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Special Features
- Includes widescreen anamorphic and full-screen versions
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It's not unusual for Hollywood to remake European hits. What is unusual is the director of the original getting the chance to helm the new version with an American cast, which is what happened with this film based on an intensely creepy Dutch film of the same name (both directed by George Sluizer). Kiefer Sutherland and Sandra Bullock are on vacation when, while stopped at a crowded rest area, she disappears. He devotes the next several years to discovering what happened to her, ruining his life in the process. When he does get a clue, it leads him to Jeff Bridges, who plays a bizarre and highly organized individual whose motives are almost as strange as he is. Bridges is spooky, but Sluizer ultimately is undone by Hollywood's demand for a happy ending, which makes this film affecting but far less unsettling than the original. --Marshall Fine
Product Description
In this riveting, tension-filled psychological thriller, a young woman (Sandra Bullock) mysteriously disappears, sending her boyfriend Jeff (Kiefer Sutherland) on a years-long quest to find her. Not even a new love (Nancy Travis) can keep him from his obsessive search. All the while, the calculating psychopath (Jeff Bridges) who kidnapped his girlfriend stalks Jeff, ultimately taking him through the exact same steps that led to the crime. In order to find out what happened, Jeff must put his own life in the hands of this devious stranger.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'll start out by saying I have neither seen the Dutch film of which this is a remake or read the novel THE GOLDEN EGG that was the source material for both movies. From reading a little bit about the acclaimed Dutch film it sounds like the first half of the Hollywood version of THE VANISHING follows the original movie very closely but then the second half becomes more of a "by the numbers" Hollywood thriller with some action sequences and the requisite happy ending for the survivors.
I'm not giving any spoilers aways by saying Jeff Bridges plays the kidnapper, Barney, as we see him practicing how to snatch a woman in the opening scenes. Bridges looks the part of a Barney who on the surface is a likable if somewhat eccentric chemistry professor. For some reason the American Bridges plays the part with some type of European (I think) accent which is quite jarring when the script states Barney was born and raised in Seattle and at one point even shows his birth certificate. Kiefer Sutherland is quite good as Jeff whose life becomes an obsession filled mess after the disappearance of his girlfriend more because of a burning desire to find out what happened to her then pure devastation at her loss. Nancy Travis plays Rita, Jeff's new girlfriend, whom he meets "cute" by coming in exhausted from his search for the missing Diane to the all night diner where she works. Rita later displays amazing talents as a detective and strategist so apparently was way underemployed in her waitress gig. Sandra Bullock as the very pretty and sympathetic missing Diane is very adequate but does not have a lot of screen time.
The first half of the film creates Diane and Jeff as believable characters caught in a nightmare. The second half relies too much on coincidences to move the plot ahead and pop psychology as motives for the characters' actions. If you like thrillers this is an OK way to spend a couple of hours but it seems the potential promised at the film's beginning is not even close to being realize by the end.
I'm not giving any spoilers aways by saying Jeff Bridges plays the kidnapper, Barney, as we see him practicing how to snatch a woman in the opening scenes. Bridges looks the part of a Barney who on the surface is a likable if somewhat eccentric chemistry professor. For some reason the American Bridges plays the part with some type of European (I think) accent which is quite jarring when the script states Barney was born and raised in Seattle and at one point even shows his birth certificate. Kiefer Sutherland is quite good as Jeff whose life becomes an obsession filled mess after the disappearance of his girlfriend more because of a burning desire to find out what happened to her then pure devastation at her loss. Nancy Travis plays Rita, Jeff's new girlfriend, whom he meets "cute" by coming in exhausted from his search for the missing Diane to the all night diner where she works. Rita later displays amazing talents as a detective and strategist so apparently was way underemployed in her waitress gig. Sandra Bullock as the very pretty and sympathetic missing Diane is very adequate but does not have a lot of screen time.
The first half of the film creates Diane and Jeff as believable characters caught in a nightmare. The second half relies too much on coincidences to move the plot ahead and pop psychology as motives for the characters' actions. If you like thrillers this is an OK way to spend a couple of hours but it seems the potential promised at the film's beginning is not even close to being realize by the end.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By J.C.
Format:DVD
I'll make this short and sweet. If you enjoyed "The Big Lebowski" and want to see a different but equally potent side of Jeff Bridges' acting, buy this movie. It is very suspenseful the first time around, and it is great to watch this movie over again for the comedic elements. The only shortcoming in my opinion is that the ending is too abrupt.
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
I had seen the original before the release of this film. I think it would make an excellent case study on just how badly Hollywood can mangle real cinema. Plot is almost exactly like original except that it has a ridiculous, hoaky, happy ending that was added to the end. The other annoying change is that the eerily 'normal' family-man psycho has been substituted with an obvious greasey slime-ball 'bad guy.' If you can stand subtitles, get the original, because this is drivel in comparison.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
What a poopfest!
This movie was beyond terrible. It's so bad I can hardly believe it. though Sutherland's acting is really very good, Bridges is so wooden it's totally rediculous, and nearly... Read more
Published 19 days ago by Natja Kristy
1.0 out of 5 stars
Jeff Bridges = Tommy Wiseau
Last night my girlfriend and I watched both the original Dutch as well as the American remake of "THE VANISHING". Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jinx McElroy
1.0 out of 5 stars
Pirate copy
Disk was in a an obviously cheap plastic case with a photo copied cover sheet.
Package was shink wrapped and we didn't open it as contents rattled as if disk inside was... Read more
Package was shink wrapped and we didn't open it as contents rattled as if disk inside was... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Wayne Gorsuch
5.0 out of 5 stars
American Thriller
This is a very messed up story about a husband who loses his wife at a rest stop! The story unfolds of a father who saves one of his children who calls him a hero. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Anthony K.
3.0 out of 5 stars
no comparison
The original European version is better.It is more mysterious realistic and sinister The abducted woman in it is a real honey too. Read more
Published 7 months ago by .fgd
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Devil Is In The Details.
I have never seen the original but this one is great! I have seen it maybe 50 or 60 times. Had it on vhs and then just got it on dvd. Great acting, great story. Read more
Published 9 months ago by D E S T R O Y E R 2037
5.0 out of 5 stars
As good as the original
Not quite as creepy as the original foreign film but will still leave the hair standing on your arm. The ending is probably easier to watch than the original. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Michael L. Sweet
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Historical Movie
A spell binding mystery where Jeff Bridges has the opportunity to play a calculating, geeky, stumble-bum villain who is quite clever at murder.
Published 20 months ago by C. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 stars*
This was the first time I had ordered a movie from this user. The movie arrived very quickly, it was brand new in the package, and there wasn't any damage to it at all! Read more
Published 23 months ago by Spoiled7
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent suspense drama
A queer looking, obviously eccentric scientist, with strange movements and mannerisms (Jeff Bridges) chloroforms and kidnaps a young woman while her boy friend (Kiefer Southerland)... Read more
Published on February 10, 2011 by Israel Drazin
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