Missing, a stand-alone sequel to Searching demonstrates that the excitement of a drama playing on computer screens has yet to wear off.
Good news for fans of Searching (2018), a compelling suspense thriller in which a father searches his daughter’s laptop for clues after she goes missing. The edginess of solving a mystery by following a person’s digital footprint, social media connections, and old films is retained in Missing, a solo sequel to this surprise success. Missing uses displays — laptop and mobile phone screens — to form the visual story of young June Allen (Storm Reid), a Los Angeles resident, who is anxiously hunting for her mother Grace (Nia Long), who is unreachable after a week-long vacation to Colombia with her new lover Kevin (Ken Leung).
Though their worlds are so different, Seeking and Missing have a lot in common. They even have a similar structure in certain ways. This creates a sense of familiarity in the audience without becoming repetitious.
The authors of Missing, Aneesh Chaganty (who also directed and co-wrote Searching) and Sev Ohanian, have incorporated enough twists and turns to keep the viewer interested. While mourning was the primary emotion in Seeking, the strained mother-daughter relationship is at the core of Missing. Grace’s situation is exacerbated by a new man in her life. Missing is virtually a film about relationships and regaining trust because of their dispute and closeness.
Reid (of 12 Years a Slave and Euphoria fame) plays the adolescent daughter who turns out to be a natural at cyber sleuthing after her mother’s mysterious disappearance, lending credibility to the plotlines even as she fishes out information from the internet, hacks other people’s emails, and digs up old chats at breakneck speed. She also bears the guilt of being unpleasant to her mother when she attempted to contact her. She does an excellent job as the major figure driving the fast-paced drama.
The raid, as June, quickly forms a connection with whomever she approaches for assistance. June’s endeavor is aided by her friend Veena (Megan Suri of Never Have I Ever fame) and Javier (Joaquim de Almeida), whom she contacts via an app to perform some errands in Colombia. The sequel relies on new technologies such as smartwatches and Siri to reflect technological improvements. They not only save lives, but they also give the narrative a modern twist.
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The sequel gains novelty and excitement by reversing the narrative, as Missing sees a kid pursuing investigative agencies and every clue to find her mother. Despite certain developments that look unbelievable, the filmmakers’ flawless editing and screenplay keep spectators on the edge of their seats for the majority of the film. From a suspense drama to a horror film at the finish, it reveals past secrets and springs unpleasant surprises.
Missing demonstrates that the allure of a thriller playing on computer displays has yet to wear off. This genre can offer nail-biters if the correct mix of passion, twists, and thrills is paired with superb writing and delivery. The creators, on the other hand, must maintain a close eye on innovations in this internet era, and their ideas are fertile.
