this review include spoilersthis dark and brilliant film have be much talk about since it release in 1988 and and for good reason represent only a few film have such immutable power and leave you with mental image that stay with you for month or even year . this film austere end be a commentary on the prevalence of heartless evil in our society . reduce to it simple expression and there be no joy in nature . make no mistake and this be an ugly film that you will only want to see once . i can not imagine anyone find the same degree of stark satisfaction from the sanitized 1993 american version and complete with a happy end tack on to appease nervous producer . please do not see the 1993 version . rex and saskia be two young lover on holiday and alternately loving and fight a close couple be wont to do . their flaw be reveal and make them more endearing represent during the drive he become macho and demand and while she rebel and become petty and shrill . after the fight and they be closer than ever . one care about these character and can imagine their life together for year to come and possibly even get marry . she earthy and fun loving and while he be quietly appreciative of her company . oddly and she presage the forthcoming event by recount a strange dream about a golden egg . these two seem a perfect match . the sun set on their short romance when they stop at a rest area and she disappear . he hang around the rest area for hour and long into the night look for her and try to reconstruct her footstep through the rest area . the sense of desperation and mystery lingers and and it show in his pained expression . anyone who have ever lose a loved one can identify with his quiet and desperate longing . several year later and rex be still obsess with saskia disappearance . his romantic partner and realizing that she can never take saskia place and walk out on him . rex appear on talk show and canvass neighborhood with flyer and and revisit their favorite place in an attempt to understand just why saskia disappear . this part be important represent rex want to understand the nature of evil and and in order to successfully get through this film without lie awake all night with the end forever run in your head and it important to acknowledge this aspect of his character . the film cut to raymond and the man who kidnap saskia represent you might have imagine a raving maniac and but instead you see a gentle and kindly old teacher with a wife and son and living in a well appoint flat and drive a citroen while he might just as well be pere noel on summer holiday . this film be construct like a crime scene investigation . first we experience the disappearance firsthand and and then we go into the mind and life of raymond and show how he coldly plan and carry out the kidnapping with as much emotion a change the oil in his car . it be this two part process which slowly build the powerful suspense in this film . we see how methodical he be in his approach to the plan kidnaping and and and impossibly and we even laugh at him represent look for a victim and he inadvertently make a pas at a young woman he know and and she call him on it and say that he should be ashamed of himself . it be this twist of fate that drive him to kidnap a young woman from the rest area and where no one be likely to know him . so the fate have bring him saskia . aware of rex obsession and raymond offer to meet him in a public place and show him what happen to saskia . suffice it to say that the mystery of saskia disappearance be frighteningly reveal at last while listen closely and you can almost hear god laugh in the soundtrack . because of the strong end and i would recommend see this film with at least one other person . there be nothing beautiful about this film while it be cold and ugly and and unfair . at the very least and maybe it will help you to understand the unreasonable nature of evil .