A mysterious global blackout yields countless populations to simply vanish, leaving only their clothes and possessions behind. A small handful of survivors band together in a dimly-lit tavern on 7th Street, struggling to combat the apocalyptic horror. Realizing they may in fact be the last people on earth, a dark shadow hones in on them alone.
Anderson does a lot with very little - a wavering light, a patch of darkness - and Jaswinski's script tries to break up the stage-bound monotony with a few well-timed (if not particularly informative) flashbacks.
– Stephen Whitty,
Newark Star-Ledger,
18 Feb 2011
rotten:
This is The Twilight Zone as written by Jean Paul Sartre. What audacity! What vision! And, alas, what a failure.
– Tirdad Derakhshani,
Philadelphia Inquirer,
24 Feb 2011
fresh:
Anderson spends most of his energy creating a mood - making "Vanishing" more cerebral than white-knuckle, though a few more shrieks (mine) might have been nice.
– Betsy Sharkey,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb 2011
rotten:
Brad Anderson's supernatural thriller is stacked to keep us guessing. Initially, this makes it watchably atmospheric. But the inconclusive hints lead to the sense that he's withholding too much.
– Lisa Kennedy,
Denver Post,
25 Feb 2011
rotten:
Prediction: Vanishing on 7th St. will vanish from theaters very quickly.