They came to guard the light. But the darkness was already inside

The Vanishing (2025) is a chilling psychological thriller that reimagines the 2018 film of the same name with a darker, more mind-bending twist. Set once again on a remote, wind-lashed Scottish island, this new chapter dives deeper into madness, greed, and guilt—where isolation strips men of their morals, and the truth is as elusive as the sea mist that surrounds them.

The film follows three lighthouse keepers—Tomas (Cillian Murphy), the steadfast veteran haunted by loss; Eric (Barry Keoghan), a young recruit eager to prove himself; and Moran (David Thewlis), the cynical pragmatist—who arrive on Flannan Isle for a routine six-week shift. But days into their post, they discover a lifeboat washed ashore… with a dead man and a chest full of gold. And with that discovery, everything begins to unravel.

Paranoia creeps in. Strange lights appear on the horizon. A ship is seen circling the island—but never docking. One by one, the men begin to fray, consumed by distrust, hallucinations, and the creeping dread that something—or someone—is watching them. Is it guilt? Isolation? Or is the island hiding something more ancient, more malevolent, than they ever imagined?

Directed by Robert Eggers (The Lighthouse, The Northman), The Vanishing (2025) embraces a slow-burn, folk-horror atmosphere. Shot in stark black and gray palettes, the film evokes classic maritime dread and silent desperation. It's not a ghost story—but it feels like one. A haunting score of low drones and crashing waves keeps the tension taut, as reality and delusion blur.

This isn’t just a mystery about what happened. It’s about what happens to you when you're too far from rescue… and far too close to the truth.