Review of Under the Sand (2001) by Rahul P — 16 Jun 2012

Fans of 'Spoorloos' can afford to give 'Sous le sable' a miss.

Ozon's 'Sous le sable' which translates roughly to 'Under the sand' is the story of Marie, a woman living in denial, after her husband goes missing in the sea while she is sunbathing.

Marie wakes up from her novel mid way to find an empty beach with her husband nowhere in sight. She runs to a nude couple far away. No. They haven't seen him either. The coast guards, police? No. Marie's husband Jean goes missing just like that from their weekend holiday without even leaving a body or a letter behind, reason enough for Marie to assume he is still around.

Marie goes home in the evenings to an empty house where she imagines Jean sitting beside her on the couch. She cooks meals for him, talks to him. When a friend of a friend lands a unsuspecting kiss, Marie feels guilty. What would her imaginary Jean think? Would he feel jealous?

'Spoorloos' released 12 years before 'Sous le sable' deals with a vanishing as well. The subject in question is a young dutch woman who goes to buy drinks while her husband and his car wait and refill in the gas station outside. She never returns and Rex, the poor hubby spends the next three years searching for her. A happy cheerful wife who goes shopping, where does a thing like that vanish? There is no note, no body and no ransom calls here too. Plain missing. And Rex isn't one of us who would be delighted that the Mrs has fled the scene. He is in love and is sure that something unspeakably macabre has happened to his wife. And he needs his answers.

Which movie would you watch. Come on.

The obvious ballsy choice is 'Spoorloos'. No?

Rating ('Sous le sable') - 3 Stars.

Good.