Movies where someone goes missing: top thrillers and mysteries

The Snowman, directed by Tomas Alfredson (known for the excellent Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), is a crime thriller based on the popular novel by Jo Nesbø. Michael Fassbender stars as detective Harry Hole, who investigates the disappearance of a woman whose scarf is found wrapped around a snowman.

This leads him to suspect a serial killer is at work, targeting mothers and leaving a snowman at their crime scenes. Despite the source material and talented cast (including Rebecca Ferguson and Charlotte Gainsbourg), the film unfortunately received a largely negative reception.

It attempts to capture the dark, atmospheric tone of Nordic noir but suffers from a convoluted plot and choppy editing. While Fassbender gives his best effort, the film struggles to build compelling suspense or coherence, making it a disappointing entry in the genre.

The Bone Collector is a late 90s crime thriller starring Denzel Washington as Lincoln Rhyme, a brilliant forensic criminologist who is left quadriplegic after an accident. He is called upon to help the police track a serial killer who is abducting and murdering victims, leaving cryptic clues based on historical New York crimes.

He forms an unlikely partnership with a young, intuitive patrol officer, Amelia Donaghy (Angelina Jolie), who becomes his eyes and ears on the ground. The film is based on the first novel in the popular book series by Jeffery Deaver.

The film features solid lead performances and utilizes the premise of Rhyme directing the investigation from his bed effectively, though it leans into conventional thriller tropes. It's a decent popcorn thriller with a focus on forensic detail and the race against time to find the killer before more victims disappear.

David Fincher's Zodiac is a meticulous and absorbing procedural thriller based on the true story of the hunt for the infamous Zodiac Killer in the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and 1970s. While not strictly about a 'missing person' in the traditional sense, it's about the desperate search for an elusive figure and the impact it has on the lives of the investigators and journalists obsessed with finding him.

Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. are excellent as the cartoonist, detective, and reporter who become consumed by the case. Fincher foregoes sensationalism for painstaking detail, recreating the era and the frustrating, often fruitless, nature of the investigation.

It's a long film, but its commitment to realism and atmosphere makes it incredibly compelling. It captures the paranoia of the time and the human cost of obsession, leaving you with a sense of the unresolved nature of the real-life mystery.

The Pledge, directed by Sean Penn, is a somber and atmospheric mystery starring Jack Nicholson as Jerry Black, a retiring police detective in Nevada. On his last day, he responds to the discovery of a murdered young girl and makes a solemn pledge to the victim's mother that he will find the killer.

Despite the case being officially closed with a suspect in custody, Jerry can't let it go and continues his investigation into other similar, unsolved child murders in the area. Nicholson gives a restrained, compelling performance as a man consumed by his promise.

The film is less about solving the crime in a conventional sense and more about the psychological toll of obsession and the elusive nature of justice. It's a deliberately paced, character-focused film with a hauntingly bleak tone and a powerful, ambiguous ending.

The Girl on the Train is a psychological thriller based on the bestselling novel by Paula Hawkins. Emily Blunt stars as Rachel Watson, an alcoholic woman who is devastated by her divorce and finds solace in watching a seemingly perfect couple from her daily commuter train.

One day, she sees something shocking and becomes entangled in the investigation when the woman she was watching suddenly disappears. The film follows Rachel's unreliable perspective as she tries to piece together what happened, battling her own memory issues and the skepticism of the police.

Emily Blunt delivers a committed performance as the troubled protagonist. The film plays with themes of voyeurism, memory, and suburban secrets, keeping you guessing about the truth behind the disappearance. It's a twisty mystery centered around a woman whose own life is falling apart as she tries to uncover the truth about someone else's.

Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's novel, The Lovely Bones, offers a unique and ethereal perspective on the aftermath of a disappearance and murder. The story is told from the point of view of Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan), a 14-year-old girl who is murdered and watches from her personal heaven as her family grapples with her loss and tries to find her killer.

Saoirse Ronan gives a poignant performance, navigating the tricky balance of her character's otherworldly state and her earthly attachments. The film's visual style is distinctive, depicting Susie's vibrant, imaginative afterlife contrasting with the grim reality her family faces.

It's a film about grief, hope, and the lingering connections between the living and the dead. While visually striking, it's also an emotionally challenging film that explores a dark subject with a blend of fantasy and stark reality.

Clint Eastwood's Mystic River is a heavy, character-driven drama that begins with a devastating event: the disappearance and murder of a young woman. The film focuses on three childhood friends (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, and Kevin Bacon) whose lives are irrevocably linked by a past trauma and are now brought back together by this new tragedy.

Sean Penn won an Oscar for his raw, grief-stricken performance as the victim's father, and Tim Robbins also won for his portrayal of a friend haunted by his own history. It's a powerful exploration of guilt, vengeance, and how past events shape future lives.

The film is less of a straightforward mystery and more of a deep dive into the psychological toll of violence and suspicion on a working-class community in Boston. It's a somber, expertly acted film that deals with difficult themes.

