10/12/2024 - Karim Moussaoui’s film follows a privileged young man in Algiers who starts to break at the seams, but its bland narrative and lack of stakes drag the story down

With The Vanishing, Algerian director Karim Moussaoui directs his second solo directorial feature after Until the Birds Return [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Karim Moussaoui
film profile] (2017), which premiered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard. Adapted into a script by Moussaoui and Maud Ameline from the book of the same name by Samir Toumi, the film enjoyed its international premiere in Marrakech’s Special Screenings section. But while Moussaoui retains his interest in examining contemporary issues in today’s Algeria through film, in The Vanishing, we’re never plunged far enough into his characters’ lives to ever reach this point.

Late-twenty-something Reda Belamri (Sammy Lechea) lives a cushy life in Algiers, where his wealthy father, Youcef (Hamid Amidrouche), arranges a high-paid corporate job and a marriage with a charming young woman, Djaouida (Nassima Benchicou), for him. However, Reda’s life is thrown off-balance when the vindictive CEO Makhloufi (Chawki Amari) decides to spite his father by ensuring the young man follows through on his mandatory military service. Reda also meets restaurant manager Malika (Zar Amir) – whom he is intrigued by – as he further goes through a period of hardship, losing his job and himself along the way.

Just as the everyday machinations of those around him spark interest, Reda’s character development falls disappointingly flat in this tale, with the stakes never raised to a high enough level. As such, when the film’s title finally takes on meaning in the story, it is difficult to relate to how it affects Moussaoui’s protagonist; as he is driven to the edge, it becomes hard to understand his emotional journey. Reda has little to no agency, and yet, he seems all the more disappointed by what occurs around him despite his privileged lifestyle. Meanwhile, supporting characters leave his life and the narrative just as quickly as they come, including his more rebellious brother, Fayçal (Idir Chender), who quickly skitters off to Paris to pursue his passion for DJing and is never seen again.

The Vanishing offers much more by way of visuals: Moussaoui and DoP Kristy Baboul tend towards darker hues, often leaving Reda in darkness at his emotional lows. At other times, they make use of a more sandy, desert-coloured palette to match the outdoor scenes, which are put to good use save for a mid-film “military versus terrorists” desert sequence which feels bizarrely underwhelming in light of its liberal use of wide shots. The director works hard to develop an interesting concept, but even the film’s pretty but conventional imagery can’t save the movie from its uninteresting characters and overly mild-mannered storyline.

The Vanishing is a French-German-Tunisian co-production by France’s Les Films Pelléas, Germany’s NiKo Film and Tunisia’s Nomadis Images. mk2 Films holds the rights to its world sales.