Back To Index The Missing
 Barnes & Noble The movie westerns regeneration continues apace with this Ron Howard-directed opus, a well-acted, suspenseful drama that bears an unmistakable resemblance to John Fords The Searchers. Like Fords film, The Missing is animated by the lengthy, dangerous pursuit of Native Americans who have kidnapped a white girl. And like The Searchers Ethan Edwards (played so unforgettably by John Wayne), the chief pursuer is a taciturn loner with intimate knowledge of his quarry. Hes Tommy Lee Jones, playing a half-wild "squaw man" who long ago deserted his family and slaked his wanderlust by traveling with peripatetic Indians. Now older and somewhat remorseful, he attempts reconciliation with his firstborn daughter (Cate Blanchett), a single mother raising her two girls and eking out a precarious living on the edge of the New Mexico desert. It takes the kidnapping of her eldest daughter to unite the bitter woman with her grizzled father, who offers to trail the abductors. Howards direction is taut; his scenes all have bite, and he maintains a measured pace while slowly building to a crescendo of violence and retribution. A novel touch is the incorporation of Native American mysticism, which is presented as both real and horrifyingly effective. This element brings a bit of the supernatural into The Missing, creating an aura of mystery and uncertainty that may well unnerve attentive viewers. Jones and Blanchett are equally terrific in their portrayals; formidable talents both, each shines in scenes crafted to showcase them individually while working harmoniously in their scenes together. Howard also elicits solid performances from Evan Rachel Wood as the kidnapped daughter and Jenna Boyd as the younger, more resourceful daughter. Aaron Eckhart registers solidly in a sympathetic role as Blanchetts prospective suitor, and Val Kilmer has an eccentric cameo as an ineffectual cavalry officer. Howard borrows not only from The Searchers but from other classic westerns as well, and yet his film doesn’t play like a pastiche of reworked concepts and scenes. It is a cohesive work with a demonstrably individual perspective, and an absorbing contribution to the western’s ongoing renaissance. Ed Hulse Interested in the song lyrics? - Check out themostlyrics.com! Looking For A DVD? - Check out dvd-a-rama.com! |
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