I must say that this movie was very peculiar. Yes, Harry Hamlin is a handsome guy and the previews for the movie seemed decent but I warn you to sit down and watch this television movie with a friend or family member. The supernatural plays an important role in this movie. Harry Hamlin and his family are trapped in a ghost mining town called Weaver. What is eerie, is the fact that nobody claims to know anything about it. It's suspenseful the entire way through and the ending is a bit disappointing. But it's a good movie to give you a scary "boo." Don't expect too much....Have fun
103 Reviews
Duped! You will invest a lot of brainpower only to have the movie end with a huge cliffhanger
SkreenMemReez14 August 2005
Disappearance is about a couple who take their family on vacation in New Mexico and find themselves in deep trouble after taking a detour off the main highway to visit a town that was seemingly abandoned in 1948 for unknown reasons. The town of Weaver seems harmless at first and has tourist appeal until the family is stranded there overnight and they begin to have good reason to suspect that others have experienced their same predicament with fatal outcomes. The Henleys watch a Blair-Witch-Project-esquire video diary left by the town's last victim, which ironically demonstrates the best performance of anyone in this movie. Although Hamlin and Dey's performances are much better than the supporting casts', their emotional affect seems "flat" to me throughout the movie.
Disappearance has appeal for most of the movie as there is much suspense and good direction. However, the plot takes unexpected and implausible turns that seemingly make no sense. Worse yet it that there really is no understanding of what exactly is going on in the movie, which makes the bizarre ending less tolerable. It appeared to me that the movie makers were so focused on making a stream of suspenseful scenes, that they threw away all the elements of good story making: plot development, gradual explanation of themes and symbols that lead to a cohesive solution/outcome.
The most difficult aspect of the movie for me was that the first three-quarter of it was spent building up tension and curiosity about certain aspects of the plot that were then suddenly disposed of as if we didn't deserve an explanation:
What was the significance of the Indian symbols on the walls? What happened to the original people of Weaver? What was the connection with the people at the dinner? What did the Sheriff know? What did the missing boy discover if anything?
This was, I believe, a bad move, since it engendered some resentment. I had invested quite a bit of brainpower into hypothesizing some plausible explanations for some of these plot turns and strange events, only to have the movie makers simply end it without giving an answer to any of these things. These are some nice cliffhangers for the ending of a miniseries that is about to pickup again next week, but a totally frustrating and inappropriate ending for a stand-alone movie.
Disappearance has appeal for most of the movie as there is much suspense and good direction. However, the plot takes unexpected and implausible turns that seemingly make no sense. Worse yet it that there really is no understanding of what exactly is going on in the movie, which makes the bizarre ending less tolerable. It appeared to me that the movie makers were so focused on making a stream of suspenseful scenes, that they threw away all the elements of good story making: plot development, gradual explanation of themes and symbols that lead to a cohesive solution/outcome.
The most difficult aspect of the movie for me was that the first three-quarter of it was spent building up tension and curiosity about certain aspects of the plot that were then suddenly disposed of as if we didn't deserve an explanation:
What was the significance of the Indian symbols on the walls? What happened to the original people of Weaver? What was the connection with the people at the dinner? What did the Sheriff know? What did the missing boy discover if anything?
This was, I believe, a bad move, since it engendered some resentment. I had invested quite a bit of brainpower into hypothesizing some plausible explanations for some of these plot turns and strange events, only to have the movie makers simply end it without giving an answer to any of these things. These are some nice cliffhangers for the ending of a miniseries that is about to pickup again next week, but a totally frustrating and inappropriate ending for a stand-alone movie.
Excellent, until the last 2 minutes
leemo7221 April 2002
This movie kept me on the edge of my seat until the final few minutes of it. The conclusion left many unanswered questions. With a different ending it would be 5 stars. I would give it 4. The characters are believable and the kids' weren't annoying. I would compare it to a 2 hour Twilight Zone episode.
A mysterious thriller with no answers
scoobyg6921 April 2002
OK, I saw the previews, and immediatly said to myself, there's some possibilities with that one. I watched it, and I must admit, I was held captive for the two hours. I mean, I didn't want to turn it off, or go channel surfing. It was entertainning, and suspenceful. Now, I MUST admit, it had an ALFUL lot of tv horror movie CLICHES. The very first scene was a bit over done and almost turned me off. There was NOTHING original about it, I had that feeling of seen it, been there, done this before. But yet, it still was kinda fun to do it again.
It didn't really drag anywhere, the pace was decent, but the ending left me a bit confussed. I don't know if it just was a total let-down and cop-out, or a stroke of genius on the story-line. Actually, it had that Jeepers Creepers ending feeling, kinda like the evil won nad the good was over-come. All the question were left UN-ANSWERED, and left you with an unsolved mystery.
Is it demonic? Is it aliens? What is it? What is happening? Were those the REAl people at the end? Does everyone die and get "replaced" with mindless drones?
I wonder if they are planning a sequel to this, because it felt like part one to a mini-series, and I'm still waiting for part two.
It didn't really drag anywhere, the pace was decent, but the ending left me a bit confussed. I don't know if it just was a total let-down and cop-out, or a stroke of genius on the story-line. Actually, it had that Jeepers Creepers ending feeling, kinda like the evil won nad the good was over-come. All the question were left UN-ANSWERED, and left you with an unsolved mystery.
