Absentia
Movie, 2011, Directed, Set in A tunnel in Glendale
Absentia is #1 of 16 in release order and #1 of 16 in chronological order in the Mike Flanagan.
The story
Tricia's husband has been missing for seven years. Her younger sister Callie comes to live with her as the pressure mounts to finally declare him 'dead in absentia'. Tricia is reluctant, always holding out hope, but Callie is practical and wants her to move on. As Tricia sifts through the wreckage and tries to move on with her life, Callie finds herself drawn to an ominous tunnel near the house.
Absentia recap
Absentia (2011) is Mike Flanagan's first feature, written, edited and directed by him and funded through Kickstarter, with Courtney Bell as Tricia. Seven years after her husband Daniel vanished, the pregnant Tricia is finally having him declared dead in absentia, and her younger sister Callie, a recovering addict, comes to stay. Tricia is haunted by nightmares of Daniel, and Callie meets a gaunt man in a tunnel near the house who is shocked she can see him. Then Daniel reappears, starved and terrified, unable to say where he has been, and the sisters realise something in the tunnel has been taking people.
Absentia ending explained
The creature in the tunnel takes Tricia. Callie goes back to offer herself in trade, but the creature returns Tricia's unborn baby instead and takes Callie too, leaving only her shoe. The detective on the case chooses to believe both women simply left, and as he puts up missing posters, Callie watches him from the tunnel with the creature's limb resting on her shoulder.
Where to watch Absentia
Absentia isn't on a US streaming service right now. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube.
Ratings
Rotten Tomatoes 87%
Where it fits
Cast
- Katie Parker as Callie
- Courtney Bell as Tricia
- Morgan Peter Brown as Daniel
- Dave Levine as Det. Mallory
- Justin Gordon as Det. Lonergan
- Doug Jones as Walter Lambert
- Connie Ventress as Ruth
- Ian Gregory as Mitch
- Erin Cipolletti as Uniformed Officer
- Damon Pfaff as Uniformed Officer
- Peter Wylie as Uniformed Officer
- Brandon Valley Jones as Uniformed Officer
Directed by Mike Flanagan.