Film Comment: Megan is Missing

One commenter on Netflix calls Megan is Missing, “Maybe the most disturbing thing I have ever seen.”  Another says, “Everyone with young teen children should watch this and take the warnings to heart.”  Many commenters just said, “Don’t watch this.”  At least one commenter makes the absolutely ludicrous claim that the film amounts to victim blaming. Some criticize the film saying that it is nothing more than "torture porn" and that it capitalizes on pedophilia and child abduction.  The reason I think that it is not intended to be exploitive is the included video statement by Marc Klaas, whose young daughter Polly was abducted, raped, and murdered.  Klaas seems to be a hardened, driven man.  I do not believe that he would put his endorsement on a film which exploits the very thing against which he has battled for years.

http://www.klaaskids.org/about/pollystory.html

http://www.pollyklaas.org/

A few Netflix commenters, who totally missed the point, said that the film is not a very good horror film. This is true and not true.  As a "horror film," Megan is Missing is technically not up to current standards; the acting is substandard, the special effects are minimal, there is little actual plot, and the "horror" does not appear until the last twenty minutes.  For caring, but naive, parents or for the clueless or careless teenager, this film can produce wide-eyed horror!

A warning: I would say that you should not watch this film. Once you have chosen to seen this film, you will be unable to “unsee” it; it will frighten, disgust, and militarize you. This film can be psychologically damaging to some people.  Two sixteen year old viewers reported being "mentally scarred" by the film, but another said, "I wish more girls my age would watch this; maybe they wouldn't go missing." The film contains near constant profanity, teenage sexuality, teenage drug use, rape, physical abuse, pedophilia, abduction, murder, fetishism, gore, and other disturbing elements.

The film is about two girls.  Fifteen year-old Megan is a sexually promiscuous drug-using party girl who maintains a close friendship with an unlikely partner, the sweet, naive, and innocent Amy, who is rejected by the other girls in town precisely because she is sweet, naive, and innocent. Megan's family life is terrible: her father is absent, her stepfather is in prison, and her mother's only parenting skill is to yell.  Amy's parents are loving, sweet, affectionate, conventional parents who know absolutely nothing about her personal life. Both sets of parents are totally unaware of what is happening to their girls.

Megan has met an interesting young man on line (she has never actually seen him because his "webcam is broken"). She agrees to meet him behind the local diner. She goes alone and disappears.

Amy is sure that something bad has happened to Megan and is afraid that the young man whom Megan met online is involved.  She contacts the young man online and during their argument, he insults and threatens her.  She takes her fears to the police and then suddenly disappears.

The last twenty minutes of the film are so intense and horrible that they disturbed even some of the long-time horror gore-hounds who complained about this film.  

There is no mention of Christianity or even of religion in this film.  That does not mean that there is nothing that Christians can take from this movie.

1. Be aware of who your children's friends are.

2. Be aware of your children's cell phone and internet activities.

3. Try not to frighten your children but make sure that they are aware of the tactics used by sexual predators.  As I have told my grandchildren, "Don't be afraid, just be smart."

Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves." Matthew 10:16 (KJV)

We are to be confident and wise and not do stupid things. We should teach our children also to be confident and wise and not to do stupid things.

……………………………………

Information about Internet safety.

http://christianity.about.com/od/practicaltools/tp/christianisps.htm

http://www.covenanteyes.com/2013/11/20/internet-safety-christian-solutions/

http://www.internetsafety.com/press-internet-safety-solution-safe-eyes.php

Excellent, detailed child internet safety information.  Adults would do well to also follow these rules.  The information was reviewed by Steven Dowshen, MD

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html

http://kidshealth.org/parent/misc/reviewers.html

Stupidity

    This post, originally published on 22 April 2011, was enlarged, and updated on 24 January 2026.

    Does anyone understand what Pope John Paul II was talking about when he said, "Stupidity is also a gift of God, but one mustn't misuse it."  Does anyone know the context within which this was said and the source of the quotation?  All I can find is the quoted sentence, repeated over and over again.

    What I believe the Pope might have meant was that we must sometimes do things which go against the current common culture. The outside world, those not part of the Body of Christ, may, and probably will, think we are foolish or even stupid. Some will find us to be offensive. When absolutely necessary, we must not back down.

    There was a historical movement of persons called Fools for Christ, some of whom bordered on the bizarre, acting in ways the world considered to be insane or nonsensical. They often adopted extreme asceticism and voluntary poverty, openly challenging many societal customs. To the world they appeared to be foolish.

    The "foolishness of the gospel" refers to 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.  The world considers the concept of a crucified savior to be absurd and offensive. They insist that they have no need for salvation or that, if they do need salvation, they can do it for themselves.

    The Pope's statement may have meant that we should not be afraid of being thought to be foolish, but we should not intentionally offend or provoke.

A stupid and careless life

     Don't live a stupid and careless life.  A stupid and careless life leaves damage in its wake and almost always ends in a stupid and careless way.

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5: 15-16.