Is it demonic? Is it aliens? What is it? What is happening? Were those the REAl people at the end? Does everyone die and get "replaced" with mindless drones?
I wonder if they are planning a sequel to this, because it felt like part one to a mini-series, and I'm still waiting for part two.
Surprisingly good, then surprisingly bad
media-1389 November 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Sadly, I have to give this movie a THUMBS DOWN. I don't recommend you watch it.
This movie has many good aspects. There are noteworthy things in the writing, acting, and directing. It is surprisingly good for a TV movie. (I saw it on the Lifetime Network in Nov-2008.) Some of the comments on IMDb accuse the movie of being cliché. I don't think that's fair. It certainly echoes and builds upon other horror movies. I thought it had a great deal in common with The Hills Have Eyes. There is an Invasion of the Body Snatchers aspect, and maybe a slight Poltergeist aspect. But it wasn't cliché.
Actually, I think this movie is superior to The Hills Have Eyes. It manages to build a greater level of suspense, and it does so with virtually zero gore. That is a notable achievement. You can let older children watch this movie without worrying about scarring them psychologically, but mature fans of horror will still be on the edge of their seats the whole time.
Another great thing about this movie is that, whereas in most horror movies the characters always make the WRONG choices (which is frustrating to the audience), in this movie the characters contemplate the wrong choices but then end up making the RIGHT choices. This adds to the suspense, and makes it all the more surprising when those choices go wrong. I found that refreshing. (An example: neat the end of the movie, the father decides to drive to a neighboring town instead of staying in the possessed town. From the audience's point of view, the father makes the right choice, but then everything goes wrong anyways.)
HOWEVER... although there are good things in this movie, the ending sucks. It sucks just as badly as all the comments on IMDb say it does.
The ending sucks because a) there are too many unanswered questions, and b) there is not a sufficient explanation for who the villain was, and what the actual fate of the family was.
As for the unanswered questions... we never knew how the boy disappeared in the desert, or what happened to him while he was gone. We never found out who was stealing belongings and sorting them into piles in the mine shaft, or why. We never found out if there was a supernatural aspect to the sand storms. We never found out exactly what happened in the ghost town. We never found out how the father walked in a straight line but still ended up back at the ghost town.
The movie suggests three possible explanations for the mysterious antagonist:
1- Descendants of neutron bomb victims who refused to evacuate.
2- Angry Native American spirits -- the ghost town having been built on a grave.
3- Aliens.
These are the three theories that the guy in the jail cell tells the father.
But the movie gives clues that are at odds with each other.
=> The glass bomb site and the snorting creature in the mine shaft suggest MUTANTS.
=> The symbolic layout of the abandoned cars and the raven suggest Indian SPIRITS.
=> The Stepford town, the woman from the video working at the fast food place, and the ultimate possession of the family suggest ALIENS.
This is confusing and frustrating for the audience.
The movie is good enough that it makes you really want a resolution. But the answers cannot be found within the movie itself, nor can you extrapolate the answers from the given clues. Therefore, despite the good aspects of the script, the direction, and the acting, the experience of watching this movie is ultimately highly dissatisfying.
This movie has many good aspects. There are noteworthy things in the writing, acting, and directing. It is surprisingly good for a TV movie. (I saw it on the Lifetime Network in Nov-2008.) Some of the comments on IMDb accuse the movie of being cliché. I don't think that's fair. It certainly echoes and builds upon other horror movies. I thought it had a great deal in common with The Hills Have Eyes. There is an Invasion of the Body Snatchers aspect, and maybe a slight Poltergeist aspect. But it wasn't cliché.
Actually, I think this movie is superior to The Hills Have Eyes. It manages to build a greater level of suspense, and it does so with virtually zero gore. That is a notable achievement. You can let older children watch this movie without worrying about scarring them psychologically, but mature fans of horror will still be on the edge of their seats the whole time.
Another great thing about this movie is that, whereas in most horror movies the characters always make the WRONG choices (which is frustrating to the audience), in this movie the characters contemplate the wrong choices but then end up making the RIGHT choices. This adds to the suspense, and makes it all the more surprising when those choices go wrong. I found that refreshing. (An example: neat the end of the movie, the father decides to drive to a neighboring town instead of staying in the possessed town. From the audience's point of view, the father makes the right choice, but then everything goes wrong anyways.)
HOWEVER... although there are good things in this movie, the ending sucks. It sucks just as badly as all the comments on IMDb say it does.
The ending sucks because a) there are too many unanswered questions, and b) there is not a sufficient explanation for who the villain was, and what the actual fate of the family was.
As for the unanswered questions... we never knew how the boy disappeared in the desert, or what happened to him while he was gone. We never found out who was stealing belongings and sorting them into piles in the mine shaft, or why. We never found out if there was a supernatural aspect to the sand storms. We never found out exactly what happened in the ghost town. We never found out how the father walked in a straight line but still ended up back at the ghost town.
The movie suggests three possible explanations for the mysterious antagonist:
1- Descendants of neutron bomb victims who refused to evacuate.
2- Angry Native American spirits -- the ghost town having been built on a grave.
3- Aliens.
These are the three theories that the guy in the jail cell tells the father.
But the movie gives clues that are at odds with each other.
=> The glass bomb site and the snorting creature in the mine shaft suggest MUTANTS.
=> The symbolic layout of the abandoned cars and the raven suggest Indian SPIRITS.
