Megan is Missing (2011) Review – A Repulsive and Pointless Exercise in Misery

Welcome to Knockout Horror and to a Horror Movie Review. Today we are taking a look at another Screenlife Horror Movie, one that actually managed to find itself banned in New Zealand. The movie in question? Megan is Missing.

The Worst Found Footage Movie Ever?

I’m not going to lie, I think this is the worst found footage movie ever made. I will get into the why shortly. It’s received a baffling revival thanks to social media and that’s a real shame. The director absolutely jumped on it to lean into the shock value of the film. That’s all this movie is, as well. Shock value and a director with questionable motives.

“The director absolutely jumped on it to lean into the shock value of the film. That’s all this movie is, as well. Shock value and a director with questionable motives.”

Megan is Missing follows the stories of friends Megan and Amy. Megan is a young girl that has suffered significant abuse during her life. Living with her mother, the pair have a strained relationship, on the other hand, her best friend Amy is the opposite. Shy and awkward around peers, Amy lives in a large house and has a positive relationship with her parents.

When Megan connects with a supposed fellow high school student online, they aim to meet in person. Only, Megan never makes it to the meeting, vanishing on the way. Amy is determined to find out what happened despite never realising the danger she, herself, is in.

Absolutely no merit at all

A bold statement, right? That seems a little harsh, doesn’t it? Well, Megan is Missing is one of those rare horror films that I think is without merit. From an acting perspective, a direction perspective and a story perspective. The only positive thing I can say about this movie is that the message is important. I don’t actually believe that this movie was made to get that message across, though.

“The only positive thing I can say about this movie is that the message is important. I don’t actually believe that this movie was made to get that message across, though.”

Let’s start at the top. This is a very poorly made film with a very basic story. It speaks to a director that lacks both talent and creative vision. It’s also full of negative messages and dreadful portrayals of female character.

The writing is terrible. It reads like an old man writing for teenage girls. Camera work is shoddy and the pacing is awful. That’s not where the root of this film’s issues lie, though. It is more than that. It’s not just the fact that young girls are portrayed as sexually promiscuous and almost deserving of their fates. It isn’t entirely down to the way male characters are shown to be “cool” and written to be witty and intelligent. The biggest issue here is that this movie should never have been made in the first place.

A Troubling Production

I want you to keep something in mind when you watch this movie. Lead actor Rachel Quinn was born in 1993, this movie was shot in 2006. She was 13-14 at the time this movie was made. Director Michael Goi was completely okay with putting a 13-14 year old girl in a BDSM torture device for the sake of a lousy shot in a crap film. Not just putting her in, either. Putting her in it while wearing virtually nothing.

“The shoot was so harrowing that the young actresses were left traumatised, and the content so offensive it led a male co-star to the point of wanting to punch the director.”

He was completely okay filming a protracted assault scene with a 16 year old girl multiple times purely to “get it right”. Even at the protest of a male actor who nearly punched him due to the trauma it was causing everyone involved. He was totally fine with having a 13 year old girl painstakingly describe a harrowing encounter, at the age of ten, with an adult man. All with the directive to relate that she actually enjoyed it.

Goi puts no effort into the vast majority of what happens in this movie. He half arses every single last part of it with the exception of each and every sexual scene. Megan talks about being abused for a number of minutes, going into detail that is beyond excessive and does nothing to further the plot.

A supposedly 14 year old character is assaulted for over three minutes complete with needless touches like the character’s hand being covered in blood to indicate that she was a virgin. This movie is sick but not in the way that a horror movie should be. In the way that a movie would be sick when made by a pervert that wants to bring their sick fantasies to life.

Disturbing For All The Wrong Reasons

The thing that is really disturbing about Megan is Missing. Is that an old man was allowed to assemble a skeleton production crew. Give jobs to a bunch of non-actor minors, and demand that they talk about childhood abuse, depict graphic scenes of sexual assault, wear next to nothing while strapped in to BDSM torture devices, and have cold water thrown on them while wearing only underwear.

“What makes it even worse is that both girls have related the trauma of this shoot and how difficult it was. Trauma that comes purely from an old man wanting his scenes of child abuse to be exactly how he had envisioned them in his mind.”

Megan is Missing frequently goes beyond what is required to tell a story. On top of that, Goi goes out of his way to present these characters in an overtly sexual manner, attempting to numb the viewer’s sense of sympathy. None of these elements add anything to the movie.

What makes it even worse is that both girls have related the trauma of this shoot and how difficult it was. Trauma that comes purely from an old man wanting his scenes of child abuse to be exactly how he had envisioned them in his mind.

The New Zealand Film Board banned Megan is Missing saying “It relished in the spectacle of one girl’s ordeal. Including a three-minute r**e scene”. While also claiming it sexualised the lives of young teenage girls. In fact, to a “highly exploitative degree”. Something I think is 10,000% true. Goi glorifies the horrifying abuse that takes place here. Relishing it in fact, and taking it much too far. Fuck Michael Goi and fuck his shit hole film.

There will be no “where to watch” section on this review. I would never want to direct people to this film.

Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight

Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.

A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.

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