The Vanishing (1988)
Stars: Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Bervoets, Johanna ter Steege
Runtime: 107 minutes
Synopsis: Rex and Saskia, a young couple in love, are on vacation. They stop at a busy service station and Saskia is abducted. After three years and no sign of Saskia, Rex begins receiving letters from the abductor.
Performances: 9/10
Screenplay: 9/10
Editing: 9/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Screenplay: 9/10
Editing: 9/10
Cinematography: 8/10
Score/Soundtrack: 7/10
Verdict: Based on Tim Krabbé's "The Golden Egg", George Sluizer's "The Vanishing" is an intense movie that checks all the boxes of a riveting thriller.
Centered around Rex's desperate search for his abducted wife, the film manages to keep you on the edge of your seat for its entire runtime. I wasn't bored a single second, and kept constantly trying to pick up clues to understand what happened to Soskia at that damn gas station.
However, the true star of the thriller is Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, His take on the up-to-no-good family man Raymond is one of the most chilling, disturbing performances I have seen in a while, and confirms the saying that a thriller is only as good as its main villain. The Frenchman, famous for taking extreme measures with his costars to deliver the most genuine acting he possibly could, without a doubt has his place amongst cinema's greatest antagonists.
"The Vanishing" is a must for any thriller lover such as myself. From terrifying villain to fascinating plot, it has it all, and that is despite a couple of cheesy moments and a score that could've been utilized in a better way. It's very reminiscent of Denis Villeneuve's "Prisoners", which I'm certain was inspired by it.
However, the true star of the thriller is Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, His take on the up-to-no-good family man Raymond is one of the most chilling, disturbing performances I have seen in a while, and confirms the saying that a thriller is only as good as its main villain. The Frenchman, famous for taking extreme measures with his costars to deliver the most genuine acting he possibly could, without a doubt has his place amongst cinema's greatest antagonists.
"The Vanishing" is a must for any thriller lover such as myself. From terrifying villain to fascinating plot, it has it all, and that is despite a couple of cheesy moments and a score that could've been utilized in a better way. It's very reminiscent of Denis Villeneuve's "Prisoners", which I'm certain was inspired by it.
FINAL GRADE: 8.5/10
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