The Chaser is a relentless and pulse-pounding South Korean thriller from director Na Hong-jin (who also made The Wailing). Inspired by a true story, it follows a disgraced former detective turned pimp, Joong-ho, whose girls begin disappearing.

Realizing they might be linked to a client, he frantically races against time and the incompetence of the police force to find them before it's too late. Ha Jung-woo is superb as the desperate, morally ambiguous anti-hero, and Kim Yoon-seok is terrifying as the calm, chilling suspect.

The film is incredibly tense, brutal, and doesn't let up for a second. It's a masterclass in pacing and suspense, showcasing the strength of Korean thrillers in delivering high-stakes drama with complex characters. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but incredibly effective.

The Secret in Their Eyes is a masterful Argentinian film that won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and for good reason. Directed by Juan José Campanella, it blends elements of crime thriller, romance, and historical drama.

The story centers on a retired judicial employee (Ricardo Darín) who decides to write a novel about a brutal, unsolved rape and murder case from 30 years prior that still haunts him. This investigation into the past unearths old secrets, rekindles lost loves, and confronts the lingering trauma of Argentina's political history.

The film features incredibly strong performances, a compelling non-linear narrative, and a jaw-dropping, technically brilliant single-take sequence in a packed football stadium. It's a powerful, sophisticated film about justice, memory, and the weight of the past.

David Fincher's take on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a stylish, icy adaptation of Stieg Larsson's phenomenon. It follows Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a disgraced journalist hired to investigate the disappearance of a young woman from a wealthy family forty years prior.

He enlists the help of Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a brilliant but troubled hacker with a photographic memory. Rooney Mara received an Oscar nomination for her raw, compelling portrayal of Lisbeth, making the character truly her own. Fincher brings his signature dark aesthetic and meticulous attention to detail to the frozen Swedish landscape.

The film is a complex web of family secrets, corporate corruption, and brutal violence. While it's a difficult watch at times, it's a masterfully crafted procedural that delves deep into its characters and the darkness surrounding them. The opening credits sequence alone is a work of art.

The original Dutch film The Vanishing (Spoorloos) is a chilling and deeply unsettling psychological thriller that is often cited as one of the best of the genre. Directed by George Sluizer, it tells the story of Rex, a man desperately searching for his girlfriend Saskia after she mysteriously disappears at a rest stop during their vacation.

Unlike many thrillers, the film reveals the identity of the abductor relatively early on, shifting the focus from 'who did it' to 'what happened' and the psychological cat-and-mouse game between Rex and the calculating perpetrator. The film's power lies in its slow-burn tension and its utterly brave, unforgettable ending.

It's a stark, minimalist, and genuinely disturbing film that foregoes jump scares for creeping dread and existential horror. Avoid the American remake – this is the version you need to see.

Denis Villeneuve's Prisoners is an absolutely riveting and emotionally devastating thriller about the disappearance of two young girls in a small town. Hugh Jackman delivers a powerhouse performance as the father of one of the missing children, driven to extreme measures when the police investigation stalls. Jake Gyllenhaal is equally brilliant as the lead detective, a man haunted by his own past and meticulously working the case.

This film plunges into the darkest corners of grief, desperation, and morality. It's not just a mystery; it's a profound exploration of how far people will go for those they love. The cinematography by Roger Deakins is stunningly bleak, perfectly reflecting the film's heavy mood.

Prepare for a tense, complex narrative that raises difficult questions and refuses easy answers. It's a truly gripping experience that stays with you long after the credits roll.

Gone Girl is David Fincher at his absolute finest, a masterclass in psychological suspense that keeps you guessing until the very last frame. Based on the bestselling novel by Gillian Flynn (who also wrote the screenplay), it tells the story of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), whose wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) disappears on their fifth wedding anniversary.

What starts as a frantic search quickly spirals into a media frenzy, with Nick becoming the prime suspect. Rosamund Pike delivers a truly mesmerizing, Oscar-nominated performance as Amy, a character who has become iconic in modern thriller cinema. Fincher's signature cold, precise direction and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's unsettling score create an atmosphere of pervasive dread and suspicion.

This film is a sharp, cynical look at marriage, media, and manipulation, packed with twists and turns that will leave you reeling. It's a definitive entry in the

The Missing is a gritty, intense Western thriller directed by the legendary Ron Howard, taking a stark turn from his usual fare.

Set in 1885 New Mexico, it follows a estranged father (Tommy Lee Jones) who must help his daughter (Cate Blanchett) track down her kidnapped child from a ruthless Apache witch doctor. What makes this film stand out is its unflinching portrayal of the harsh realities of the time and the desperate lengths parents will go to.

Cate Blanchett gives a fiercely compelling performance as a mother driven by sheer will, and Tommy Lee Jones brings his signature gravitas. The film is beautifully shot, capturing the brutal beauty of the landscape, which acts almost as another character in the story. It's a tense, emotionally charged journey into the dark heart of the American West.