Analyzing Technical Elements of Film

Review of a few Camera Angles in the Movie

Missing (2023)

From Producer Nicholas Johnson and Will Merrick

I chose to comment on a few of the camera angles, sounds, and emotions in the 2023 movie, "Missing", because I believe it had one of the biggest plot twists that no one saw coming and it was a really good movie. It uses limited movement and maintains very few different angles therefore using elements such as sound and emotion to play a bigger part, unlike other movies.

                                                        

#1 The movie opens with a point-of-view shot of the main character, June Allen. This point-of-view shot gives a sense of closeness to June's computer as well as some of June’s emotions. Within this same first scene, the camera moves from a point-of-view shot to a close-up shot to captivate June's reaction to her mother's demands. This close-up shot sets the scene and lets us focus on June’s emotions. This first shot also establishes our setting where the movie will be set!

#2 This short clip carries various angles, emotions, and sounds to try and convey the message. It shifts rapidly between low, high, dutch, and eye-level angles. The low angle makes our subject seem intimidating and gives a sense of authority. The high angle makes June seem vulnerable and based on her emotion she does not look pleased. The Dutch angle contributed to her sense of unease as she embodied her overthinking. Lastly, the eye-level angle gives us as the audience a sense of equality with June. Throughout all these angles, she maintains the same emotion of unease, we can tell that the situation with her mom is weighing heavily on her mind. Finally, as the sound of the pictures gets faster and louder, it simulates her state. 

#3 In the climax of the movie this scene contributes to the suspense by throwing a plot twist in the mix. It used a zoom-in and point-of-view shot and sound to captivate and let in the audience on June's emotion throughout the scene. It starts with a point-of-view shot as June's reaction is shown on her computer through her open apps, towards the end it shifts to a zoom-in to signify her reaction to Jimmy on the front porch. The sound throughout the shots helps contribute to the feeling of suspense and uncertainty and leaves the audience on the edge so they don't know what will happen next.

#4 After the police have found a lead toward the end of the movie, it uses a tracking shot to show their way around the house contributing to the falling action and suspense as they find Jimmy also known as June's mom, and herself kidnapper dead in front of the computer with all the surveillance camera on. The intercoms between the police also help poetry sound to the audience that they have finally found the answer they were looking for and help end the suspense.

#5 In this final shot, it uses a slow zoom-out to signify the end of the episode of what we though was the movie. The sound of the text messages in the back helps contribute to the idea that all of the scenes above were just episodes of a series that left the audience with a cliffhanger!

In conclusion, this movie does an amazing job of using various elements to keep the audience engaged. The camera angles and shots, especially the use of screens and technology, create a sense of realism. This makes viewers feel like they're part of the search. The emotions throughout this film are authentic, which adds depth to the storyline and makes the audience deeply care about the outcome. Overall, these elements work together effortlessly to make this movie "Missing" a one-of-a-kind experience.