Verschwunden in die Nacht

"Vanished into the Night" promised a gripping mystery thriller but unfortunately delivered a lackluster experience marked by poor writing, a weak plot, and an overall disappointing execution.

From the outset, the film struggles to find its footing. The writing is disjointed, leaving viewers confused rather than intrigued.

The plot, which should be the backbone of any good thriller, is riddled with holes and inconsistencies. Key story elements are either underdeveloped or entirely neglected, making it difficult to stay engaged. The film introduces several subplots but fails to tie them together coherently, leading to a messy and unsatisfying narrative.

The pacing of "Vanished into the Night" is another major flaw. Scenes drag on without purpose, and the buildup to supposed climaxes feels forced and anticlimactic. This lack of tension and suspense is particularly damaging for a genre that relies on keeping the audience on the edge of their seats.

Even the evening setting, which could have been used to create a haunting atmosphere, is squandered. The cinematography is uninspired, with poorly lit scenes that obscure rather than enhance the mood. The night sequences, instead of adding to the suspense, become a frustrating viewing experience due to their lack of clarity.

In terms of performances, the cast does their best with the material they're given, but even talented actors can't save a film with such fundamental flaws. The characters are one-dimensional, making it hard to invest in their fates or care about their journeys.

Overall, "Vanished into the Night" is a missed opportunity. It had the ingredients for a compelling thriller but fell short in almost every aspect. If you're looking for a captivating mystery, you might want to give this one a pass.

And the extremely disappointing and forced end made me regret the lost time. Slow action, weak script, bad cast. I didn't empathize with the characters at all. Who can believe such a story? And what is a story that cannot be believed? Science fiction? But this was supposed to be a thriller, not a science fiction movie. I didn't feel any thrill of any kind. Just boredom. Why have two children in a foreign country, with a foreign man, if you don't want to live in that country? I would have understood if it was one child, but why two?? And what was actually the problem of the wife, because of whom she wanted to leave back to her country? She couldn't stand her husband but she gave him a lot of money as a loan... why? And the questions can go on...

Shot with a Hitchcockian feel, this movie had some really lovely edge of your seat moments, however, it is let down by an anti-climactic ending that doesn't make any sense. It feels like there needs to be more of a build up before it gets to the action. It feels like lazy writing. Without giving too much away, it is worth a watch for the riveting scenes, where the father has to do a drug run. Sadly, after that, the plot falls flat. At the end you are left a little confused, as everything is resolved very quickly and without much logic. The actors do the best with what they are given. I wasn't sorry I watched it, it just could have been so much better.

It delivers just some of thrills, when the lead actor embarks on a dark journey into the criminal underworld to retrieve his missing children. A parent's love is a great engine to get audiences on board with a thriller. There is plenty of thrillers letting the audience follow the story of a parental figure trying to keep their kid safe in a worst-case scenario. This one is not a particularly interesting movie, just still worth watching for fans of this type of light thrillers, it does provide the escapist entertainment it sets out to deliver. Not every movie needs to be a masterpiece that does something brand-new; sometimes, it's good enough to just deliver the goods in a popular gen and it doesn't seem so good acted either.

First the Netflix description (at least in the U. S.) is somewhat misleading. It implies a grieving dad revenge actioner or mystery in the mold of Taken or The Postcard Killings. It isn't, it's more of a slow burn thriller focused on the interpersonal drama of a small cast of characters.

Even once you realize that and temper your expectations, the movie's not particularly interesting. None of the characters is sympathetic enough for you to care what happens to them. Without any character investment there's no real sense of threat or danger.

The big twist doesn't get enough time to breathe. It's introduced, it's perplexing for a moment, and then it's resolved right away. The movie's technically competent and decently performed but it fails to sustain any suspense or tension.