=> The Stepford town, the woman from the video working at the fast food place, and the ultimate possession of the family suggest ALIENS.
This is confusing and frustrating for the audience.
The movie is good enough that it makes you really want a resolution. But the answers cannot be found within the movie itself, nor can you extrapolate the answers from the given clues. Therefore, despite the good aspects of the script, the direction, and the acting, the experience of watching this movie is ultimately highly dissatisfying.
Desert Zombies
sol-kay9 September 2007
**SPOILERS** "Disappearance" is a movie with a beginning middle and absolutely no ending. Were, the audience and cast, are jerked around for almost the entire film and when it comes for what were expecting in a surprise ending or big payoff that would ties all the loose ends in the movie together we get a town full of Zombies instead. Theses Zombies act and seem as if they were lobotomized by either aliens from outer space or a super secret agency of the US Government. The persons in the town, as well as those who visited it, of Two Wells were made to forget everything what they saw and knew about this rinky dink of a desert ghost town called Weaver Nevada.
Driving through the desert with his wife family and friend Jim Henely, Harry Hamlin, ends up taking a short cut that lands him & Co. in this out of the way ghost town called Weaver. It's not long that Jim realizes that he took a wrong turn with the town being deserted since 1948. It turned out that a neutron bomb was detonated outside of Weaver in September 1948 that wiped out the towns, or those who refused to leave, entire population.
If a neutron bomb wasn't enough for the audience, as well as Jim Henley and family & friend, to ponder were also given clues by a local jailed alcoholic Lester, Roger Newcombe, that the legendary Area 51 as well as American Indian ghosts from the past have a hand in the crazy goings on in and around Weaver. During the Henley's stay at Weaver Jim's wife Patty, Susan Dey, ends up falling down a mine shaft and Matt's Henley's, Jeremy Lelliott, friend Eathen,Jamie Croft, ends up getting lost in the desert right under the nose of Jim Henley.
These events, Patty's accident and Ethen's disappearance, in the end have nothing really to do with what's going on in the movie. They seem to have been put in to either confused the audience or pad the film to achieve for t an over 90 minutes running time. The movie's plot seems to be a cross between "The Hills have Eyes" and "Village of the Damned" with a lot of "Conspericey Theory" thrown in for good measure minus any kind of real or satisfying ending at all.
We almost get a hint of what's really going on in both Weaver and it's neighboring town Two Wells when little Kate Henely, Basia A'Hern, spots at a local Two Well's hamburger stand this waitress that she recognized to have been killed, in a video tape that was found in Weaver, some time ago. It's only later that it's revealed that whoever that waitress was she as well as the entire town of Two Wells ended up there against their will but why they did it's never explained!
The ending of the movie is a real mind-blower in that it purposely leaves it's audience up in the air to what was really going on. It gives you the impression that whatever was going on in the movie will keep happening as long a there's people traveling, like the bikers at the end of the film, through that God-forsaken town who will end up, unwillingly, becoming residents of Two Wells Nevada.
Driving through the desert with his wife family and friend Jim Henely, Harry Hamlin, ends up taking a short cut that lands him & Co. in this out of the way ghost town called Weaver. It's not long that Jim realizes that he took a wrong turn with the town being deserted since 1948. It turned out that a neutron bomb was detonated outside of Weaver in September 1948 that wiped out the towns, or those who refused to leave, entire population.
If a neutron bomb wasn't enough for the audience, as well as Jim Henley and family & friend, to ponder were also given clues by a local jailed alcoholic Lester, Roger Newcombe, that the legendary Area 51 as well as American Indian ghosts from the past have a hand in the crazy goings on in and around Weaver. During the Henley's stay at Weaver Jim's wife Patty, Susan Dey, ends up falling down a mine shaft and Matt's Henley's, Jeremy Lelliott, friend Eathen,Jamie Croft, ends up getting lost in the desert right under the nose of Jim Henley.
These events, Patty's accident and Ethen's disappearance, in the end have nothing really to do with what's going on in the movie. They seem to have been put in to either confused the audience or pad the film to achieve for t an over 90 minutes running time. The movie's plot seems to be a cross between "The Hills have Eyes" and "Village of the Damned" with a lot of "Conspericey Theory" thrown in for good measure minus any kind of real or satisfying ending at all.
We almost get a hint of what's really going on in both Weaver and it's neighboring town Two Wells when little Kate Henely, Basia A'Hern, spots at a local Two Well's hamburger stand this waitress that she recognized to have been killed, in a video tape that was found in Weaver, some time ago. It's only later that it's revealed that whoever that waitress was she as well as the entire town of Two Wells ended up there against their will but why they did it's never explained!
The ending of the movie is a real mind-blower in that it purposely leaves it's audience up in the air to what was really going on. It gives you the impression that whatever was going on in the movie will keep happening as long a there's people traveling, like the bikers at the end of the film, through that God-forsaken town who will end up, unwillingly, becoming residents of Two Wells Nevada.
The writers could not agree on an ending... so they just left it out?
FloridaFred5 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This starts out really good. Lots of suspense in the desert (Nevada or New Mexico). The main set, an abandoned mining town / ghost town, is superb. The characters all play their parts well. There is very little "drag" or "filler"; the story flows at a steady pace. Lots of creepy scenes, bizarre events, all building up to some sort of climax. But suddenly, it's just over! No explanation, no conclusion, no reason. Just the main characters acting and looking weird. Maybe the writers couldn't agree on an ending. Body snatchers? Aliens? Reincarnation? Atomic mutation? Bad Spirits on an Indian burial ground? Very, very disappointing, and mildly frustrating. This could have rated 7 or 8, which is a superior rating for a made-for-TV film. But the lousy ending drops it to 3 or 4 or 5. Prepare to be disappointed!
