Parent reviews for Missing Link

I'm just gonna say it right now. This is one of the most brilliant films I have ever seen. This movie is chocked full of wit and charm and great writing. Every joke lands perfectly. But on top of that, the story and characters are great. The heart of the film comes from the relationship between its three leads and it is handled perfectly. I'm even gonna go so far as to say this might be my favorite Laika Pictures film. It feels weird saying that, too, as this is a pretty big departure from what they usually produce. Whereas their four previous films (Coraline, Paranorman, Boxtrolls and Kubo and the Two Strings. Felt like I had to point that out since only one of these actually succeeded at the box office) centered around kids in a dark environment, this film is centered around adults in an environment that, while scary in places, isn't quite as dark as what we're used to. But even so, it still lends its way to some genuine tension. The final climax to this film is one of the most intense I have ever seen, though the major standout moment for me is a scene that takes place on a ship. I won't spoil anything, but this sequence contains one of the most visually creative moments I have ever seen in film. On top of that, this movie also contains one of my favorite lines to come from a comedy. I won't spoil what it is, but it comes up near the end and it's so on the nose, it's kind of beautiful. All in all, I strongly recommend this one, and I really hope this becomes Laika's second successful film. It would be a tragedy to see this go down the same road as Boxtrolls and Kubo, you know, only really getting attention after its best animated feature nomination. (Well, okay, Paranorman did perform alright, though if what I've heard is correct, a film has to make at least twice its budget worldwide to be considered a success)

Though okay, if there's one thing I agree with the naysayers on, it's that no, I don't completely recommend this for young kids. And to be fair, I don't think this was intended for a young crowd. Keep in mind that film directors generally have no say in how their films are advertised. Even though the marketing may imply a young target demographic, that doesn't necessarily mean there was a young target demographic in mind. Ever wonder why most trailers for animated films are super misleading and often make them look dumber than they actually are? Because marketing teams don't respect kids and parents enough to trust them to see a film that's marketed as intelligent. And it saddens me to see reviews on this site that, well, kinda prove them right. I'd personally recommend this for an older crowd, but even then, there's nothing wrong with showing kids smart and mature writing every now and then granted you know what you're getting yourself into. Either way, I do kind of understand the frustration from the two reviewers before me, but don't blame the film makers. Blame the marketing team. The film makers had nothing to do with those marketing strategies.

So much violence and cringe-worthy. Hardly any good messages and I wish we had left the theater.

I came to this movie with high hopes given certain reviews but came away disappointed. The animation is fine (of its typed there is some humour, though of the English Public School type. But the problem is the storyline which seems to go everywhere and nowhere. I also thought that, although there is nothing objectionable, that kids would be bored by it as they simply would not get the humour, which is adult. Mildly amusing but a disappointment. Sorry!

It's a lovely funny story, it does have violence( fights in a bar and shooting guns ) so if your kid is easily scared, you should wait until he is older.

BEAUTIFUL adventure film with a simplistic story about belonging. My 7 and 11 year olds loved it, as did many of their friends. They've seen plenty of movies like Star Wars and Marvel movies to not be bothered so much by violence, and there's very little of it in this film by comparison. It's all kind of slapstick; the villains are buffoons and you never actually see anyone get shot. The story takes the characters on a journey across the world, each region stunningly depicted. The craftsmanship in this film is of the same caliber as the other Laika films and the story is lighter fare compared to the darker stories they've been known to tell. I think it appeals to a much wider audience, but with that comes more criticism that it may not be exactly to any one person's taste. Laika is not using the same formula as Pixar or Dreamworks, or much of any formula at all as far as I can tell. If your kids have never seen a gun on screen and you don't think they're ready for that, then you may want to prepare to have a discussion with them or wait a little longer. Otherwise, I wouldn't consider there to be anything inappropriate about this film for any age. There are good lessons about acceptance and belonging, and beyond that it's a masterpiece of stop motion filmmaking. The story was a bit too linear and lulled a bit for me but at least it wasn't a constant flow of pop culture references and it held together ok overall, so I'd give that part 3.5 stars; it's the visuals that send it over the top and my kids enjoyed it so much that I have to add another couple of stars. Even if Laika's movies never appeal to mainstream audiences, we need more of them!

I was very impressed by the positive, funny story- animation or tech is excellent and my children liked the adventure. My favorite part was that the female lead didn't need romance to complete her life- she went off on her own adventure.

This was a very good movie in spite of the heavy use of guns and hunting for sport. The main character wants to join a prestigious hunting/adventure club with a bunch of stuffy older men who turn out to be faking or embellishing their own stories for popularity. He is desperate to make a big find and prove himself. He starts out not caring at all about the wild animals or Yeti that he seeks. During the movie he has a change of heart when he realizes the Yet is smart and has feelings, he makes it his job to find the Yeti a home among his people. It doesn't go well and there is a lot of cruelty at the place he thinks he will fit in with others similar to him. They don't accept him and they barely escape from a terrible hunter in a scene that is a bit horrifying. The "bad" guy falls to his death and an icicle plunges into him as he falls. There is no blood but it's gruesome and it's apparent what's happening. My kids did not like this part. I really wish these movies wouldn't go overboard with the violence, we all get what's happening it doesn't have to be so overt. The stop motion animation was amazing, another win for Laika studios. They also brought us The Box Trolls, Kubo and the Two Strings and Coraline. All of these movies were good but were for older kids as there were heavy topics, cruelty, and violence. I usually bring my kids after I've researched the movie a bit and then we talk about it before and after. I always encourage them to talk about what age they felt the movie was for and what they liked and didn't like. We see every animated and G or PG movie that comes out. Once in a while I will bring them to a PG-13 if I've researched it a bit (although as you'll see with my Shazam review, I didn't check that out first in error) We love movies and even if they aren't great we love to discuss them and go over what we thought or what lessons were there.