A still from the movie ‘Missing’ Photo credit: @sonypictures/Youtube
Sequels are a risky business. Not only is the reputation of the first film – which obviously would have been a smash hit to warrant a sequel – on the line, but the sequel also has to have everything that audiences loved from the predecessor and make sense of it. Something else too. of freshness. missingthe standalone sequel is looking for (2018), is not only a suitable successor but a superior film in many aspects to the John Cho starrer.
Like the first film, and as the name suggests, this film is also about a missing person. But on the contrary is looking forwhich was about a father searching for his lost daughter, missing A teenager, Jon (Storm Reed), has a history of what he can do to find his missing mother (Nia Long). Directors Will Merrick and Nick Johnson, who served as editors. is looking forhas made his directorial debut with missing Written by Sev Ohanian and Anish Chaganti, who are the director and co-writer. is looking for Knowing respectively the key aspects that made the original film a significant addition to the list of films that fall under the relatively new Screen Life genre of films, missing Sticks to formed ideas. is looking for a success.
Movie: Missing (English)
Director: Will Merrick, Nick Johnson
Cast: Storm Reid, Ken Leung, Nia Long, Joaquim De Almeida, Daniel Heaney
Story: A young man, trying to find his missing mother, eventually discovers that there is more to the disappearance than meets the eye.
Running time: 111 minutes
On its surface, both films brush over the same tropes. They see how technology and digitalization bring about a double-edged sword, how the same technology that brings people together in practice actually pushes them apart in real life and without us realizing how. We turn to him for the solution to the ‘modern wonder’. is the cause of trouble in the first place. Even if not for the digital paradigms, there are general references to the fact that there is still much that we are ignorant of in what we may know throughout our lives.
Both films work thanks to how the creators incorporate the technology we know and want to stay on top of the plot to discover new leads, follow breadcrumbs and ultimately solve a case. are missing The story takes it up a notch by expanding the canvas on which it is set, raising the stakes, and introducing more shocking and thrilling twists that make for a more nail-biting experience. Another aspect that makes missing More interesting is the complexity of the relationship between parent and child. Despite sticking to the ‘troubled teenagers and overprotective parents’ trope, a series of twists and turns make both Jon and the audience realize that there’s a lot more to Grace and her disappearance than we know.
It would not be surprising to see both films as archives of the rapid growth of technology in a certain period. Despite only a five-year gap between the two films, Jon’s arsenal of apps, software, AI and gadgets is far more advanced than what David Kim had in 2018. It also works on a meta level when you realize how the film’s visual storytelling has improved tremendously despite being a computer screen film. A classic example is turning Spotify’s horizontal music progress bar into a vertical Google Maps direction bar. Thanks to the fast screenplay, even listening to just looking at a computer screen and pressing keyboard keys for a few brief moments doesn’t feel difficult. Subtle editing directs your attention to the next scene rather than making you think of easy solutions or factual corrections that your mind automatically fills in or solves – a simple matter. Here’s why Jon’s webcam is always on, giving us everything from his meltdowns to jumping for joy at his eureka moments. Not to mention the dangerously oversimplified resolutions that almost make you forget the concept of the number of possible combinations and combinations for something to happen.
missingOverall, the only template under the ‘Internet world today’ setup could be a mystery thriller. But the franchise is known for great moments and they are no different than those in which Sherlock Holmes uncovers a clue and smiles a smile of satisfaction. Throw in some decent performances, a kind of sardonic humor unique to the genre and heart-wrenching emotions tie it all together and it does it all. missing A much more interesting successor to is looking for.
Missing is currently playing in theaters.