I heard many positive reviews, and was very anxious to see this movie. The beginning, which focuses on the protagonist, Rex and his girlfriend, Saskia, is somewhat annoying (as his girlfriend is a bit of a flake and acts pretty dizty). As you probably know "the vanishing" refers to the abduction of Rex's girlfriend, and this part is pretty good. The actor playing Rex is pretty good and turns in a believable performance as a distraught lover.
warning ... spoiler
Then the film focuses on the abductor, a man named Raymond. For reasons that are somewhat unclear, he has decided (after saving a woman) that then he has to start killing them. In any case, he is a methodical person and begins to plan out the abduction part carefully, rehearing each step and trying out various means to get women into is car (so he can put them asleep with ether). This part is somewhat interesting, but the guy is apparently so creepy, very few women will get into this car, and so he has a lot of dry runs.
major spoiler alert
And now we come to the end. Rex, after *3 years* is still obsessed with knowing what happened to his girlfriend. Now this part is just plain stupid. He obviously knows she was killed: apparently he wants to find out how. This is not the thinking of a healthy normal mind. To this end, he puts out posters everywhere, goes on TV, etc, asking for the person to come forward, and Raymond, who has been toying with him to meet for awhile anyways, eventually does confront Rex and promises Rex he can enlighten him as to his girlfriend's fate. A long car ride ensues, and at the end, Raymond gives Rex a drink, and it comes out that there is a sedative in the drink. Raymond tells Rex the only way he will "show" him what happened to Saskia is if Rex goes through the same thing she went through. In other words, it is *very* plain that he is going to murder Rex too. And what does Rex do? He drinks it and wakes up in a pine box buried six feet under. I am sorry, but the stupidity of the ending simply vitiates the majority of good work that went into the majority of the film. All in all, it is not a bad film and the ending is quite terrifying (the feeling Rex has in the casket is very realistic), but still a big disappointment. I think they could have done better
warning ... spoiler
Then the film focuses on the abductor, a man named Raymond. For reasons that are somewhat unclear, he has decided (after saving a woman) that then he has to start killing them. In any case, he is a methodical person and begins to plan out the abduction part carefully, rehearing each step and trying out various means to get women into is car (so he can put them asleep with ether). This part is somewhat interesting, but the guy is apparently so creepy, very few women will get into this car, and so he has a lot of dry runs.
major spoiler alert
And now we come to the end. Rex, after *3 years* is still obsessed with knowing what happened to his girlfriend. Now this part is just plain stupid. He obviously knows she was killed: apparently he wants to find out how. This is not the thinking of a healthy normal mind. To this end, he puts out posters everywhere, goes on TV, etc, asking for the person to come forward, and Raymond, who has been toying with him to meet for awhile anyways, eventually does confront Rex and promises Rex he can enlighten him as to his girlfriend's fate. A long car ride ensues, and at the end, Raymond gives Rex a drink, and it comes out that there is a sedative in the drink. Raymond tells Rex the only way he will "show" him what happened to Saskia is if Rex goes through the same thing she went through. In other words, it is *very* plain that he is going to murder Rex too. And what does Rex do? He drinks it and wakes up in a pine box buried six feet under. I am sorry, but the stupidity of the ending simply vitiates the majority of good work that went into the majority of the film. All in all, it is not a bad film and the ending is quite terrifying (the feeling Rex has in the casket is very realistic), but still a big disappointment. I think they could have done better