Netflix is an expert at unearthing hidden gems that become box office hits. This is the case for dozens of series and movies that, despite going unnoticed at first, quickly manage to stand out in the catalog and become unexpected successes. It even happened with “Money Heist”, which went from being just another series to achieving international success, so it’s a common practice on the platform.
The latest film to experience this is “Missing,” a thriller that was released in theaters in January and, despite receiving good reviews, was largely underestimated and didn’t attract a large audience. However, the movie was re-released on May 20th through Netflix, and word-of-mouth from viewers has been so strong that it has gained significant attention in the catalog, positioning itself as one of the most-watched productions in several countries.
According to data from FlixPatrol, on May 23rd, “Missing” became the most-watched film in Netflix’s top 10, and it held that position until the 29th, marking a full week. But why is this movie achieving such success?
An invisible film full of tension
Missing is actually the standalone sequel to “Searching,” a film by Will Merrick and Nick Johnson that starred Storm Reid as a daughter determined to find her missing mother in 2018. This time, the movie takes some elements from the first film but tells a different story. The synopsis is as follows:
When her mother goes missing while on vacation in Colombia with her new boyfriend, June’s search for answers is hindered by international bureaucracy. Stuck in Los Angeles, thousands of miles away, June uses all the technology at her disposal to try to find her mother before it’s too late. But the deeper she delves into her search, her digital investigation raises more questions than answers… and as June uncovers secrets about her mother, she realizes she never truly knew her.
After its release on Netflix, Missing was praised for its good pacing, believable situations, and perfectly implemented twists in the plot. It never feels like one of those senseless rushed thrillers, but rather everything seems to be part of a puzzle that is slowly being solved.
The film, with a runtime of 111 minutes, faced a release almost at the same time as “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which dominated the box office for months. However, it has now found a new life on the platform.
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