The Vanishing

The Vanishing (1993) was blasted right out of the gate for simply attempting to replicate the eerie appeal of the original 1988 Dutch version, even though both films were directed by the same man, George Sluizer, who restages the story with a big-name cast, one major new character and a Hollywood ending that had critics crying foul. With a couple of decades of perspective, one can afford to be a bit more unbiased. And the truth is, the American version isn’t just bad by comparison, it’s bad all by itself.

After a lover’s spat, Jeff (Kiefer Sutherland) and Rita (Sandra Bullock) pull in to a busy truck stop to refuel for their road trip. Rita, however, never comes back to the car. Years later, Jeff is still racked with guilt about her disappearance and obsessed with getting closure. His loyalty (and haggard appearance) wins the sympathy of a pretty waitress, Rita (Nancy Travis), who soon becomes his first follow-up relationship.

Meanwhile, the film introduces us to Barney Cousins (Jeff Bridges), a closeted sociopath who abducted Rita as a psychological experiment to test his own capability for evil. We know he did it but, like Jeff, we just don’t know exactly what he did. Attracted by Jeff’s dogged pursuit of the truth, Barney reaches to offer an answer, but only if Jeff agrees to go through the same experience.

The most damaging aspect of the remake is its cast. Not the actors themselves (although Kiefer Sutherland is particularly bland), but their famous faces that constantly distract from the original’s frightening anonymity. This could happen. This does happen. But for some reason that’s just not enough this time around as the film insists on layering additional action scenes to up the ante. The Vanishing doesn’t trust its audience. And so it’s attempt to replace psychological horror with predictable stunts seems all the more jarring.

Bridges performance, especially his meticulous preparations for the abduction itself, is worthy of praise, even though his accent and quirky mannerisms seem oddly related to his extraterrestrial character in Starman. Many critics singled out the addition of Nancy Travis’ character, Rita, as a particularly egregious example of “dumbing down” the original film. But the actress does a fine job with what she has to work with, justifying her spot in the Americanized version with the vengeance of a woman scorned.

It essentially comes to down the ever-ambiguous “tone” and “mood.” The Vanishing quite simply feels manufactured, as if the European model was roughly dismantled and quickly reassembled to make a quick buck off a new audience too illiterate to read subtitles. Oh, and while you’re at it, throw a car chase in there too. Americans love car chases!

Twilight Time’s 3000-copy limited edition Blu-ray is available exclusively at and looks quite wonderful from a technical perspective. It also includes composer Jerry Goldsmith’s score as an isolated music track.