The Missing (2003) is a gritty, dark Western directed by Ron Howard, featuring strong performances by Cate Blanchett and Tommy Lee Jones. Set in 1885 New Mexico, the film tells a tense story of a mother’s desperate pursuit of her kidnapped daughter, forcing an uneasy reunion with her long-estranged father.

The plot centers on Magdalena “Maggie” Gilkeson (Cate Blanchett), an independent frontier doctor, whose eldest daughter, Lilly (Evan Rachel Wood), is abducted by a ruthless band of Apache slave traders led by a malevolent figure named Chindin (Eric Schweig).

The local authorities are useless, forcing Maggie to turn to the only person with the necessary tracking skills: her father, Samuel Jones (Tommy Lee Jones), who abandoned her decades ago to live with the Jicarilla Apaches.

The film’s critical reception was notably mixed. While many critics praised Ron Howard’s stark direction, the excellent cinematography showcasing the rugged New Mexico landscape, and the compelling lead performances, others found the film monotonous and overlong at 135 minutes.

A significant point of contention was the introduction of a supernatural element via the villain, Chindin, who is portrayed as a shaman with mystical powers; some felt this made a brutal reality-based Western turn unnecessarily silly.

Despite its flaws, The Missing is an effective, unforgiving drama that focuses heavily on familial themes, namely Maggie’s struggle to forgive her father and their shared ordeal to save her child.

It’s notable for its use of authentic Apache language and for portraying Native American characters with complexity, both as antagonists and as allies. While not a typical, action-heavy Western, its intensity and thematic focus on the harsh realities of the Old West make it a worthwhile, if often bleak, watch.