The title Missing may sound generic, but the film is exhilarating. When there is suspicion in a film’s central plot point, evidencehelps build the storyline into an invigorating thriller flick. Missing contains many technological fascinations. The movie is all viewed through a computer screen, a tablet screen, or an Apple device screen. The film also contains interesting scenes involving figuring out passwords, accounts, and background research which result in evidence which spirals into an anxious state-of-mind. For those who know the film Searching, Missing is by the same directors, Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick. This time they return with a plot and setup much like Searching, but this time they take the suspense to a new level. Missing is one of those films where reality feels real through showing how much information technology can save.

Missing is intriguing because of its multiple components. The film showcases authorities, technology, social media, and a wide range of technicalities for its puzzle. Missing is a not your common film of what goes wrong when someone disappears,but it will make its audience cringe. The directing and writing are calculated and provide misinformation which adds more anxiety. The harrowing truths discovered in Missing build an even tougher trail to pursue, but that’s part of what hooked me. The film is like screen time on top of screen time in the form of a movie.

The plot of Missing involves a mother, Grace (played by Nia Long), and her daughter June (played by Storm Reid) who have a typical mother-daughter relationship. June is often ignorant of her mom’s requests and frequently gets annoyed that her mom is just being a mom. June is also addicted to her technology (the primary reason why the whole film is practically through computer screens). Her mom goes out of town with her boyfriend Kevin (played by Ken Leung). At first, June is ecstatic because this is a moment of freedom for her. As the day comes around for her mother to return, Grace falls off the grid. She does not respond to her phone, or her messages and it makes June very nervous. June begins to fill out a missing person’s report and goes through many databases to figure out where her mom might be.

The stress and anxiety are shown purely in the eyes of June throughout Missing. June begins to hack the profiles on Kevin’s accounts to find the locations or transactions which may lead to the whereabouts of her mom. The crazy thing is that Kevin does not always use his real name. June comes across multiple accounts, several past incidences, and more disturbinginformation. June only wants to find her mom, but she also wants to ensure her mom is safe. Missing shows how far one will go to find a person they love.

As June’s story evolves, Missing bombards social media with the fact that June’s mom is missing. Her mom’s name may be out there, but the social media factor can help the matter or make matters worse. Missing will make its viewers wonder how much technology or hidden information can work to June’s advantage. Because she is a teenager, there may be more risks for her and/or her mom. Missing is hard to take at times due to the overwhelming news and media that surrounds June and her situation which reflects today’s reality.

There are always layers of finding the truth in a thriller film. For example, June’s father supposedly passed away, however thefull story is never explained to her. As June realizes that some of the the evidence she finds does not add up, some of what she comes across may link to her past as well and may reveal more than expected. The realizations made by June and the authoritiesin their search to find her missing mother are gut-wrenching. Missing is creative in the investigative and critical sense. There are no good resolutions, but there is always hope in each piece of evidence discovered.

Missing is a masterpiece. It paints a clear picture that revealshow the technological world is not as safe and secure as the world may think. Can June crack the case and find her momherself? Are the authorities and the media helpful sources to track her missing mom? Why would there be more unexplained circumstances found through technology? Those answers are all found in the film itself. I believe audiences will appreciate Missing because of its faithful representation of what lengths someone will go to protect the one they love most. Three and a half stars for Missing.