Netflix’s Hidden Horror Gem Has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes Score and Almost Nobody Is Talking About It

Netflix has no shortage of horror movies, but some of the most interesting ones are not the titles that appear at the top of the homepage. One movie that seems to have slipped through the cracks is Disappear Completely, a Mexican psychological horror film that has quietly built a strong reputation with critics. It may not have received the same attention as Netflix’s bigger horror releases, but its strange story and unsettling ideas make it worth checking out.

Directed by Luis Javier Henaine, Disappear Completely first premiered at Fantastic Fest in 2022 before eventually arriving on Netflix in April 2024. The movie did manage to enter Netflix’s top 10 most-watched titles in Mexico after its release, but it never became a major international hit. The movie also has a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making its lack of attention even more surprising.

The story centers on Santiago, played by Harold Torres, a crime photographer who makes money by taking pictures of disturbing accidents and crime scenes. His job puts him in some pretty awful situations, but things become much worse after he photographs a badly injured politician. Soon after that moment, Santiago becomes the target of a strange curse. One by one, his senses begin to disappear, turning his everyday life into a terrifying fight for survival.

What makes the idea especially disturbing is that Santiago does not lose everything at once. His senses slowly start failing, forcing him to deal with a new problem each time his body changes. He has to figure out what is happening and find a way to stop the curse before there is nothing left. At the same time, his personal life is already falling apart, including his difficult relationship with his pregnant girlfriend, Marce.

The movie also uses Mexican folk horror to make the curse feel more connected to the world around Santiago. Instead of treating witchcraft as something that only exists for a scary movie, Henaine wanted those ideas to feel believable and tied to Mexican culture. In an interview with Eye For Film, the director explained that he wanted to tell a personal story about ordinary problems while also keeping the supernatural side grounded. That balance gives the movie a different feeling from many familiar horror films.

Henaine also made some unusual technical choices to put viewers inside Santiago’s head. As his senses begin to disappear, the movie itself starts to change. The pacing becomes slower and the presentation becomes more personal, making the audience experience some of the confusion that Santiago is going through. The cinematography was also designed to resemble newspaper photography, using a 3:2 frame that fits the character’s job as a tabloid photographer.

The sound design becomes just as important. As Santiago’s hearing begins to disappear, the movie changes the way sound is presented, helping viewers understand his growing isolation. These details may sound small, but they are a big part of why the film stands out. Rather than simply showing a character becoming weaker, Disappear Completely tries to make the audience feel that process with him.

Torres also carries much of the movie with his performance. As Santiago loses the ability to communicate normally, the actor has to rely more heavily on his face and body to show what the character is thinking. Critics have praised that performance because the movie could easily have turned into a simple supernatural thriller, but Torres gives the story a more human side.

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