A help to all those ending worries **** Spoiler Alert***
rjpowersuk11 August 2002
Warning: Spoilers
This comment contains ***spoilers*** so you probably don't want to read on, if you have not seen it.
When I saw this movie I was expecting something rubbish, as most made for TV movies are. But I was surprised to find that all in all it was a good film. Im not going to blab on about acting, suspence storyline etc. but get to the bit everyone was wondering about...THE ENDING!
Here is my idea, the part about the Neutron Bomb etc. has already been covered by other people, and im not gonna talk about that, but i feel the same as others about that part, and also im not sure whatn the thing that was lurking in the mine was. Basically, the Hamlin family are bodysnatched. There are several clues which lead to this. Such as how the woman in the take away, was the woman on the film. But the one that did it for me was the fact that on that Gravestone which a photo was taken of, it said something along the lines of whoever was buried there, when they were buried and the line "nobody cared" or something similar. Now if no-one has weptbecause the spirit of the person went into a new body and it was only, the old used body that was lying there. Hence, no-body cared-wept because the spirit of that person is still alive. If you noticed the little girl at the end, looked at the bike and said "Nice bike" just like the old man had said "nice car", the whole town must be a cycle of people being lured, having their body taken over by older residents who need a new body to keep going.
Im sure there are other clues towards this idea, if you know any and/or want to tell me what you think of my theory, or your own theory that will be fine. My Email address should be included.
When I saw this movie I was expecting something rubbish, as most made for TV movies are. But I was surprised to find that all in all it was a good film. Im not going to blab on about acting, suspence storyline etc. but get to the bit everyone was wondering about...THE ENDING!
Here is my idea, the part about the Neutron Bomb etc. has already been covered by other people, and im not gonna talk about that, but i feel the same as others about that part, and also im not sure whatn the thing that was lurking in the mine was. Basically, the Hamlin family are bodysnatched. There are several clues which lead to this. Such as how the woman in the take away, was the woman on the film. But the one that did it for me was the fact that on that Gravestone which a photo was taken of, it said something along the lines of whoever was buried there, when they were buried and the line "nobody cared" or something similar. Now if no-one has weptbecause the spirit of the person went into a new body and it was only, the old used body that was lying there. Hence, no-body cared-wept because the spirit of that person is still alive. If you noticed the little girl at the end, looked at the bike and said "Nice bike" just like the old man had said "nice car", the whole town must be a cycle of people being lured, having their body taken over by older residents who need a new body to keep going.
Im sure there are other clues towards this idea, if you know any and/or want to tell me what you think of my theory, or your own theory that will be fine. My Email address should be included.
A mysterious horror film with no ending.
poolandrews10 April 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Disappearance is set in the Mojave desert as Jim (Harry Hamlin) & Patty Henley (Susan Dey) plus their two kids Katie (Basia A'Hern) & Matt (Jeremey Lelliott) along with Ethan (Jamie Croft) a friend of the family are travelling along, they stop at a roadside diner & ask about an old deserted mining town on the map called Weaver. No-one claims to have heard of it but it's definitely there & the family decide to take a detour in order to check it out & take some pictures. Once at the town they take some pictures & have a look around but when it comes time to leave their car won't start & they have to spend the night there. While looking around they find a camcorder videotape which they play only to discover footage of a scared woman saying all her friends have disappeared, the next morning & their car has disappeared as things take a very sinister turn. What is Weaver's secret? Will the Henley's ever leave there alive...
Written, co-executive produced & directed by Walter Klenhard I have to say that Disappearance is one of the most frustrating films I have ever watched. For the first 85 minutes it was a pretty good mysterious mix of thriller & horror film but then we are treated to one of the single worst endings ever in motion picture history. The script suggest lots of different things but never elaborates or confirms & I was sitting there genuinely intrigued about what was going on, from the families car mysterious disappearing, the four recent graves, the thing in the abandoned mines, the supernatural sandstorm, the sudden & unexplained disappearance of Ethan & his just as unexplained reappearance, the Sheriff's sinister motives, the compass in the car going crazy, the crashed plane, the townspeople denying Weaver existed & the possible side effects of a neutron bomb being dropped near Weaver in the 40's but they are all tossed out of the window & for all we know could have been totally separate random events. Everything was coming along nicely & was set up for a big twist revelation but none was forthcoming & instead I was treated to the most ambiguous, strange, surreal & downright frustrating ending possible. If nothing else the ending contradicts much of what has gone before & leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. It's almost as if the makers had these great ideas but then didn't know what to do with them & just made the ending up on the spot. I just felt I put so much effort into watching the film which can be pretty slow at times without any sort of reward & in fact the ending felt more like a kick in the teeth or a good two finger salute!
Director Klenhard does a reasonable job here, the old ghost town has a certain atmosphere & the large expansive desert locations give a good sense of isolation. It's well made but what were they thinking with that ending? Nothing fits, nothing makes sense & it's just a huge frustrating mess that after sitting through the thing for nearly an hour & a half leaves you confused & wanting to know more. Despite being a horror film there's no blood or gore although there are one or two creepy moments here & there. The film actually reminds of The Hills Have Eyes (2006) remake for large parts as that is what the film is set-up to be before a bizarre ending which does nothing to bring any closure to the film.
