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The Vanishing

1988·Movie
1h 46min·NR

Where to watch

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

The Vanishing fingerprint

High energy, immersive world, emotionally cool.

Energy

Nerve-racking and thrilling

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension9
  • Adrenaline7
  • Scare7

Heart

Profoundly sad and moving

  • Melancholy9
  • Pathos8
  • Catharsis4

Humor

Some dark humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Dark Humor5
  • Cringe Humor2
  • Wit & Wordplay1

World

Mystery, the mind, and crime

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability7

Craft

Standout direction, performances, and storytelling

  • Intrigue10
  • Direction8
  • Acting8

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Editing7
  • Music Composition7

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You need an uplifting moodYou want fast pacing

Find more like it

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

Who Has Seen This Woman?

Rex and Saskia, a young couple in love, are on vacation when they stop at a busy service station. Saskia is abducted in broad daylight and three years pass with no answers or closure surrounding her disappearance. Rex has nearly given up all hope when he suddenly begins receiving letters from her abductor.
Dutch ThrillerMissing PersonPsychological HorrorSlow BurnUnsettling AtmosphereObsessive SearchBleak EndingIntrigue & SuspenseEuropean Cinema

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Vanishing

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Vanishing legally?

You can rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, and Apple TV Store. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is The Vanishing worth watching?

87
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 88/100 (IMDb 7.6 and Rotten Tomatoes 96%). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is The Vanishing rated?

NRDisturbing imagery

It's rated NR in the United States. Content advisories: disturbing imagery.

How long is The Vanishing?

1 h 46 min

The Vanishing runs 1 h 46 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on The Vanishing?

Critics96
Audiences82

Not quite. Critics rate The Vanishing higher (96) than audiences (82). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

What language is The Vanishing in?

DutchEnglishFrench

It was made in Dutch, with some English, French. Produced in Netherlands, France, Germany.

In how many countries can I watch The Vanishing?

21ATBEBRCACHCLCOCYDEESFRGBGGGR+7

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for The Vanishing in 21 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does The Vanishing use?

They Look Just Like Everyone Else!Internal RevealToo Dumb to LiveSerial KillerShown Their WorkScrew DestinyRule of SymbolismDowner EndingFor the EvulzEvil Is PettyReverse WhodunnitBlack Comedyand 21 more

TV Tropes lists 33 storytelling tropes for The Vanishing, including They Look Just Like Everyone Else!, Internal Reveal, Too Dumb to Live.