Despite being classified as a psychological thriller, the truth is that it is a film that is more drama-oriented. The premise it offers is interesting, but the film itself, instead of being intriguing, is actually boring and disappointing. As for the production, the film has good quality. It is well directed, well edited, well produced and well acted. It has the resources to be a good movie. The problem is that it was mistakenly classified as a suspense film and the truth is that it fails in several aspects. At first absolutely nothing happens and everything goes normally, pretending that the idea is not to show the viewer anything until giving them an unexpected surprise at the end. Then come a couple of things that make Beatriz begin to suspect Luis's condition. The disappearance of the cat could have served to provide a good surprise in the outcome, even if it was somewhat predictable or cliché. After having passed the middle of the film, the atmosphere becomes a little more tense and there is a sequence in which Beatriz has a nightmare that is very well executed. Everything reaches a point where it is not known if Luis is really still mentally unstable or if Beatriz is the one who is going crazy. The film ends leaving only a doubt and a disappointment to what should have been a suspenseful story. The film certainly had enough energy to be a passable thriller, but all of that was thrown out the window. As much as it has a good production in many aspects and a level of subtlety, El Gato Desaparece is at the end yet another proof of the mediocrity of Argentine cinema. The film does not even deserve praise even though some have understood its true intention, the reality is that El Gato Desaparece is a poorly mediocre and forgettable film with wasted potential. My final rating for this movie is a 5/10.
Review of The Cat Vanishes