Technically the film is good with high production values, good special effects, sets, locations & cinematography. Set in America but filmed in South Australia. The acting is fine from a decent cast.
Disappearance is a really odd film, for a long time it shapes up to be a neat little horror mystery thriller but it never explains anything which happens & the truly surreal ending just throws up more questions than answers. I really can't see anyone making head nor tail of this, I really can't.
Written, co-executive produced & directed by Walter Klenhard I have to say that Disappearance is one of the most frustrating films I have ever watched. For the first 85 minutes it was a pretty good mysterious mix of thriller & horror film but then we are treated to one of the single worst endings ever in motion picture history. The script suggest lots of different things but never elaborates or confirms & I was sitting there genuinely intrigued about what was going on, from the families car mysterious disappearing, the four recent graves, the thing in the abandoned mines, the supernatural sandstorm, the sudden & unexplained disappearance of Ethan & his just as unexplained reappearance, the Sheriff's sinister motives, the compass in the car going crazy, the crashed plane, the townspeople denying Weaver existed & the possible side effects of a neutron bomb being dropped near Weaver in the 40's but they are all tossed out of the window & for all we know could have been totally separate random events. Everything was coming along nicely & was set up for a big twist revelation but none was forthcoming & instead I was treated to the most ambiguous, strange, surreal & downright frustrating ending possible. If nothing else the ending contradicts much of what has gone before & leaves the viewer with more questions than answers. It's almost as if the makers had these great ideas but then didn't know what to do with them & just made the ending up on the spot. I just felt I put so much effort into watching the film which can be pretty slow at times without any sort of reward & in fact the ending felt more like a kick in the teeth or a good two finger salute!
Director Klenhard does a reasonable job here, the old ghost town has a certain atmosphere & the large expansive desert locations give a good sense of isolation. It's well made but what were they thinking with that ending? Nothing fits, nothing makes sense & it's just a huge frustrating mess that after sitting through the thing for nearly an hour & a half leaves you confused & wanting to know more. Despite being a horror film there's no blood or gore although there are one or two creepy moments here & there. The film actually reminds of The Hills Have Eyes (2006) remake for large parts as that is what the film is set-up to be before a bizarre ending which does nothing to bring any closure to the film.
Technically the film is good with high production values, good special effects, sets, locations & cinematography. Set in America but filmed in South Australia. The acting is fine from a decent cast.
Disappearance is a really odd film, for a long time it shapes up to be a neat little horror mystery thriller but it never explains anything which happens & the truly surreal ending just throws up more questions than answers. I really can't see anyone making head nor tail of this, I really can't.
Really Builds Momentum.......Then Falls Flat On it's Face
ddude-7828012 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILERS......... This movie was surprisingly spooky and suspenseful all the way through until the last 6-7 minutes. So many very weird and bizarre events take place throughout the movie and keep you guessing and on edge as to what's the real answer to everything going on. It's literally just one crazy event after another and your mind is anxiously awaiting to see how all the wierdness taking place is connected somehow and makes sense in whatever kind of supernatural logic you're given to connect all the dots. And that's why the movie ultimately trips over itself and falls down several flights of stairs to an extremely unclimactic ending. Because none of the dots are ever connected. The movie makers never intended to make any sense out of everything that happened so they just created a long string of one totally weird event after another to send the viewer's mind reeling again and again trying to figure out how all of this madness taking place had a logical conclusion. But in the end you suddenly realize you're never going to be given any kind of even a halfway satisfying conclusion because none of those dots connect to form a picture that explains all the many many questions you're left with. Such as what happened to the jailbird left alone in the desert? Why would Ethan the son of another family be left to live with that family? Where did Ethan disappear to when he suddenly vanished in the desert? What was the outcome of the massive sandstorm rapidly advancing on the town? Why did that one woman survive out of her family and end up working at the fast food joint? I could go on and on. But if you watch the movie you'll have your own long list of unanswered questions.
Gahhh, what....
ops_kt26 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Normally, I have no problem with a movie or story with an ending that leaves you wondering to puzzle out what really happened, when it's done on purpose...
But this movie really feels like they got all but the last 15 minutes done, then realized they had $5 left to finish on...
I saw it on TBS... I recommend you not spend money on it either. If you catch it on TV, watch all but the last 15 minutes, then walk away and make your own ending in your mind.
Really, the movie would have been better if they had simply got away, and come back with the State Poice of Feds only to find that the town and the car graveyard was gone, and by all appearances had never been there...
"Wish I had more thumbs, so I could give that movie 4 thumbs down!"
But this movie really feels like they got all but the last 15 minutes done, then realized they had $5 left to finish on...
I saw it on TBS... I recommend you not spend money on it either. If you catch it on TV, watch all but the last 15 minutes, then walk away and make your own ending in your mind.
Really, the movie would have been better if they had simply got away, and come back with the State Poice of Feds only to find that the town and the car graveyard was gone, and by all appearances had never been there...
"Wish I had more thumbs, so I could give that movie 4 thumbs down!"
