Hello everyone, I am back with my continuing look into the films of Mike Flanagan. I know I missed the rest of February so Flanagan February has now transformed into The Films of Mike Flanagan. I'm sorry that it took a little longer to return to this series. However for those that haven't seen it yet, you can check out my thoughts on Oculus.
In that review, I had mentioned that Flanagan had a film that predated Oculus called Absentia. At that time, I hadn't had the chance to check it out yet. Well, I am happy to say that I was able to sit down with the film. The synopsis for the film is as follows: "A woman and her sister begin to link a mysterious tunnel to a series of disappearances, including that of her own husband.".
By now, I've seen a lot of Mike Flanagan's films. His films are very unique. There's a common theme amongst them: family trauma, regret, and accepting one's past. Absentia is honestly where it all began. This was a film that I didn't know what to expect. I knew that it was one of the first films of his. When viewing a director's first films, it's interesting because you can see them finding their footing. With Absentia, I don't know if it took long for Flanagan to find his footing and voice. Because it comes across very strong and clear.
Now, Absentia is a film that won't be for everybody. It is a bit of a slow burn. But honestly, that's one of the reasons why I appreciated it so much. We aren't just thrown into things. We are given so much time to get to know the characters. We are allowed to know Callie, Tricia, and even Detective Mallory. It's something of a rarity these days. Absentia is a film that is made up of two stories ultimately. On one end, we are witnessing Callie working on reconnecting with her sister, Tricia, and helping her come to terms with the loss of her husband. On the other end, it is not necessarily a creature film but one that has 'something' hiding in the shadows. It's extremely unique concept.
The characters are all fantastic. Katie Parker, Courtney Bell, and Dave Levine all deliver amazing performances. Seeing the journey that Tricia goes on is incredible as she does accept the loss and prepares for what comes next. Just as she may find happiness, something re-emerges into Tricia's life. This part of the story was heartbreaking to me. There was a glimpse of hope. But then, everything changes. At that point is when the film shifts gears with the introduction of the 'entity'. That's the best word that I could use to describe it. It's something that stays to the shadows. It allows the audience to fill in the blanks. So one person may perceive it one way and another may see it another. It's something that will start fixating on someone if they offer something. And holy hell.
When the film arrived at its endpoint, I was shocked. It ends on such a strong note. It left me with a sense of loss and tragedy. It just hit in a way that I was not expecting. If you're looking to see where Flanagan first started, give this a look. It's one that I highly recommend. It showcases the promise that he had with his storytelling. It can be found over on Tubi.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
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