The Vanishing is yet another poor remake and even though it was from the same director (may he RIP) as the original, the acting was bad especially from Jeff Bridges who was more oddball than creepy, and a story that doesn’t have the same flow or pacing compared with the 1988 version.
The Vanishing
(1993)
Genre(s): Suspense/Thriller, Drama
Twilight Time | R – 110 min. – $29.95 | October 14, 2014
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: George Sluizer Writer(s): Todd Graff (screenplay) Cast: Jeff Bridges, Kiefer Sutherland, Nancy Travis, Sandra Bullock DISC INFO: Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 5.1), English (DTS-HD MA 2.0) |
THE MOVIE – 2.0/5
The Vanishing, directed by George Sluizer, who helmed the original Dutch version (Spoorloos), is about the mysterious disappearance of a young woman (SANDRA BULLOCK) from an all-too-ordinary roadside service area. Over the next few years, her increasingly desperate boyfriend (KIEFER SUTHERLAND) searches for her obsessively, unaware that her sociopath abductor (JEFF BRIDGES) is watching him—and waiting to make contact.
Quick Hit Review: Having recently watched the Dutch version a couple weeks back, going into this, a film I had seen several years ago, I remember why more often than not, the remake pales in comparison and despite having the original director on board, The Vanishing lacks the suspense, nuanced performances from both male leads, and even to an extent the abducted woman. In this one, while Sandra Bullock, prior to breakout stardom in Speed (released a year later), has a certain charm, she perhaps has a bit too much of the girl-next-door vibe and doesn’t quite convey the vulnerability to Johanna ter Steege in the Dutch version.
Beyond all that, though, it’s just a messy film with poor pacing and a questionable performance from Jeff Bridges who came off campy rather than threatening or disturbing unlike Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu who was utterly creepy. So, do yourself a favor, skip this one and just buy the Dutch version.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 0.5/5
Along with a 6-page essay booklet, the only items included are the Original Theatrical Trailer (2:24; SD) and an Isolated Score Track.
VIDEO – 3.75/5
The Vanishing finds itself on Blu-ray courtesy of Twilight Time presented in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer. While not as appealing as the original’s, released by Criterion, this transfer looks pretty good offering good detail and colors, albeit soft, isn’t bad either. There are some dust marks here and there but for the most part it’s an acceptable transfer.
AUDIO – 4.0/5
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track offers clear dialogue and especially Jerry Goldsmith’s score comes through well enough, though outside of those, it’s a fairly standard sounding lossless track that’s neither amazing or average.
OVERALL – 2.0/5
Overall, The Vanishing is yet another poor remake and even though it was from the same director (may he RIP) as the original, the acting was bad especially from Jeff Bridges who was more oddball than creepy, and a story that doesn’t have the same flow or pacing compared with the 1988 version. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time has good video and audio transfers but falls well short in bonus features.
Published: 10/20/2014