NOT your run of the mill made for TV movie
digital_dogcow27 May 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I caught this film today on a slow Sunday before Bank Holiday and was pleasantly surprised. For the bulk of this film you go along expecting run of the mill Stephen King-eseque 'clone' fare, then Disappearance suddenly hits you with a curve ball ending that is very enigmatic and gives you absolutely no answers. (never-mind answers on a plate). In an age where identi-kit movies trundle off the Hollywood assembly line, thats a brave step for any film, for a made-for-TV effort its positively audacious.
**MIld Spoiler Alert**
Having perused the comments already made here, the almost brutal way the writers curtailed this movie seems to generate considerable ire and indignation in some viewers, resulting in, IMO, harsh scores. At the end of this film the family are caught in the middle of an on-going mystery and atypically the viewer is caught there with them. More so, the intentionally vague final scene when the daughter feeds the crow, leaves you feeling you now know even less than they do. You almost expect the continuity voice-over to announce part II next week. It's unsatisfying and vaguely irritating and in an almost perverse way, I kind of like it all the more, for it. It lifts the movie from the hum-drum and fits very well with the understated unease that pervades the film throughout.
If you're the kind of person who hated the 60's TV series 'The Prisoner' for failing to conclude with pat-answers then you're going to abhor this film for the same reason. If you're the kind of person who enjoys the prospect of having their imagination stimulated by a made-for-TV movie you fully expected was going to be the usual 2nd rate pap, then you're going to enjoy this film. A far from perfect movie, but one deserving of more credit than it garners on these pages.
**MIld Spoiler Alert**
Having perused the comments already made here, the almost brutal way the writers curtailed this movie seems to generate considerable ire and indignation in some viewers, resulting in, IMO, harsh scores. At the end of this film the family are caught in the middle of an on-going mystery and atypically the viewer is caught there with them. More so, the intentionally vague final scene when the daughter feeds the crow, leaves you feeling you now know even less than they do. You almost expect the continuity voice-over to announce part II next week. It's unsatisfying and vaguely irritating and in an almost perverse way, I kind of like it all the more, for it. It lifts the movie from the hum-drum and fits very well with the understated unease that pervades the film throughout.
If you're the kind of person who hated the 60's TV series 'The Prisoner' for failing to conclude with pat-answers then you're going to abhor this film for the same reason. If you're the kind of person who enjoys the prospect of having their imagination stimulated by a made-for-TV movie you fully expected was going to be the usual 2nd rate pap, then you're going to enjoy this film. A far from perfect movie, but one deserving of more credit than it garners on these pages.
Disappearance--yeah, the writers disappeared before writing an ending
chet193 January 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Don't listen to StakeNCross defending this lousy film. It IS suspenseful for a while, but too many unexplained things ruin the whole thing. Stake claims that writers don't have to explain things and should leave us with a feeling of dread. Yes, I dreaded that I wasted $3.95 renting this junk. We never once see any ghosts or monsters or anything supernatural, except for a dust ball in the desert. And whenever you are taken by the unseen "monster," you lose your memory and become the town waitress. That is spooky...sure. But please tell us WHY! I swear to God, you see something/someone cause Harry Hamlin's car to flip over. Then the next scene Harry and his Laurie Partridge wife are working at the local diner, With no explanation of what the hell happened. Explain please.
Good mystery for a "made for TV" film
Askmeif4 April 2003
We rented this film from our local store. Was disspointed that it wasn't a real movie, but a TV story transfered to DVD. The quality is pretty good, and the acting is adequate. In the very first scene, I thought it was really going to suck. When they start out, there is a large SUV driving in the desert with the family in it, and the obviouse reflection of the film truck in the vehicle was the worst I have ever seen. But then, the movie got better and better from there. It is a story about a family traveling through a desert region. They decide to spend some extra time in a ghost town and get caught up in an mystery. This is a well made "made for Tv movie". It was acceptable for our family and young teen age children. It is frustrating at points to see those characters behave in ways we think we would not. But thats entertainment. Its Family Vacation meets twilight Zone on a Pancake budget. The movie wraps up with a mysterious settlement of characters that is unanticipated as will as undefined. Some very high level thought going on there. It is a movie that seems familiar due to all the regular plot gratuities.
What in the hell just happened! I don't Understand!Am I dumb?
sawyertom25 April 2002
Warning: Spoilers
The story premise for the movie actually begins pretty good. It is suspenseful and intriguing through most of the movie. I enjoyed it. The movie was creepy. Then, the end came. The mysterious disappearances of the towns people, visitors and others, the 1948 bomb test, etc. It all came to an abrupt end. It's as if the writers couldn't think of anymore so they sliced on an ending to make it fit in two hours. After all of the suspense and spookiness I can only ask what in the hell just happened? Were they zombies? Bodysnatched? Possessed? What was the thing in the town? Why did everybody say they never heard of Weaver? None of these things were asked or even answered. The first hour and three quarters were excellent. The last five minutes, well I still can't figure it out. Some kind of conclusion would have been nice. I guess I am just too stupid to get it. Either that or the writers don't understand how to end thew basics of writing 101. Hey Hollywood I got a story for you and it sure ends better than this did!
Frustrating.
willywants8 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
A bickering, American family, vacationing in the west, discover a strange ghost town in the middle of the desert. Little do they know that this ghost town was once a test site for nuclear bombs, and a deadly presence is stalking them. I generally love mystery-horror films like this. "Cube", Spielberg's "Duel" and "The Birds" are all great examples of movies that give no answers but nonetheless leave us intrigued and wanting more. Apparently, "Disappearance" writer/director Walter Klenhard was trying to make just that kind of film, and whether or not he succeeded is up to the viewer. I personally think he got about half way there, then the film just sunk.
