Missing Link Review

PG: Action/peril and some mild rude humor

Annapurna Pictures, Laika

1 Hr and 34 Minutes

Writer/Dir: Chris Butler

Voice Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, Zach Galifianakis, Timothy Olyphant, David Walliams, Emma Thompson, Matt Lucas, Ching Valdes-Aran, Stephen Fry, Amrita Acharia

The charismatic Sir Lionel Frost considers himself to be the world's foremost investigator of myths and monsters. The trouble is none of his small-minded high-society peers seems to recognize this. Sir Lionel's last chance for acceptance by the adventuring elite rests on traveling to America's Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of a legendary creature. A living remnant of Man's primitive ancestry. The Missing Link.

Ever since they stepped out onto the screen over a decade ago, Laika has proven to be a masterful stop motion studio that creates beautiful works of art with each release. Despite your opinion upon a film’s story, you have to admit, no other studio crafts movies like them. Missing Link continues that streak. The animation is downright breathtakingly beautiful, which is nothing new for the studio. With each feature, Laika finds a way to give the film its own distinct art style within both the setting and the design of the characters. Take a look at the character models of all the central characters of their past features and, outside of the distinct shimmer of their pupils, none of them have the same exact physical attributes. That also applies to the barrage of characters in this film. None of the character models look the same here, so when a new character is introduced, it’s enthralling to see their appearance.

Paranorman followed a gothic aesthetic, Boxtrolls was quasi-steampunk and Kubo was downright Asian folklore. Missing Link goes for the swashbuckling angle with bright and kaleidoscopic visuals. I’m still amazed at how they can create worlds while playing with size and scale. Missing Link probably has the most location sets out of all Laika productions and I say that because of the ample amount of action sequences that the crew takes full advantage of. I just want to see the color script of the film because nearly each frame is such a beautiful piece of work.

This film is from the same writer/director as Paranorman (Chris Butler) and it shows through the similar sense of humor, which ranges from being light and silly to boldly mature, and the level of craft that goes with each sequence. The film is so visually stunning that at times it rivals the studio’s past features. It has a colorful pop art palette that is bright and vibrant, as if you’re in a Frank Francese watercolor painting. What I love most about Missing Link outside of its visuals has to be the action sequences and how significantly different they are from most modern animated features. Given how many modern animated films have fast-paced and frenetic movements, the animators brilliantly slow down the pace for a set piece’s benefit. Because of the action being so well-choreographed with slow kinetic movement, it allows you to get immersed into the setting a sequence takes place in.

Surprisingly, the film mostly focuses on Hugh Jackman’s character Sir Lionel Frost, a world renowned adventurer who prides himself with being the best at what he does. If you had the determination of Nigel Thornberry mixed with the attitude of Sherlock Holmes and the swashbuckling fighting spirit of Indiana Jones, then you got Lionel Frost. Hugh’s sophisticated vocal performance is convincing and alluring enough to make you forget that it’s Jackman doing the voice. The initial setup of the story is Sir Lionel being motivated to join the narrow-minded, and masculine explorers club and challenge the leader to find the legendary Sasquatch, for he received a letter of its whereabouts.

Zach Galifianakis shines as the titular character as he brings a calm and innocent performance. Once you meet the Missing Link himself, you instantly fall in love with him cause of his innocence, charm and lovable personality. Sad, lonely and isolated from the world, immediately you sympathize with the Missing Link as he makes his heartfelt plea to Lionel to explore the world to find his cousins, the Yetis. Along the way, the two collide with a widower/ex-flame of Lionel’s named Adelina (Saldana) who is also a very well-written character. Afterwards, the two steal a map belonging to her late husband and she finds her own self-determination to join their quest and help Link find his family. Where her character journeys to is truly the most bold and inspiring aspect the film has to offer. I love Zoe Saldana’s character and as a supporting role, her character is complex and breaks a mold you never see in films of this genre.

With Missing Link being Laika’s first film where the lead isn’t a child, they manage to maintain their magic. That said, it lacks the emotional core and bold story of their previous features (excluding The Boxtrolls). Not to pressure their works of storytelling, but when you’re following a masterpiece such as Kubo, I kind of expect that similar caliber of craftsmanship in the future.

You have two unlikely characters who both lack social skills and are unable to properly communicate with others. One is a self-centered man and the other is a gigantic creature who has a heart of gold. It’s a fun dynamic that leads to funny comedic moments but never delivers in the special LAIKA emotion where the growth and message run chills through your veins. The movie is called Missing Link and yet he plays a minor role in his own story. The story is mostly set on Lionel and his character arc of being less of a jerk and finding compassion. It has a message on toxic masculinity revolving around his character, which is progressive for this generation.

While it isn’t as bold or as profound as Paranorman or Kubo, Missing Link is still fun. Laika made their own Indiana Jones/Tomb Raider-like swashbuckling adventure story with this movie and it’s more action-packed and entertaining than you’d expect. Hell, it's far more exciting than the majority of adventure films that have come out in the last decade. I felt so immersed by the colors and the distinctive style and it never loses its charm. Also, it’s really damn funny. In regards to comedy, Laika always tends to fall short, but here it shines. The film is hilarious and had me bursting in laughter or chuckling every minute. I hate to do this, but in comparison with another great stop motion studio, Aardman, this plays the same way as their 2012 feature The Pirates: Band of Misfits. Bearing similar attributes where it lacks the emotional core of their film catalog, it still has the cleverness, fun and stunning animation to keep everyone entertained.

An issue I do have with this movie is the convenience of time. The trio goes up against a bounty hunter named Willard Stenk (played by a fun Timothy Olyphant) who follows them to each destination and always seems to catch up with them even long after he’s either defeated or finds himself a great distance away from our heroes. I tried to suspend my disbelief because he’s an assassin and assassins tend to show up when you least expect it, but there’s a point where he travels back to his employer in England while the three are still on their quest and then conveniently shows up where they are with no explanation other than the approach of the climax and the script calls for it.

Funny, charming, well-voiced and filled with brilliant action, Missing Link is yet another exceptional work of art from Laika. Whatever lacks of depth is made up with beautiful stop motion animation fun for the whole family.

Rating: 3.5/5 | 77%