The charismatic Sir Lionel Frost considers himself to be the world's foremost investigator of myths and monsters. Trouble is, none of his small-minded, high-society peers seems to recognize this. H...
Missing Link safely adventures across the globe showcasing Laika's stunning craftsmanship. The love and admiration I share for this production company knows no bounds (as you may be well aware). They are able to turn even the most simplest of stories into idiosyncratic tales of outstanding beauty. Laika's latest efforts is consistently strong as their previous productions, albeit unfortunately their weakest. That's by no means a negative statement, especially when I uphold their masterful creations with the highest amount of gratitude possible. It's arguably more orientated towards a younger audience then let's say 'Kubo and the Two Strings' was, not appealing to me directly. Sir Lionel Frost, an adventurer who aspires to be one of the greats, sets off on an adventure to prove the existence of the Sasquatch, whom of which is quickly named Mr. Link.
A classic adventure story that harks back to cinematic pillars such as 'Raiders of the Lost Ark'. A journey of discovery and self-discovery, relinquishing the selfish personality within us all. A pleasant straightforward story that encounters various environments showcasing the exceptional talent of Laika's artists. Elaborate sets, from luscious jungles to mountainous tundras, are designed to pristine detail which enables the film itself to harness a unique quality. Both the landscape shots and character models were gorgeously crafted, as to be expected from this studio.
Director and writer Butler (of 'ParaNorman' fame) gives life to his characters through personable dialogue. The prim and proper Sir Lionel, voiced heavenly by Jackman, leads the expedition whilst the literal-thinking Mr. Link, voiced humorously by Galifianakis, tags along. Some silly antics here and there keeps the adventure exciting, it's just unfortunate that the dry humour was incredibly inconsistent. Several jokes and word plays failed to strike a chord with me and the audience I was with. Smiles were granted sure, but very few laughs to be had and that's due to Butler's screenplay trying too hard. The humour felt unnaturally forced for these characters, delivering uneven results. It needed to hit the mark more successfully in order to transform this simplistic adventure into an all-round journey. Unfortunately, it didn't quite achieve that.
The third act does however provide some unexpected thrills, particularly a sequence involving the characters dangling from a frozen bridge. Nail-biting stuff! I'm happy to report though that Laika's latest film is a high-quality animation. Whilst it may not harness the strongest of screenplays, the outstanding animation and bumbling characters made for a stupendously pleasant adventure. Please, go and support this film!
