MIssing

4 out of 5 stars

In this era, it is nearly impossible to live without social media impacting our lives. Since the release of Searching in 2018, where the internet’s influence on family lives is taken to extremes, a sequel would make sense. Despite focusing on a different family, the production team behind the original film incorporates the fascinating filmmaking style that made the original story compelling.

This chapter introduces us to 18-year-old June Allen (Storm Reid) as she waits to pick up her mum, Grace (Nia Long), from the airport. Yet, neither she nor her boyfriend, Kevin (Ken Leung), return from their Columbian holiday. As the teenager desperately tries to find her mother, June decides to delve into Kevin's online behaviour to investigate her mother's whereabouts. Throughout her research, the girl realised that Kevin and her mother had been hiding things from her for years.

As things come to light from her family’s past, June does what most teens do at this time in history. She communicates electronically with her friends and the world in general. As a reasonably well-experienced front-end social media and communication app user, it does not take long for her to upskill. Along with the help of her friends, she manages to break into Kevin's email account and discovers that he has served time in prison for fraud. This, along with her mother’s deception, causes the teen’s investigation to eventually go down trails she had never suspected she would travel.

With the use of various perspectives from web-cams, mobile phones, and street security cams made this a worthwhile endeavour. Despite being done in films like Unfriended, this screenplay becomes immersive and engaging as this style is incorporated well. Writers/directors Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick combine the same break-neck speed of cyber-consumption first seen in Searching. The team has created yet another intense hyper-modern cyber-thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat right up to the end. What makes this work well is knowing that only a clairvoyant could predict the circumstances of this cleverly crafted plot.

Reel Dialogue: If you can’t trust your Mum, who can you trust?

In this world that has become increasingly interconnected, it has become less obvious who we can trust. Knowing who is the bearer of truth and justice. The government, schools, and even churches have proven to be suspect regarding trust. Thankfully, there is one place where the fact can still be found. Not to sound cliche, but the Bible answers this question and more.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6