The Vanishing (1988) - Will's Review

I have very little to say this week, as our movie is so straightforward, but please don't take that as a bad thing; as with last week's Angel Heart, I would not have sought this one out, but perhaps more so than last week, I'm very glad I watched it.

A dutch couple (Saskia and Rex) on holiday in France stop at a service station, Saskia is kidnapped. Three years later, having never given up the search, Rex is approached by the kidnapper, Raymond. Having accepted that his beloved is probably dead, knowing the truth is all that maters to Rex, and he is persuaded to travel with Raymond to learn the truth. 

Not remotely a horror, barely a thriller (only the final scene is designed to build any kind of tension or fear) in truth, The Vanishing is a character study, rather than a story. 

I must mention that the final scene is one that many people will find terrifying, although it is a common theme, and not really the point of the movie, it works well, and serves to give the film an ending (a pure character study could too easily have trailed off). 

I understand that my scant description is unlikely to send you clambering to get hold of a copy, but I would thoroughly recommend this film.