Missing (1981)
Starring: Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek
Director: Costa Gavras
Synopsis: Beautifully acted political thriller... tense, brilliant
Reviewed by: Omar Khan

In the late 70's under a brutal military regime - 25% of the Chilean population went "missing", which usually meant murdered in the numerous stadium turned death camps. Brilliantly acted by Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek and excellently directed by Costa Gavras, this is a quite outstanding political thriller.

There is a deep sense of dread and especially the scene where a doom-like curfew is descending is very chilling indeed. A film of exceptional power, the US State Department actually tried to sue the producers when the film was released .

Now in 1999 all those years later, the person on whom the film is based has been acknowledged to have been one of those who had been consigned to be listed as officially "missing" - in other words murdered by the barbaric regime which was avidly supported by the US government in their battle to protect the world from the scourge of Communism.

Just think of it - one in four people vanished never to be seen again - that's five people in a group of twenty, a truly shocking statistic. A superb film.