Missing – Fantasia Review (4/5)

MISSING is a new Japanese thriller (org. title Sagasu) that features the hunt for a serial killer and has a lot of twists. An awesome mystery plays out from several angles. We screened it at Fantasia 2022. Read our full Missing movie review here!

MISSING is a Japanese thriller (org. title Sagasu) that reminded me of the amazing South Korean genre films. Probably because this is a Japanese and South-Korean co-production. We watched this as part of our Fantasia 2022 coverage and you should definitely check it out as soon as you get the chance!

The story is all about a serial killer, but there are a lot of twists and turns as we keep getting the story from many different angles. Including that of the serial killer and those trying to catch the serial killer. Its runtime of just around two hours is perfectly utilized.

Continue reading our Missing movie review below.

Perfect for fans of South Korean movies

Missing is a movie that features the hunt for a serial killer and has many twists. That’s the most simple and spoiler-free way of describing this Japanese movie. Well, that and to say that it feels a lot like a South Korean genre film.

In fact, any fans of South Korean thrillers should definitely check out this film as soon as possible. The twists and turns and amazing character-driven plot have all the elements I could dream of.

In fact, even the final scene which plays out over a ping pong table is simply perfect.

A serial killer mystery

Along with the character-driven plot, Missing also tells the story from several angles. Or rather, we get various narrators who tell the story from their perspectives.

Now, don’t worry, this doesn’t mean we’ll be seeing the same scenes over and over again. It only means we’ll be seeing the same things play out, but since the characters (that are also narrators) cross paths, we see bits of the same moments. Just from different angles.

It’s an awesome way of giving perspective. A way of saying: “You know that thing you believe to be a fact?! Well, see how it could also be viewed!”. And Missing never teases or lies to pull off this method of storytelling. Instead, it shows the audience that there is more to any story than what one person can possibly tell you.

Do not miss out on Missing when it comes out!

Shinzo Katayama is the director of Missing (org. title Sagasu) and while I am not familiar with this director, I am very familiar with productions, he has worked on in the past. You see, Shinzo Katayama is a noted former assistant-director to Bong Joon-ho. Including on the brilliant movie MOTHER which we highly recommend,

This fact alone makes so much sense when you watch this movie. Clearly, he has learned a lot from working with the South Korean filmmaker. Especially when it comes to keeping you guessing and surprising in the most intelligent and elegant ways.

Missing will be out in the US via Dark Star Pictures and you will want to seek it out. Trust me! Whether you’re a fan of serial killer stories or just awesome character-driven thrillers, this is a movie for you. I am so happy we caught this at Fantasia 2022.

MISSING will premiere at Fantasia 2022 but it’ll be out in US theaters on November 4, On Demand on November 18, and on Blu-ray on December 6, 2022.

Details

Director: Shinzo Katayama
Writers: Kazuhisa Kotera, Ro Takada 
Cast: Jirô Satô, Aoi Itô, Hiroya Shimizu