The actors are all kind of just "ho-hum". Their not especially bad but we as an audience never really feel their fear and they react to situations in unrealistic ways. Is anyone else absolutely SICK of characters just walking out off to investigate strange sounds?!?!? At least give them SOME kind of justification for doing so!?!?!?
As far as made-for-TV films go it's an above average fair for sure. Director Klenhard Should be commended for really milking the desert environment for everything it offered and some of the setting were striking. There's a really cool scene where two characters find an old nuclear test ground were the sand had been completely melted to glass for as far as the eye could see. I wonder if that was real
No gore to speak of, and the 'creatures' or what ever the hell it is that's after these people are never shown, not to mention that we are never even given a real clue as to what they are (Mutants, aliens, ghosts or ancient evil Indian spirits Oh, that really narrows it down for us!) or where the come from.
There are lots of clichés here, too. Why is it that towns-folk in these kinds of films are always really, really dumb? Why is there always an old guy everyone thinks is crazy that turns out to be correct? Why? Why? Why? How 'bout a NEW scenario, folks!
"Disappearance" tries to be different and intelligent but ultimately fails in that in many ways it's too familiar to us fans of direct-to-video horror fodder. Hey, I've seen much worse films, and disappearance ain't bad, it's just too Average.
4/10.
The actors are all kind of just "ho-hum". Their not especially bad but we as an audience never really feel their fear and they react to situations in unrealistic ways. Is anyone else absolutely SICK of characters just walking out off to investigate strange sounds?!?!? At least give them SOME kind of justification for doing so!?!?!?
As far as made-for-TV films go it's an above average fair for sure. Director Klenhard Should be commended for really milking the desert environment for everything it offered and some of the setting were striking. There's a really cool scene where two characters find an old nuclear test ground were the sand had been completely melted to glass for as far as the eye could see. I wonder if that was real
No gore to speak of, and the 'creatures' or what ever the hell it is that's after these people are never shown, not to mention that we are never even given a real clue as to what they are (Mutants, aliens, ghosts or ancient evil Indian spirits Oh, that really narrows it down for us!) or where the come from.
There are lots of clichés here, too. Why is it that towns-folk in these kinds of films are always really, really dumb? Why is there always an old guy everyone thinks is crazy that turns out to be correct? Why? Why? Why? How 'bout a NEW scenario, folks!
"Disappearance" tries to be different and intelligent but ultimately fails in that in many ways it's too familiar to us fans of direct-to-video horror fodder. Hey, I've seen much worse films, and disappearance ain't bad, it's just too Average.
4/10.
Pod people?
Christopher37010 September 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The ending to this movie is frustratingly never explained but it appeared that the people who became trapped in the ghost town of Weaver were killed and their bodies taken over by otherworldly beings who turned them into pods of themselves. Who knows?! But that's just my guess.
The woman on the old video tape that the girl later saw alive and working in the diner was apparently a pod after she was killed and her body taken over by whatever demonic force or alien being that took over it.
I gather that the same thing happened to the whole family at the end of the film, but there's never a solid explanation if that's what it is or even why any of this was happening. I don't mind open endings, but this was a whole open movie where absolutely nothing is ever explained.
I would've rated this higher had at least the ending been explained but I guess they wanted to leave that up to the viewer which is fine...but at least let the audience know what the heck is going on during the first 85 minutes too. I'm still giving it a 5 rating because it held my interest throughout the film even though I had no idea what the heck was going on. It seemed like they had a sequel planned that never came about.
The woman on the old video tape that the girl later saw alive and working in the diner was apparently a pod after she was killed and her body taken over by whatever demonic force or alien being that took over it.
I gather that the same thing happened to the whole family at the end of the film, but there's never a solid explanation if that's what it is or even why any of this was happening. I don't mind open endings, but this was a whole open movie where absolutely nothing is ever explained.
I would've rated this higher had at least the ending been explained but I guess they wanted to leave that up to the viewer which is fine...but at least let the audience know what the heck is going on during the first 85 minutes too. I'm still giving it a 5 rating because it held my interest throughout the film even though I had no idea what the heck was going on. It seemed like they had a sequel planned that never came about.
Adequate mystery for a lazy evening ...
t_daugaard11 August 2003
Warning: Spoilers
In this film we follow a family of five through an adventure to an abandoned mine city. As they enter the town and explore the buildings their car is (mysteriously?) tampered with making them unable to leave and forced to spend the night in the empty city.
This movie is okay for a lazy evening, when you just want to be entertained for a couple of hours. The suspense is adequate, although the ending will surely leave you confused. Don't expect great acting ... Hamlin and Dey looks and acts exactly as in "L.A. Law" - not much variation there.
**** SPOILERS BELOW ****
What is it with all the loose ends? The Indian burial ground thing was simply ridiculous, and why was the nearby town all involved in the conspiracy? I thought it was a mutant from the explosion, which lingered in the old town, worshipping the blast (noticed the symbol that they drew with the cars?). But then they throw in all the ghost stuff and the graves and... Why was the family "consumed" by the city in the end? Radiation polluting their minds? Way too many loose ends. I like open endings, but this was just silly.
