Missing Link (2019)

[baumer]

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To begin my review, I'll quote the critics consensus from Rotten Tomatoes:

 

"Another beautifully animated triumph for Laika, Missing Link is a visual treat with lots of humor, plenty of heart, and even a little food for thought."

 

For me, this consensus was right on the money.

 

The film very well animated, and I'd say it's worth seeing in theaters for the technical marvel alone. The craft of every shot in this film really shines.

 

And I really appreciate this film, because I'm at a place where I can't really sit still without my thoughts going on unwanted tirades, and I was so invested in this film that my thoughts weren't able to bother me. That is the power of a film which emphasizes the cinematic language.

 

Now, just because I've given it an A doesn't mean it's perfect, and I think the main problem with this film lies within the narrative. The story that the film wants to tell is a passable story, but it doesn't feel distinct. It flows, but it doesn't snap. When watching the film, you can tell that more attention was given to the technical aspect than the narrative aspect.

 

That aside, I do believe this film has a unique place in Laika's legacy. If I were to rank the Laika films, I would rank this movie over Boxtrolls, but not above Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo--all three of which had just as much flair in the story as it did in the visuals.

 

So as Laika continues to evolve as a studio, I do hope they place just as much investment into the stories as they do in the visuals. If there's any lesson to be learned from this film's box office underperformance, that's probably what it is.

[MovieGuyKyle17]

While I feel the story could of been more, this is still a very fun and delightful film. I had a smile on my face while leaving. The animation is of course up to typical Laika standard which is great. Laika deserves so much better then the box office gives it. The fact this film is gonna struggle getting over 10m domestically during it's run is just sad. I mean Wonder Park made 42 million and that doesn't even scratch the surface quality wise compared to Missing Link. Even with this being one of the weaker outings, (This is more on The Boxtrolls spectrum for me) this is still a welcome edition to the Laika family.

Grade: B+