REVIEW: “Missing Link”

REVIEW: “Missing Link”

April 12th, 2019

Martin Goodman

The first thing noticeable about this film is that its title is a clever play on words; the main character, originally called “Mr. Link”, is missing a home, a family, and his entire species. There is also a second meaning. Missing Link is an evolutionary (and revolutionary) link in the craft of stop-motion animation.

Before reviewing the film itself, mention must be made of the technology that makes stop-motion animation look like seamless CGI. Traditional stop-motion animation is a painstaking and protracted endeavor if one is making a feature length film.

Laika studio has augmented the process through the use of CGI programs and 3D printing, making Missing Link a unique entry in the annals of animation. Laika is no newcomer to stop-motion films; other entries include Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings, and Paranorman. Director Chris Butler (who also wrote the screenplay) also worked with Tim Burton on The Corpse Bride.

In order to catch all the nuances of the character’s expressions and reactions, Laika’s Prototype Director Brian McLean designed puppets whose highly stylized faces could be replaced up to 24 times per second; the final tally amounted to 106,000 faces printed for the characters.

Coraline, by comparison, used 20,000 faces, each one painted by hand. In order to complement these advanced character models, the set department built no less than 110 impressive sets featuring 65 separate locales. A mere twenty minutes into the movie, it seems like you’ve seen them all.

As for the film, Missing Link is a charming, if thin story in which adventurer and myth hunter Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) seeks to return the titular character (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) to his Yeti family’s address in Shangri-La, the Himalayas. The very discovery of this creature would cement his standing as a Great Man in the eyes of evolution disbeliever Lord Piggot-Dunceby (Stephen Fry) who lords it over a cadre of haughty Victorian naturalists. Frost, a rather shallow and selfish sort. actually cares more about this honor than he does about Susan, which the creature names itself despite being obviously male.

Spirited firebrand Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), a former paramour of Frost, makes the quest a trio. Fearless and blunt, Adelina comes to function as Frost’s conscience in a way that Jiminy Cricket might applaud. Her fire is needed, since Lord P-D has assigned assassin Willard Stenk (Timothy Oliphant) to ensure that Team Frost does not make it to Shangri-La.

They do, but Susan finds himself shunned by the Yeti Lord (Emma Thompson) as a “country cousin” and a “redneck”. Not only that, Lord P-D and Stenk show up to finish what they started. To avoid spoilers I’ll simply say that the film sets up what seems to be traditional expectations for its ending and then surprises the viewer. There’s also an opening the size of the Himalayas for a sequel.

The voice cast is exceptional. Hugh Jackman’s vocal affectations are a good match for Lionel Frost, a cultured character who is not always of good character. Timothy Oliphant as Stenk reprises every nasty black hat ever seen in western B-movies, and Emma Thompson’s chilly, dismissive performance as the Yeti Elder is outstanding. Zoe Saldana, who of late has been thriving in films like these, gives a fierce performance without managing to overplay Adelina. Finally, Zach Galifianakis owns the role of Susan. Often bemused, always taking things literally, and quick with a one-liner, Galifianakis is truly the star of this show. An aside: the name “Susan” was an improvisation by Zach during a recording session. Director Chris Butler found it hilarious and went with it. Jackman reportedly improvised back, “It suits you.”

The movie is not without faults; there is not much of a plot to speak of and the movie breezes by. While the animation is superb, during scenes when the characters move rapidly (as in the barfight scene between Frost and Stenk) the stop-motion process becomes more obvious than at other times. Susan’s “hair” calls to mind overlapping rubbery leaves. In some shots Susan resembles a pineapple with legs. For Team Frost, the journey to Shangri-La is long and involved, requiring many stops in different continents by train and boat travels, but Lord Piggot-Dunceby and his henchmen manage to intercept our adventurers there in record time. The final battle between Stenk, Frost, Adelina and Susan is highly improbable, but is at least exciting, edge-of-the-seat action.

The final verdict: A triumph for Laika. Despite somewhat weak storytelling, Missing Link scores on its acting performances and groundbreaking advances in stop-motion animation. This Hillsboro, Oregon outfit already has four films that were nominated for Academy Awards, and if Missing Link is any indication, there are more good times ahead.