This movie is okay for a lazy evening, when you just want to be entertained for a couple of hours. The suspense is adequate, although the ending will surely leave you confused. Don't expect great acting ... Hamlin and Dey looks and acts exactly as in "L.A. Law" - not much variation there.
**** SPOILERS BELOW ****
What is it with all the loose ends? The Indian burial ground thing was simply ridiculous, and why was the nearby town all involved in the conspiracy? I thought it was a mutant from the explosion, which lingered in the old town, worshipping the blast (noticed the symbol that they drew with the cars?). But then they throw in all the ghost stuff and the graves and... Why was the family "consumed" by the city in the end? Radiation polluting their minds? Way too many loose ends. I like open endings, but this was just silly.
Suspenseful and intriguing but with weak ending
Catharina_Sweden9 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This movie was suspenseful and intriguing with some good scares! It kept up my attention at all times - until the last five minutes. The ending was a disappointment. It was only strange - or rather: it would not necessarily have been a bad ending, if all the questions had been answered. I think the movie-makers make it too easy for themselves, when they throw in a lot of interesting clues and suggestions... but in the end they do not have to explain anything, not make the story come together.
I like it that the family was a step family with a "borrowed kid" (a friend of one of the kids in the family). Because most movies of this kind are about nuclear families. I think step families, which are so common nowadays after all, also need "movie families" to identify with. But it would have been even more efficient if the "borrowed kid" had been the stepmother's biological son instead of just a friend of the family. Because then the movie could have addressed such issues as loyalty, responsibility and sacrifice in a step family in extreme situations.
I mean this scenario for instance: the stepmother's only biological child is lost in the desert. She naturally wants to go and look for him, but her husband and his kids want to flee while there is still time. What happens then..?
I like it that the family was a step family with a "borrowed kid" (a friend of one of the kids in the family). Because most movies of this kind are about nuclear families. I think step families, which are so common nowadays after all, also need "movie families" to identify with. But it would have been even more efficient if the "borrowed kid" had been the stepmother's biological son instead of just a friend of the family. Because then the movie could have addressed such issues as loyalty, responsibility and sacrifice in a step family in extreme situations.
I mean this scenario for instance: the stepmother's only biological child is lost in the desert. She naturally wants to go and look for him, but her husband and his kids want to flee while there is still time. What happens then..?
A perfect example of BAD horror movie trend: No answer!!
tzeng25 April 2002
What a bad movie!
The movie start well, also a lot of hint, but no logical explanation at all, exactly like "jeeper creeper", I give it 5 out of 10.
This is the current horror moviemaking trend, they try to leave you a lot of space to imagine, but fail to at least make one logical explanation possible, come on, you can not just giving out question without possible answer.
The movie start well, also a lot of hint, but no logical explanation at all, exactly like "jeeper creeper", I give it 5 out of 10.
This is the current horror moviemaking trend, they try to leave you a lot of space to imagine, but fail to at least make one logical explanation possible, come on, you can not just giving out question without possible answer.
Stupid parents of the year
psalfate1 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This is nuts, the parents get the truck stolen in a forsaken gift town and they keep going and getting away from each other.
What was this movie all about, radiation, aliens, goshts, photographer Raven?,
A waste of time, did they need to go to Australia for this crap?
What was this movie all about, radiation, aliens, goshts, photographer Raven?,
A waste of time, did they need to go to Australia for this crap?
Disappearance 2?
SantaNiclaus29 August 2006
I liked the movie, and I kinda got the ending. The ending is supposed to leave us speculating on what happened but if you realized this is kind of a "Sci-fi Mystery" then you realized the ending suggests very close government involvement. The government performed the "neutron bomb tests", and therefore would be constantly watching the results. Such as "mutations". One thing I noticed was when the girl fed the bird, she also spoke to it, telling it that there were no more treats. She had run out. Well, if you noticed in the movie, the guy in the jail cell, told the father, Jim, that there were mutations both human and animal. These two movie facts leads to speculation that the descendant humans and animals could communicate with one another. Also, the mutants or the government couldn't just let the "witnesses" leave and tell everybody so, they consume them. They brain wash them. OR worse, the aliens as the jail cell guy referred to, replace them with their own entities in their bodies or clones of them. It leaves a LOT of room for VERY interesting speculation AND . . . A "Disappearance 2" Call me, write me, get in touch with me because I'd LOVE to help write in it or maybe even act in it!
This is a spooky film in a steven king kind of way.
colbow2 July 2002
Strange goings on in this movie make it so watchable with hints of the blair witch project thrown in for added scarability....which works a treat!! Dont get me wrong this isn't a high budget high profile scare the living daylights out of you kinda movie, but it certainly has its moments....but why oh why do people not stick together and wander off on their own upstairs in a rickerty old house in a rickerty old ghost town? Good viewing but the ending still leaves you wondering well was it the......... or could it have been.....The one thing about it is if you have a good imagination then you can make your own up like me!..;)
Did I miss it?
scufan819 March 2006
I've read some of the other comments and I do have to agree with the ones that didn't get the ending. I thought it was going rather well..until the end. It kept your mind running and then splat. I have not clue what went on the last couple minutes of the movie except a complete mess. It's like they ran out of money to come up with a good ending so they improvised. First they had a mysterious thing making people disappear then they had a guy talking about Area 51 (which makes you think about aliens) then after they it went to crap. I thought the actors and actresses did fine it's just the script went sour. Anyways, if you do watch this movie be prepared to be disappointed at the end.
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