Deeply Idiotic, Reflecting a Stunted World View
Added 9/6/2009
The philosophical premise is that we Humans are evil and violent, and this was first manifest when we genocidally exterminated our competitors some X Million Years Ago. And we should feel guilty about it. This is brought home (one might say "hammered" home) in a written closing statement. The movie delivers an injury to the viewer's moral worth and dignity; with the written moral, it adds an insult to the viewer's comprehension.
This movie could earn a second Star for the cinematography, visual compositions and depictions of the animal world. But while these are revelatory and stunningly beautiful, they are squandered on a misguided and brainlessly moralistic world view. The "misguided" aspect wouldn't have kept it from making it into DVD (many college students in America and Europe agree today with the movie's "original sin" theme), but I've got to guess the "brainlessly moralistic" part was severe enough to do so.
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A Wonderful Film that doesn't fit in any category
Added 1/20/2005
This is one of my favorite films. It grabs you and holds you down. It's very moving and makes you think. There is a little bit of the missing link in all of us. I tried forever to find a copy of it---finally I got it by talking a video store owner into selling me his--the only one I could find anywhere. This should be required viewing in high schools. Maybe we'd all think a little more before we did things. Excellent, fantastic, but, sadly, I think, most people wouldn't "get it".
I'd really love for this to be released on DVD.
3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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If you like physical anthropology, then you'll love this.
Added 6/26/2004
I first saw this movie when I was about 10 and I loved it. I've always been interested in evolution and early humans. "Missing Link" takes place in Africa, 1 Million years ago. There is a tribe of Australopithecus robustus living together (referred to as "the man-apes" in this film). The film focuses on one male robustus. He returns to his tribe to find them slaughtered, including his mate and child. He himself is attacked and left for dead by more advanced black humans (possibly Homo Erectus, who lived in Africa at the same time.) Now the last of his kind, the man-ape must find a new place to live and keep away from any of the Homo Erectus (who are constantly on the look-out for him). He has a very hard life afterwards, looking for food and water and nearly dying from heat stroke and dehydration. The film blends with some awesome nature scenes. After all, Africa 1 million years ago is not that different from the Africa of today. Parts of the movie are funny and some are sad. Australopithecus robustus was ultimately a dead-end in human evolution. At certain points in time, there were more than one species of humans living together. Nature had to make several attempts at human evolution; if nature only made one attempt and if it failed then there would be no humans today. Human evolution continued through Homo Erectus (like the ones in the film). Modern humans are descended from them.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Extremely Unusual and Insightful
Added 12/16/2000
I just chanced to see this movie several years ago and was blown away by it. Some of the nature scenes were so strange that I really was not sure they were real at first. It presents some very interesting ideas about humanity and also about drugs. I almost never care to see a movie more than once but have probably watched this one a dozen times. The actor who plays the "link" really had an opportunity to be creative and does a fantastic job of being nearly human.
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Interesting Concept for a Film
Added 9/30/1999
I caught this film late at night on t.v. It is completely different than what the cover suggests. However, it is interesting to see how a "one character" film can be pulled off. It is an often sad film, but the lonely "Link" (as I refer to him) had some amusing moments. Watch for the scene in which he eats berries and they have a bombastic gastrointestinal result! Not a bad film, just different.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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