Mr. Link recruits explorer Sir Lionel Frost to help find his long-lost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with adventurer Adelina Fortnight, this trio of explorers travels the world to help their new friend.
Laika Studios has been making some of the most unique animated films audiences have seen for a decade now. Laika is a true stock motion/claymation studio and the art has only gotten better with each film. The four previous films have been met with immense critical acclaim and have resounded with audiences, but this has not reflected in the box office numbers. Through the financial struggles, Laika has continued to create films that the whole family can love and “Missing Link” is nothing short of what we are used to.
Hugh Jackman voices Sir Lionel Frost, who is an eccentric adventurer who explores the world to find mythical creatures. When he travels to the United States and discovers a mild-mannered sasquatch named Mr. Link (Zach Galifianakis), they travel across the world to find a new home for him while they are being tracked down by an infamous mercenary (Timothy Olyphant). Sir Frost and Mr. Link are well-realized characters that are interesting, memorable and have amazing chemistry. This story is spectacular and engaging from the very first scene. The wild adventure the two voyage on will have audiences on a rollercoaster ride they don’t want to get off of. We meet many side characters that are just as important and interesting in their own right voiced by Stephen Fry, Zoe Saldana, and Emma Thompson. “Missing Link” has many action scenes that are fully realized and exciting with every frame. The humor is amazing with hilarious and clever running gags and some adult jokes that had me laughing throughout the entire runtime. The movie has a ton of heart and balances all the other elements of the film beautifully and by the end of it left a huge smile on my face. Yes, “Missing Link” is predictable at moments and does fall into some common tropes of aminated family films but you almost ignore it because it is not enough to overwhelm the great elements of the film.
The claymation of “Missing Link” is jaw-dropping and visually appealing to the eye. The little details make you appreciate the art style and makes you want to see more of it. Director Chris Butler orchestrates grand set pieces sprinkled throughout the film that are illustrious and beautiful to where every frame is worthy of being put in a museum. Carter Burwell produces a dazzling score that is robust in ear candy that fits every scene is a great companion to the film. “Missing Link” is another technical marvel from Laika.
Jackman and Galifianakis lead an amazing voice cast that is just as great as the characters they voice. Laika continues to create marvelous animated features that rival their counterparts and “Missing Link” is one of my biggest recommendations.
Now available on Digital HD and on Blu-ray & DVD July 23rd
