

Unlike the original, which wasn't just a unique concept for the viewers but also for the makers; there is an awareness this time. The protagonist in the film is already aware about the case of disappearance of Margot Kim (Searching) due to the internet and a fictitious Netflix series that she is watching. This brings in a sense of awareness and haunt as well where the protagonist, inspite of knowing, wouldn't in her wildest dreams anticipate any such thing happening to her. Apart from this, there are plenty of meta situations that are just too real and too sad associated with human behaviour and internet trends. None of this is exaggerated for you to feel out of the story, where, in fact, you are as invested as ever.

The Human Connection

Watching films like these can easily lead one to get more and more cynical about having trust in any human being. Searching, especially rode on that owing to the limitation of characters. However, Missing rectifies that in the best possible manner, where the protagonist seemingly can't trust anyone who is close to her in any capacity but goes on to find the most unlikely friend and ally in the form of a stranger in a country thousands of miles away. The culmination of their storyline literally had me weeping happy tears.

Crazier Twists & Turns -Justified

Owing to the first film being set and revolving around three principal characters, the possibilities were rather limited. But here, we have more characters to focus on and thus, more possibilities of who might be responsible. This leads to the writers going bananas and presenting some mind-boggling twists and turns. There might be a point when these seem a tad too much for one's liking but because the justification of the same is done in the plot rather fittingly, it works and you totally buy it.

Doing Too Much

While everything else almost landed perfectly well in Missing, it is the climatic sequence that became crazier and crazier but not in a good way. The big reveal was indeed appalling but everything else that followed felt stretched and overly dramatic. The writers could have chosen a much subtle route and still manage to keep one wowed and engaged but instead the dramatisation of the said events make it a tad underwhelming.

The Verdict

Missing might be going south towards the end with its dramatisation of the plot but that doesn't take away from the innovation, engagement and intrigue that it excels on.

Rating - **** (4/5)