The Disappeared

Saw this film last night at the ICA and then afterwards there was a Q&A session which included Tom and Johnny Kevorkian and Neil Murphy who both co-wrote and co-produced the film. The film was excellent. Very atmospheric and probably more frightening because it is set in such a mundane setting. Not Gothic horror but backyard horror - but horror nonetheless. The acting was superb by the young cast leads, Harry Treadaway and Tom Felton. The cinematography used a colour palate that reflected the dreary humdrum life that was obviously the norm for the characters. The editing could have been tightened up a little but overall the pace was well set. The music was perfectly written to reflect everything you saw on screen without being dominant or leading where the screen images didn't follow.

A truly frightening experience but one I can well recommend.

I have NO bloody idea why this film is rated so damn low. I felt that the psychological elements were excellent and the story very well executed.

The interactions with his brother are quite moving and the acting is very good all around. The story is well paced building to a powerful ending, which could very well catch you by surprise. Another reviewer here mentioned that this film was derivative. I didn't see that at all; I thought the story was well conceived and capably directed. I don't normally go for films that are strongly centered on personal Drama, but this one was quite engaging, drawing you along as it gradually reveals what is truly happening.

I really cannot see how it possibly could have been done any better...

After suffering a mental breakdown following the disappearance of his younger brother, Matt is released from the hospital and tries to get back to a sense of normalcy. However, his father blames him and Matt's own guilt continues to haunt him. Before long, visions of his brother begin to plague him as well. Is it just Matt having another breakdown, or is his brother really appearing to him?

This interesting British horror works as a sort of old school mystery by way of ghost story. The overall feel of the film is very ominous from the start. Matt, previously a happy teen, is now alienated and deeply troubled. He meets a girl who lives next door, herself a rather distant sort. Some of the ghostly encounters with the brother are typical. Other bits, like a scene with a psychic, are eerie and add to the intrigue of the picture. One major aspect of the story is easily telegraphed. Another, not so much. The climactic scenes are strong, the ending suitably somber. While the film falls back on certain clichés at times, it's still an effective slice of ghostly horror that packs a nice bit of emotional resonance.

Well acted, nicely shot, and with a solid score, this is a decent feature. It's only real flaws are an extremely derivative, and occasionally confused, plot; and some slightly clumsy dialogue at times.

It looks good, without being spectacular, which entirely suits its council estate setting. Combined with excellent performances from the leads, it could almost work as a pure kitchen sink drama. Despite not being given much to say, Harry Treadaway and Greg Wise are a convincingly troubled father and son. The support is also broadly good; Tom Felton is particularly notable.

The troubles come with the exasperatingly unoriginal plot - it borrows and from a whole selection of similar films. The good news is that it does choose some of the best to steal from; the trouble that it isn't good enough to stand up to these classics. However, it holds together well, at least until the latter stages, when a few too many extraneous ingredients are thrown into the pot.

Broadly, a decent effort if not outstanding. Given the mechanics, I would be interested to see future work from the team behind it - they just need some more original ideas to start with.

I liked this film. It starts out a bit slow, almost like a dysfunctional family piece, but it quickly picks up speed after that. It has some very creepy moments but it is the overall atmosphere of the film that makes it so good. There are no huge special effects or anything, but you can see that the producers and director of this film have been really good at stretching their budget and making the most out of the little money they had. For instance all the music throughout the film is made by a real orchestra and not just a guy with a synth. It makes the film sound bigger.

It's a good buy if you want a low-key, but quality chiller!