The Vanishing (2018 film)

The Vanishing
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Kristoffer Nyholm
Produced by	Gerard Butler Maurice Fadida Andy Evans Sean Marley Ade Shannon D.G. Guyer Mickey Gooch Jr. James Lejsek Matt Antoun Alan Siegel
Written by	Celyn Jones Joe Bone
Starring	Gerard Butler Peter Mullan Connor Swindells
Music by	Benjamin Wallfisch
Cinematography	Jørgen Johansson
Edited by	Mike Panikkou
Production company	Mad As Birds Kodiak Pictures Cross Creek Pictures G-BASE Saban Films iWood Studios
Distributed by	Lionsgate
Release dates	11 October 2018 (2018-10-11) (Sitges Film Festival) March 2019 (2019-03) (United Kingdom)
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	5 million
Box office	15.7 million

The Vanishing, previously titled Keepers, is a 2018 Scottish psychological thriller film directed by Kristoffer Nyholm and written by Celyn Jones and Joe Bone and set in the Flannan Isles, which have been notorious for the mystery disappearance of three lighthouse keepers in 1900. The film stars Gerard Butler and Peter Mullan. It was released in the UK in March 2019, after an earlier US release.

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Plot

Three men begin their six-week shift tending to the remote Flannan Isles Lighthouse. Donald (Connor Swindells), the youngest, is inexperienced and learning the trade from James (Gerard Butler) and Thomas (Peter Mullan). James has a family waiting for him on the mainland and Thomas is still mourning the loss of his own wife and children.

After a storm, the men discover a boat, a body, and a wooden chest washed ashore. Donald descends the cliffs to check on the man, who appears lifeless. As they are hauling up the chest, the man awakens and attacks Donald. In self-defense, Donald bashes the man's head with a rock and kills him.

Thomas is against opening the chest, but opens it alone, and keeps what he saw to himself.

Eventually the other two give in to their curiosity and find several gold bars inside. Urging caution and secrecy, Thomas proposes they dispose of the body, sneak the gold back to the mainland, and lay low for a year before splitting their shares.

Another boat arrives with two strangers, Locke (Søren Malling) and Boor (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), crewmates of the deceased. They interrogate Thomas, who claims the body and cargo have been reported and taken away, as per protocol. Locke and Boor leave, but attempt to contact the lighthouse by radio. Thomas and James are unable to respond due to their malfunctioning radio, revealing their lie. The strangers return with a fiery vengeance, circling the island until nightfall. In a violent struggle, James manages to strangle Boor and Donald kills Locke, using the woolding. Sensing another intruder outside, the keepers chase him through the darkness and James slashes him with a hook. He is horrified to discover he has killed a young boy, reminding him of his son.

After dumping all four dead bodies into the sea, the three men try to endure their remaining time on the island, despite mounting distrust and tension. James in particular becomes unhinged, secluding himself in the tiny chapel nearby. Donald grows uneasy and insists that he and Thomas leave with the gold. James suddenly reappears, apologizing for his behavior. Once Donald and Thomas have let their guards down, James locks Thomas in the pantry and strangles Donald. Thomas breaks free and subdues James by knocking him out.

Finally ready to depart the island, Thomas and James board the boat with the gold. After throwing Donald's body overboard, James tells Thomas he cannot bear to live with his guilt and lowers himself into the water. He calls for Thomas, who helps him drown. Thomas pushes his head back down and sails on alone.

Cast

• Gerard Butler as James Ducat
• Peter Mullan as Thomas Marshall
• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Boor
• Connor Swindells as Donald MacArthur

Production

On 31 October 2016 it was announced that a psychological thriller Keepers was in development, which Kristoffer Nyholm would make his directing debut from a script by Celyn Jones and Joe Bone. Kodiak Pictures would fully finance the film along with Cross Creek Pictures, which would be produced by Andy Evans, Ade Shannon, and Sean Marley for Mad as Birds along with Gerard Butler and Alan Siegel for G-BASE, Maurice Fadida for Kodiak Pictures, and Brian Oliver for Cross Creek. Butler, Peter Mullan and Connor Swindells would star as James, Thomas, and Donald, respectively, in the film inspired by a true unresolved 1900 mystery at the Flannan Isles Lighthouse.

Principal photography on the film began in mid-April 2017 in Galloway, Scotland. Locations included the Mull of Galloway, Port Logan harbour, Killantringan Lighthouse near Portpatrick and Corsewall Lighthouse near Stranraer.

External links

• The Vanishing at IMDb
• The Vanishing at Rotten Tomatoes

• Dennis Harvey, Film Review: ‘The Vanishing’, Variety.