Missing Link Movie Review, Missed Point

For me this is a tough review to write. I wanted to see Missing Link in theaters. I wanted to enjoy it. I missed out on both opportunities and caught it on demand at home. What happened to this movie? It looked so good, at least to me, in the commercials. The voice cast was quite star studded as well. Let’s delve in and find out what I think of this movie and possibly what happened to it in the end.

The plot is missing a few points

We drop into this story with Sir Lionel Frost in the year 1886. Frost is a struggling investigator of mythical creatures. The reason for this profession of choice is Sir Frost longing to join the “Society of Great Men” (The Society). The Society is led by Sir Frost’s adventuring rival, all great adventurers have one, Lord Piggot-Dunceby.

The first mythical creature we find Sir Frost, and his assistant, chasing is the Loch Ness Monster. This series of events is wild and fun and gives us an idea of what adventures could await us later in the movie. Unfortunately, that fun is over rather quick and never comes back.

Sir Frost receives a letter that claims to know the existence, and capable of proving it. This prompts Sir Frost to make a bet with Lord Piggot-Dunceby with the prize being acceptance into The Society. All Sir Frost must do is bring back proof of the elusive Sasquatch creature. Simple, huh?

Sir Frost sets off for the Pacific Northwest immediately and with him our adventure begins in earnest.

Our hero finds his goal rather quickly and is just as quickly the movie goes off the rails. A friendship of sorts is forged with the end goal now to get the Sasquatch, named “Mr. Link” to find the distant relatives, Yetis, in the Himalayas.

Unknown to Sir Frost, Lord Piggot-Dunceby has hired an assassin to make short work of this adventure by any means possible.

What ensues is more wild antics and unbelievable situations – as if it can get any wilder than a Sasquatch travelling across the world to meet up with his relatives.

Where the problems start

For me, I have to say it is the art style chosen for Missing Link’s characters. I just have a hard time settling in and letting go of reality enough to enjoy this movie. At first, I thought my problem was just the stop motion animation – which I have never been able to accept as well as I should (no idea why).

I figure it is a combination of the two – animation style and art style.

The story is interesting to me and something I wanted to enjoy. I love the crypto-zoological stuff. It is just a fascinating world that is “just out of reach” for us that carries a strong mysterious element. In today’s world where most information is a few clicks away, mystery is worth even more.

Missing charm

Missing Link missed the point, I think. I understand this is tuned more towards kids, but the studios forgot to add much, if anything, for the adults that are drug into these things. If you are expecting a Disney Pixar subtle poking here and there then forget it, don’t waste your time. If that stuff is in here, it flew completely over my head.

This movie just feels like a new take on Mr. Magoo of sorts. It has its funny moments but for the most part, it is just the portion of a story that is not as interesting as it probably should be.

Part of that problem stems from how Sir Frost reacts to things. He is not shaken or surprised by much. This makes Missing Link feel more like a secondhand tale than experiencing it for the first time.

When you factor in the reaction everyone else has in Missing Link versus Sir Frost then it is compounded many times over. It is just off putting at every turn.

Missing fluidity

Missing Link’s continuity is a little off as well. The series of events feel more like jumping to the next plot point more than travelling there. I get that they have a huge story to tell and only so many minutes to do it in. That makes me think there was quite a bit left on the cutting room floor to get the run time under a certain time limit.

This makes me wish they would have taken the time to rewrite portions to flow better or something. There are just so many points that it is a jump almost as bad as that one scene in Poltergeist where they allegedly downplayed Pizza Hut. Not quite that bad, these jumps are similar, and they happen more than once in Missing Link.

Missed opportunity

Before watching Missing Link, I could have told you this is going to probably end up being a “creature feature” series. Unfortunately, the way they developed this movie certainly removed any and all interest in that ever happening. Partly because of the fan response to what they created, also based on how it was presented.

Had they done this right I could easily see this being a multiple movie franchise and possibly a toy line and television series. Too bad they missed all that.
th (2).jpg
I cannot recommend this one to anyone honestly. If you are a fan of stop motion animation there are plenty of better offerings available. Missing Link just misses too many opportunities.