The Vanishing

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source: The Vanishing

A woman disappears at a petrol station, and her boyfriend desperately searches for her. The premise of the movie is good, the cast is strong and indeed the film starts very well. The plot eventually becomes a little far fetched and the film somewhat loses its credibility, as the motives are explained and then the characters behave. Nice to see Kiefer (and Sandra Bullock) in an early role, but not really a great movie.

Without reverting to comparisons with the original, 'The Vanishing' is worth sticking with, despite it's derivative ending. Well, what do you expect from a 'Hollywood' movie? Everything that comes out of that place is devoid of any originality! Still, at least the story in itself is enough to give this movie a slight edge. Unfortunately Jeff Bridges has a ridiculous accent, and isn't very scary at all, and the finale is a big bunch of cliches. All too melodramatic, but it does have it's moments.

I did not know of the original movie when I watched this version, but I really liked this remake. You can really see Sandra Bullock's RED FLAGS go off when she is at Barney's car, but the family picture she sees in his car causes her to ignore them and she gets in anyway. Scary to see just how easy it was to trick her. Jeff Bridges was excellent - I never would have cast him in this part but he was great. Very suspenseful ending, and I found it refreshing the girlfriend had some guts and brains to deal with the situation. Whenever I find out someone hasn't seen this movie it is one that I insist they watch!

It was too long, boring and gross. If you like abduction movies then this is for you. The only character I felt anything for was Rita. Rita was the current, but ignored girlfriend who tired of Jeff obsessively looking for the old, missing girlfriend, Diane. Now keep in mind, Diane was Sandra Bullock but, she was only on the screen for about eight minutes tops so don't rent it for her. I felt like Rita because I was ignored as the viewer as well, denied the real life (plot,good acting ) that we wanted. Instead we were forced to watch Jeff waste all his time living in the past for nothing. Keifer Sutherland was completely forgettable as Jeff. Barney was played by Jeff Bridges, the dim-witted loser and was very annoying as the "physical artist"/abductor with what seemed to be an attempt at a Southern accent of some kind.

Do NOT see this movie but see the director's own original Spoorloos. There's only one reason why George Sluizer remade his own chilling Spoorloos into this lame, corny and ultimately happy ending bomb and that is money. What a waste of talent (Jeff Bridges not Kiefer S.) and what a waste of what once was a terrific script. Once again, do NOT see this movie but try to get hold of Spoorloos. One of the most chilling movies you will ever see. You will not be disappointed.

I Have to say I have never seen the original Dutch "The Vanishing" which seems to get much better reviews and is rated a lot higher than this. This US version is apparently gorier and has a happy ending (unlike the original) but I don't see why it should, both the films are directed by the same person, George Sluizer, who shouldn't have changed a winning formula. Anyway for me this wasn't a very good film, it is classed as a thriller but their wasn't really anything thrilling about it. It was slow at the beginning and never really got going after that. It has some really good actors in it (The normally reliable Jeff Bridges, 24's Kiefer Sutherland) and that's why i picked it up to start with but they don't add anything much to the film (in fact Jeff Bridges character seems oddly over the top). Watch the original instead ** out of *****

More suspenseful, more subtle, much, much more disturbing....