The Missing

Name: The Missing
Genre: Adventure, Thriller, Western
Released: November 19, 2003
Duration: 137 min
Rating: 55
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Evan Rachel Wood, Tommy Lee Jones

2003

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Mixed or average reviews based on 40 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

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6.7

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6.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

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The Missing

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Movie Details & Credits

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: November 19, 2003 | R

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Evan Rachel Wood, Tommy Lee Jones

Summary: This bone-chilling suspense thriller tells the story of Maggie Gilkeson (Blanchett), a young woman raising her two daughters in an isolated and lawless wilderness. When her oldest daughter (Wood) is kidnapped by a psychopathic killer with mystical powers (Schweig), Maggie is forced to re-unite with her long estranged father (Jones) toThis bone-chilling suspense thriller tells the story of Maggie Gilkeson (Blanchett), a young woman raising her two daughters in an isolated and lawless wilderness. When her oldest daughter (Wood) is kidnapped by a psychopathic killer with mystical powers (Schweig), Maggie is forced to re-unite with her long estranged father (Jones) to rescue her. (Sony)… Expand

Director: Ron Howard

Genre(s): Adventure, Thriller, Western

Rating: R

Runtime: 137 min

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Critic Reviews

Kenneth Turan

The combined intensity of these two performances (Jones and Blanchett) obliterates objections and raises the stakes in what might otherwise have been a standard western. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Ron Howard has delivered a movie that’s a big departure from his previous film, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas." We may not remember him for "The Alamo," but we're glad he kept the Stetson. Read full review

Mike Clark

This movie will remind a lot of people of John Ford's masterpiece, "The Searchers," without the rowdy humor and, yes, without the greatness. But it's an admirably solid effort that's as mean as it has to be, which is plenty. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

What's missing in The Missing -- despite throwing in The Everything, from magic trinkets to group hugs -- is soul. Read full review

Jami Bernard

It's a big snooze because we can't take the main characters seriously. Read full review

Roger Ebert

A clunky Western that tries so hard to be Politically Correct that although young women are kidnapped by Indians to be sold into prostitution in Mexico, they are never molested by their captors. Read full review

Peter Travers

Even Cate Blanchett can't save this misbegotten horse opera. Read full review

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User Reviews

KenR

Mar 24, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The Missing is certainly a compelling and at times confronting watch, it's set in the South/West in a time and place where such evil practices took place and does not attempt to ‘romanticise’ it’s realistic characters. Ron Howard’s direction is accomplished, giving us both gruelling and challenging entertainment - filled with exciting authenticity and suspense – unfortunately, being a western, it was difficult to sell to the average movie-going public of its day. The story by Thomas Eidson has a committed authenticity for the pioneering days of the American West and Ken Kaufman’s screenplay adaption keeps it bristling with tough situations and colourful characterisations. One problem could be that somewhere, someone allowed it to go on a bit too long--even though it always remains watchable. There’s a particularly exciting sequence that I can understand could end up being rather difficult for some to accept, this involves an ageing Tommy Lee Jones’s character enduring considerable punishment at the hands of his enemies - then mustering up the energy to confront them with some demanding activities. Failing this, the story has enough elements and twists to intrigue and leave us wondering how the tense situations will play out in the finale. The widescreen cinematography is impressive and there’s a complex James Horner score to add interest. Performances are convincing, with Jones being perfect as the mysterious Indian outsider (or is he??) and for those who understand near-lost languages, there’s authentic Native American dialogue being used to fine effect. It’s quite an epic and more suited to lovers of historical character studies.… Expand

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Scorpion

May 12, 2013

This is a good movie for those people who already went through the separation of the parents, because the characters and the outcome are moved by it, but for others it's just another Western plot to appeal to the side of emocinal they enjoy.

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MauricioR.

Apr 20, 2004

I've seen it in Uruguay, i'm from there and i didn't like it, it was a very boring movie, sorry for TMJ ann Kate, i thought that something in the movie was missing...ZZZZZ.

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DarkJedi

Oct 4, 2012

It is an interesting film. The film is definitely well made. Some of the shots and scenery is very beautiful and the acting is up to par with the rest of the movie. I cannot say that I regretted having watched it. It is however, not really a movie in my taste. It

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darkbloodshed13

Dec 31, 2019

The Missing is a film directed by Ron Howard and is about Magdalena Gilkeson, played by Cate Blanchett, teaming up with her father, Played by Tommy Lee Jones, to go after a group of Indians who abducted Magdalena's daughter, played by Evan Rachel Wood. If I could use one word to describeThe Missing is a film directed by Ron Howard and is about Magdalena Gilkeson, played by Cate Blanchett, teaming up with her father, Played by Tommy Lee Jones, to go after a group of Indians who abducted Magdalena's daughter, played by Evan Rachel Wood. If I could use one word to describe this film it would be dull. That's mainly due to the terrible pacing of the film. There are just to many moments where nothing happens. The story doesn't help either, it's literally a bunch of similar plot points that we have seen in better films with barley anything new added to them. Add to a cast that just feels like they're there to get paid rather to give a good performance and you get a film that feels like a complete waste of time. In conclusion unless you have a real passion for westerns this film is not for you.… Expand

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