![]() ![]() Unlike his fellow prisoners - such as Doctor Cockroaches constant escape plans and B.O.B.'s lack of concern for his captivity - Link was more pessimistic and thought that there was never going to be any escape due to the monsters that have died imprisoned and the constant routine failures of Doctor Cockroach's escape plans. And also the Life Guard' ” ―Susan Murphy and The Missing Link ĭespite being one of the most fearsome monsters in his prime, The Missing Link grew older, surly and developed what appeared to be a beer-gut when captured due to his lack of exercise and activity in his imprisonment regimen. ![]() You hardly need an introduction you're the Missing Link! You personally carried off 250 co-eds off Cocoa Beach, and still had the strength to fight off the National Guard! Missing Link is charming and cute, but it is severely disappointing and hollow in comparison with anything the studio has thus delivered.“ Susan Murphy:And you. Stop-motion always has a tactility to it that is pleasing to the eye and this is no different, but the fluidity of motion is so well-executed, it doesn't appear nearly as handmade as it used to. The stop-motion is almost so fluid, it nearly is Pixar-esque. The animation is spectacular as usual, although I'd love to see more of that handmade feel in Laika's previous film. The narrative just kind of lackadaisically happens instead of feeling organically composed. This film doesn't even really tell a story. It is a very simple story, which may seem disappointing to some expecting Kubo levels of complexity, but simple stories effectively told are often just as powerful. There is an appreciated edge to the humor of the film, a staple of Laika, but it never plumbs the depths of the audience's heart. And while Susan is charming, he is often sidelined in favor of the adventurer. There is no personality whatsoever in the film's lead character. The filmmakers had a simple story to tell but instead of telling it simply and elegantly with heart, they opt for a sitcom-esque pileup of comedic action sequences and highly dull characters. Favoring a standard cross country journey over the more thematic and intimate depth we've seen in Paranorman and Coraline, MIssing Link is an occasionally humorful but frustratingly dull film. It is deeply saddening to criticize a clear labor of love, but Missing Link is a significant step down from the narratives we've seen from the studio thus far. With that being said, it's still worth a watch on the big screen for any animation aficionado.Īfter the masterpiece that was Kubo and the Two Strings, it was perhaps unfair to expect the next Laika film to measure up. Missing Link is a cute, mostly harmless, mostly entertaining movie that just doesn't have the same ambitions and level of execution that previous Laika films have had. Laika was treading financial water with excellent movies, and anything "less than" seems like it could possibly tip the independent animation production company over for good. It's an amusing, lower tier animated movie for Laika, but I'm worried that there might not be more of these movies the way they're going at the box-office. ![]() The action set pieces, usually appearing at a regular clip with each new location change, are fun and have their clever moments, like a capsizing ship that reminded me of the spinning Inception hallway. From a visual standpoint, it's beautiful with vibrant colors and fluid animation that has become indistinguishable from CGI nowadays. There isn't a lot of depth here and, surprisingly, more crass jokes aimed at a younger audience than their earlier output. It's a sweet story but not fully emotionally engaging because the characters are fairly simplistic. It's a heartfelt buddy comedy about a Bigfoot creature (voiced by Zach Galfianakis) that seeks out mentorship from a dashing adventurer (Hugh Jackman). Missing Link is probably their least successful big screen effort yet, though that still means it's only perfectly fine rather than great-to-amazing. They've built up enough trust that I will see anything that they attach their name to. The stop-motion animation wizards at Laika have made some of the most charming and visually impressive movies of the last few years, including The Box Trolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, and ParaNorman. ![]()
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