What is Megan Is Missing? The banned horror film TikTok is ‘traumatised’ over

An old horror film called Megan Is Missing is going viral again on TikTok, with users saying they’ve been left “traumatised” over “graphic” scenes.

The 2011 film has been banned in some countries, and was branded as “torture porn” when it was first released. But now, people online are sharing their experiences watching the film back again.

Seeing the title pop up everywhere has got people questioning what it is all about, and if the story is real. The film’s director has even taken to TikTok to post a trigger warning for people watching it again.

What is the horror film Megan Is Missing about?

Megan Is Missing tells the story of two teenage best friends, Megan Stewart (Rachel Quinn) and Amy Herman (Amber Perkins). They are both 14 and live in North Hollywood. After Megan starts talking to someone she met online, she goes missing. Amy is led down a path of trying to find her missing friend.

The film is written and directed by American filmmaker Michael Goi. Since Megan Is Missing, he has worked on other projects such as American Horror Story and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix.

Megan Is Missing was banned because of how graphic it is

The film received a lot of backlash after its release, because of the way it shows sexual violence against young girls. One of the most particularly graphic moments is the infamous “barrel scene” and in parts where horrific pictures come up on the screen.

On June 23rd, 2012, the Office of Film & Literature Classification released its annual report and effectively banned Megan Is Missing in New Zealand. The report said: “The DVD is classified as objectionable. The feature depicts sexual violence and sexual conduct involving young people to such an extent and degree, and in such a manner, that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good.

“Although an attempt has been made to present the material in the context of a cautionary tale, and there is additional interview footage that puts forward the notion that the feature could raise awareness of the vulnerability of teenage girls to sexual predators, the feature’s material is strongly prurient and exploitative. The film relishes the spectacle of one girl’s ordeal including a 3-minute real-time rape scene.”

Is Megan Is Missing a true story?

The film has gone viral mainly because it gives the impression that the story is true. The film is fictional, but tells the story through found footage from phones, webcams and photographs to make it look like it’s actually happening in front of you. It was marketed as being “based on a true story” but it isn’t – it was just able to say this as it can be loosely based on how girls talk to strangers online and other cases.

TikTok and Twitter users are reacting to the film and the director has posted a warning

One person said “It’s the most disturbing thing I’ve EVER watched” and warned others not to do the same. Other have said it’s left them not wanting to leave the house and say they wish they never watched it.

The film’s director, Michael Goi, has issued a trigger warning on TikTok, responding to the film going viral again. He has said he had heard from the film lead, Amber Perkins, that it was getting attention again.

He said: “I didn’t get to give you the customary warnings that I used to give people before they watched Megan Is Missing. They are: do not watch the movie in the middle of the night, do not watch the movie alone, and if you see the words ‘Photo Number one’ pop up on your screen, you have about four seconds to shut off the movie, if you’re already freaking out before you start seeing things that maybe you don’t want to see.” Photo number one is a particularly graphic image which is shown.

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