The Disappeared (2008)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I would describe The Disappeared less as a horror and more an exploration of how many genre tropes can be aimed for and missed by so wide a margin. If you take this film as the latter, then you'll enjoy it as much as you would Green Lantern. If you're looking for a thrilling psychological horror ghost story, then I'm sorry to disappoint you but this isn't your movie.What starts as an interesting ghost story quickly develops into a humdrum ghost story, into a strung- out one liner from Friends. Ever seen the episode where Joey says the latest film he will appear in must be good because it contains the line "She's been deeeeaaad for ten yeeeaaaars"? The Disappeared is a horror that feels as if such a twist is clever. It isn't.All in all, this film is predictable, poorly written, and I can safely say that I didn't care about any of the underdeveloped characters. I can't see why it's garnered so many good reviews...well, weirder things have happened, such as every pointless and nonsensical plot 'twist' in The Disappeared.All in all, don't watch it. It's one of, if not the worst, movie I have ever had the misfortune of seeing.

After a tragic accident, and a stay at mental health unit, Matthew returns to his home with his father, and the disappearance of his brother still looming over them.Matthew watches a few tapes of appeals and soon, starts to hear his brother calling him and sees I'm from afar.He appeals to his father, but he seems to blame him for his brothers disappearance, after all, he was supposed to be looking after him, but had a party and let him go to the playground.So Matthew is trying to rebuild his life, and although his friends and his councillor support him, he cannot let go. And neither can his brother.......It's really well acted, and the lead is phenomenal, as is the actor playing his father. And although nothing really happens throughout the film to shock, the build up and the brooding atmosphere of the tower block keeps you interested.The best aspect of the film is the relay ship between Matthew and his father. Bothe are really to blame for the boys disappearance, but both know this and have ammunition for one another. The father is the type with a short temper, and he at times seems like he is going to explode.The final third lets the side down a little though, going for the old serial killer routine and although some of the twists are really obvious from the start (Amy for one is the most obvious) it does try to treat the viewer as intelligent being rather than a gore hound.The serial killer side of the film was hopefully just for absolution for the missing boy, but it really does feel out of place here.But other than that, it's an amazing piece of cinema with two wonderful performances from the two leads.

After suffering a mental breakdown following the disappearance of his younger brother, Matt is released from the hospital and tries to get back to a sense of normalcy. However, his father blames him and Matt's own guilt continues to haunt him. Before long, visions of his brother begin to plague him as well. Is it just Matt having another breakdown, or is his brother really appearing to him?This interesting British horror works as a sort of old school mystery by way of ghost story. The overall feel of the film is very ominous from the start. Matt, previously a happy teen, is now alienated and deeply troubled. He meets a girl who lives next door, herself a rather distant sort. Some of the ghostly encounters with the brother are typical. Other bits, like a scene with a psychic, are eerie and add to the intrigue of the picture. One major aspect of the story is easily telegraphed. Another, not so much. The climactic scenes are strong, the ending suitably somber. While the film falls back on certain clichés at times, it's still an effective slice of ghostly horror that packs a nice bit of emotional resonance.

Saw this film last night at the ICA and then afterwards there was a Q&A session which included Tom and Johnny Kevorkian and Neil Murphy who both co-wrote and co-produced the film. The film was excellent. Very atmospheric and probably more frightening because it is set in such a mundane setting. Not Gothic horror but backyard horror - but horror nonetheless. The acting was superb by the young cast leads, Harry Treadaway and Tom Felton. The cinematography used a colour palate that reflected the dreary humdrum life that was obviously the norm for the characters. The editing could have been tightened up a little but overall the pace was well set. The music was perfectly written to reflect everything you saw on screen without being dominant or leading where the screen images didn't follow.A truly frightening experience but one I can well recommend.