George Sluizer’s 1988 film *Spoorloos*, also known as *The Vanishing*, centers on a murder and the pursuit of the person responsible, though it doesn’t present itself as a mystery for viewers to solve. Shortly after Saskia (Johanna ter Steege) vanishes at a French rest area while on vacation with her boyfriend Rex (Gene Bervoets), we are shown an extended sequence detailing how local chemistry teacher Raymond Lemorne (Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu) prepares to murder a woman chosen at random. As the movie progresses, we observe Rex’s relentless search, not for vengeance or fairness, but simply to comprehend what occurred to his girlfriend. It's this insatiable need to know every detail, to almost experience Saskia's fate secondhand, that propels Rex on a disturbing journey. *Spoorloos* is frequently recognized for its surprising conclusion, and I suggest avoiding any information about the ending before viewing it; I was aware of some details beforehand, but even so, Rex’s ultimate fate unfolded in an unexpected way. Rex feels like a fairly basic character whose sole purpose seems to be advancing the philosophical questions at the heart of the story. Lemorne is far more developed as a person, although I struggled with some aspects of his reasons for acting as he does. Donnadieu delivers a convincing performance – I genuinely grew to dislike this character intensely. It’s noteworthy that his initial attempts at abduction, portrayed in a somewhat clumsy fashion and accompanied by an unusual soundtrack, don't offer any comedic relief like you might find in Edward Gorey’s work; instead, they increase the discomfort level. While the film’s unexpected ending makes it stand out, and Donnadieu’s acting (and to a lesser degree Steege’s, given her limited screen time) is adequate, I wouldn't place *Spoorloos* among my top-rated films. The visuals are unremarkable, and there isn't much reason to watch it again. Nevertheless, seeing it once is worthwhile.

Source on TMDB