The Missing – one from my own collection
Made in 2003, and not to be confused with the TV series, The Missing is set in New Mexico 1885. Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Kate Blanchett, and Val Kilmer. Kate plays Maggie, a frontier medicine woman, and Tommy plays her estranged father. They have to find a way to work together when Maggie’s daughter is kidnapped by a dark hooded phantom with mystical powers.
Love that it starts with something we’re all familiar with (or at least those of us with kids – some things never change). But it doesn’t stay normal for long and there isn’t much waiting for the action to start, although it is slow building.
And the acting was really well done, the emotion shows on all the faces, much less reliance on the scene and props to show what’s going on.
Its not a blood and gore movie although it has it’s fair share. More of a magic and mayhem kinda deal. And not the pretty kind of magic with sparkles and wands – the kind with rattle snakes and hearts. It’s in the genre of Thriller, and Western on IMDb where other places include it in the Western Horror genre. I think it’s easier sometimes to categorize as Thriller to increase the number of people who will go see it. It definitely fits into the weird west catagory though.
The Missing Review Conclusion
I’d watch it again, and again – and I already have watched it again and again. The Missing is one of my favorite modern westerns. It’s bleak, it’s gritty, and it doesn’t give up on it’s Western feel for the sake of adding the horror. I love watching this on cold winters nights for some reason.
4 stars
Your Suggestions Wanted: If you have a Weird West or Western Horror you think I’d enjoy let me know in the comments or Tweet it at me. I’ll give you a shout out if I review it 🙂 You can find me on Twitter @KateTrinity or @AuthorKTMcQueen
Horror and Fantasy Author – Also writing as K.T. McQueen. Love Western Horror, cowboy boots, my cactus Collin, & my Demon Cat.
Moths – I hate moths, the way they flutter at your face!
