Disappear Completely, helmed by Luis Javier Henaine, is a bone-chilling echo of the dark and morally complex world of Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler, with shades of Jake Gyllenhaal’s iconic performance. However, Henaine takes a sinister departure, steering the narrative toward the harrowing consequences of vindictive witchcraft. In the film, Harold Torres embodies Santiago, a stringer who, much like the character in Nightcrawler, satisfies the insatiable hunger of a sensationalist tabloid, reminiscent of the National Enquirer, by delivering hauntingly vivid images from crime scenes.
Santiago’s life takes a terrifying turn when he is suddenly assaulted by an unseen assailant upon leaving a high-profile crime scene. Stripped of his wallet, this encounter marks the onset of a malevolent and sinister chain of events. Gradually, Santiago finds himself losing his sense of taste and smell, plunging him into a nightmarish descent. As the grip of the curse tightens, he comes face-to-face with a chilling reality: he has become the target of a vengeful hex. Confronted with the horrifying prospect of losing his senses and fading into oblivion, Santiago embarks on a desperate quest to unravel the cryptic means of breaking the curse. Failure looms ominously, threatening to erase his existence in a slow, relentless eradication of each sense, one after another.
Over seven tumultuous days, Santiago delves deeper into his affliction and stumbles upon a community of individuals grappling with similar otherworldly challenges. Abandoning the familiar realm of medical science, he embarks upon a perilous odyssey into the enigmatic world of the supernatural. This fateful decision not only drives a wedge between Santiago and his girlfriend, a proficient medical practitioner, but also propels him further into uncharted territory, where the line between reality and nightmare blurs with each passing moment. Along his treacherous path, Santiago encounters the captivating bruja, whose mesmerizing presence and enthralling choreography of ancient rituals draw him inexorably deeper into the realm of the unknown.
In the eerie crescendo, the narrative orchestrates a symphony of silence so profound that it resonates like the stillness of an empty theater after the curtain falls. This isn’t your typical cinematic hush, where the score whispers beneath the dialogue; it’s a vacuum, a void where sound itself ceases to exist. Here, viewers are not merely spectators; they are participants in Santiago’s descent into sensory oblivion. As characters drift into the scene, their words hang in the air, palpable yet unheard, like ghosts haunting the edges of consciousness. In this realm of muted whispers, the divide between audience and film widens into a chasm of isolation, leaving viewers adrift in a sea of silence.
And yet, amidst this disorienting stillness, there exists a subtle invitation—a whispered promise of revelation for those attuned to the subtle cadence of lip-reading. Yet, for others, it’s a reminder of their outsider status, condemned to navigate the enigma of the unknown with only fragments of understanding. In this enigmatic climax, where silence reigns supreme, lies both the allure of revelation and the sting of exclusion—a bittersweet finale that echoes after the credits roll.
Disappear Completely is a tightrope walker navigating the precarious divide between tradition and modernity, each step a delicate dance between ancient wisdom and contemporary doubt. It’s a symphony of conflicting melodies, where the echoes of age-old rituals clash with the dissonance of modern skepticism, creating a cacophony that reverberates through the very essence of the film. Yet, amidst this tumultuous symphony, there are interludes of silence—moments where time hangs suspended, inviting viewers to embrace the stillness and savor the nuances of the narrative. For those who dare to venture into its labyrinthine corridors, Henaine crafts a mosaic of introspection, revealing not just a cautionary tale, but a haunting odyssey into the labyrinth of human ambition and its haunting repercussions.
Disappear Completely is currently available to stream on Netflix.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtV8hZblyg4]
Disappear Completely is a tightrope walker navigating the precarious divide between tradition and modernity, each step a delicate dance between ancient wisdom and contemporary doubt.
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It all started when I was a kid watching Saturday morning cartoons like the Spider-Man: Animated Series and Batman. Since then I’ve been hooked to the world of pop culture. Huge movie lover from French New Wave, to the latest blockbusters, I love them all. Huge Star Wars and Marvel geek. When I’m free from typing away at my computer, you can usually catch me watching a good flick or reading the next best comic. Come geek out with me on Twitter @somedudecody.
