I recently had an urge to rewatch a film I’d only seen once before, way back when it was first released twelve years ago.
Vanishing on 7th Street (2010)
This wasn’t a blockbuster by any means. In fact I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to anyone who’s seen it or even remembers it. Still, it’s quite an original idea and strangely enjoyable in a fairly average way.
If you haven’t seen it, it’s a horror/mystery/thriller starring Hayden Christensen (Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith), Thandiwe Newton (Crash), John Leguizamo (John Wick) and Jacob Latimore (The Maze Runner) among others.
This is what it’s about according to IMDb:
When a massive power outage plunges the city of Detroit into total darkness, a disparate group of individuals find themselves alone. The entire city's population has vanished into thin air, leaving behind heaps of empty clothing, abandoned cars and lengthening shadows. Soon the daylight begins to disappear completely, and as the survivors gather in an abandoned tavern, they realize the darkness is out to get them, and only their rapidly diminishing light sources can keep them safe.
I won’t lie, this film isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind. It had the potential to be really good but unfortunately it doesn’t fully deliver on what it sets up at the beginning. That being said, it has something that keeps your interest and an ominous tone and eerie-ness that makes you stick with it to see who (if anyone) makes it to the end.
Despite not being a “great” film I quite like it, mainly because I find the idea so interesting.
It’s never explained throughout the movie why this phenomenon has occurred and I like that. I’m not one of those people who needs everything explained. I’m happy to not know a character’s origin and I like a good open ending that leaves you to draw your own conclusions as to what just happened or what happens next.
The mystery is often way more interesting than any explanation with a film like this.
This movie also has a very minimal cast, something else I like in a film.
The performances are ok but not Oscar-worthy, with a post-Star Wars prequels Hayden Christensen in the lead role. I’m guessing it was expected that his career would explode after the Star Wars movies. Sadly though after a few half-decent but poorly received films he seemed to fade into relative obscurity.
To wrap things up, I’d be lying if I told you this is the best film from its genre you’ll ever watch. However, I think it’s worth 92 minutes of your time - especially if you like end-of-the-world-type films, and have ever thought that those shadowy demon-like characters that come to take the bad guys to hell in Ghost (1990) are creepy and deserve their own spin-off.
Seen it? Let me know. It’ll be nice to hear from another person who’s actually even heard of it.
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