This is How Movies Should Be Made

It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It's hard to write much about this film without giving it away. It is a story of one man's nihilism, and one man's obsession. I had seen it long ago, and remembered thinking that it was quite powerful. Seeing it again, I didn't feel that way, but that's probably because I knew what was coming. Try to go into it knowing as little as possible about it.

George Sluizer's "The Vanishing" is a deeply profound and disturbing film. The plot is simple enough - A man desperately tries to find out what happened to his girlfriend after she went missing during their vacation, to which it is later determined she was kidnapped. What makes this story so disturbing is the unforgiving ending and the fact that it could happen to literally anyone at any time. In this case, at a crowded gas station in the middle of the day. The screenplay and the novel of which it is based off of was written by Tim Krabbé after reading an article in the newspaper about a female tourist who had gone missing. This sort of thing happens all the time in real life and Krabbé made a story that explored the terrifying reality of it. The characters are introduced early on as a madly in love young couple who get along just fine, despite having a fight the night before. There is no reason she would have ran off and ditched him but there is no proof of a kidnapping, so the police will not do anything. For the next three years, Rex (Gene Bervoets) obsessively searches for her the best he can with no luck, until one day he starts receiving letters from the abductor. One interesting thing about this film is how it is structured. We backtrack to the day the kidnapping took place, this time from the abductor's (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) point of view. We see everything that takes place and how it came to be. Donnadieu gives a captivating performance as Raymond, the kidnapper. He is so chilling in the role because of how normal he looks and acts. He is a wealthy family man who blends in with the crowd and whom nobody would suspect could be a bad guy. He tricks unsuspecting ladies into his car where he knocks them out with a chloroform-soaked rag and drives off. He has probably done this many times. In one scene, we see Raymond lay down and put his own self to sleep in the same manner while he holds a stopwatch to see how long the drug-induced sleep lasts. Crazy!The Vanishing is a very thought-provoking film. It explores the concept of fate and altering ones own destiny. The villain performs a heroic act and we begin to understand why he is the way he is. Meanwhile, Rex has a new girlfriend but still obsesses over finding out what happened to Saskia that fateful day. He tells her, "Sometimes I imagine she's alive. She's very happy. Then, I have to make a choice. Either I let her go on living and never know, or I let her die and find out what happened. So, I let her die." This statement sums up the main characters' mindset pretty well. Rex cannot move on and is relentless with his searches, which gets the attention of Raymond, who is "banking on his curiosity", as he proclaims. Their encounter with one another is truly memorable. This is where the story really picks up. Some may see this movie as too slow or boring. The Vanishing is anything but boring. It is a slow burn, but the suspense is what drives the film into something truly worthwhile. The suspense and the way the chemistry is between the two leads is astounding. Despite the dark tone of the film, there are also some funny moments that lighten up the mood.As I mentioned before, the structure of the film is unique, but the story itself drives relentlessly to one destination. It is a psychological thrill ride, but it is the final scene that makes the film such a profoundly disturbing experience. Everything leading up to the end is done in such a brilliant and subtle way that we never see it coming. The ending is depressing but it is what makes the film a classic, in my eyes. I have never been affected by a movie in such a way as this film left me - I even waited a couple days after viewing to write this review and I still feel just as unsettled thinking about it! The Vanishing is quite a fascinating film in almost every way. As you probably know by now, there is not happy ending for everyone, but don't let that discourage you. This is a very fulfilling movie with great performances and it will leave you feeling something, for better or for worse. I would not label it "horror" but it is a horrifying movie. Stanley Kubrick called it the most terrifying film he had ever seen and I can understand why. There are no jump scares, nor is there anything supernatural about it, but it is the continuous suspense and unsettling atmosphere that builds and makes you wonder where it is all going...and then BAM[! It hits and will haunt you for days. If you enjoy riveting filmmaking and suspense, check out The Vanishing. Highly recommended.

*** Spoilers ***Why Rex drank the drugged coffee?Rex must have felt that what happened to Saskia is partially his fault. After all, he left her alone and frightened in the dark tunnel, something for which he regretted when he realized how scared she was. Then he took an oath to not leave her ever again. An oath he couldn't keep even for a day, despite it wasn't really his fault.The point is, in my opinion, Rex was teared apart by guilt for 3 long years because he was feeling somewhat guilty. His remorse was clearly demonstrated by what he said to his new girlfriend Lineke: "If Saskia was alive I would choose you, but if I really have a choice, I would rather go back to that gas station three years ago to be with Saskia (paraphrasing)." Again, he remembers Saskia's dream about how lonely she was while trapped in a golden egg, floating somewhere in the Neverland. Forever, until her egg collides with a second one. Three years later, Rex is still constantly thinking about what happened to Saskia, and the days preceding her disappearance. Now his life is completely ruined – Lineke is about to leave him because everything Rex does, everywhere he goes the ghost of his former girlfriend haunts him; he is also probably deeply in debt and his career (and entire life) put on hold. Rex is already living in hell.Admittedly, his decision to drink the cup of drugged coffee is completely irrational. But then, again Rex's mind has already been broken by the time he and Raymond met. Do you remember how happy he looked with Saskia at the gas station? Probably the only other scene you will see him half smiling is when he discussed funny names with Raymond. Would you do that with the man who kidnapped and probably killed your girlfriend/wife? A sociopath and another person, who is aware of the sociopath's deeds, are bonding over stories told by the former, in fact, reveals how mentally damaged is the latter individual as well.The final push to Rex's illogical step towards his very plausible demise came when he found the coins buried (a great deal of "Golden eggs" symbolism is included in the flick) during the very last moments he and Saskia had together 3 years ago. In the spur of the moment, overwhelmed by the memory, guilt, and, of course, his obsession "To Know," and unable to think rational anymore, he does the unthinkable – he drinks the cup just like a suicide would ingest a poisonous drink. The analogy with a suicidal person is appropriate, I think, because they also do stupid things, which might seem illogical to every other person in the right state of mind. He drank it to drown his sorrows.Lastly, let's go back to the point of Rex feeling remorse about leaving Saskia alone…again, and his oath. Knowing that his fate is most likely sealed (no pun intended) if he proceeds to take the killer's bitter drink, Rex commits something similar to suicide. A part of him feels he deserves what is going to happen to him – the same thing happened to Saskia. But in his mind might seem more like a sacrifice. Rex finally embraces his fate. His desire is "To Know" and to reunite with Saskia somewhere as both being golden eggs, floating together until they collide.

okay maybe I was late to the party on this one, but I think this film is near perfect. In some ways it's feeling dated and the style looks simplistic at times (ie no flashy camera moves) but the shape of the story is fantastic, the camera-work is efficient and atmospheric and we get exactly the right ending....we get the ending that solves the films question. I have not yet seen the American one and don't care to, I can only imagine what they've done to the ending. The thing that's mostly great about this film is that the subjectivity of the story is shared with the antagonist which brilliantly adds to the mystery and depth of our interest in what happened. If you love thrillers please watch this film!