Missing Link

1988 • 91 minutes

About this movie

He had no knowledge of fire. He had no need for weapons. He was the first man on Earth. He was the last of his kind. Breathtaking cinematography highlights this tale of a man’s loss of innocence as the last of a primitive species is pushed to extinction by the violent world of planet Earth, one million years B.C. (Original Title - Missing Link) - 1988 Universal City Studios, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Ratings and reviews

Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea in that this 90 minute movie has no dialogue and very little narration. Missing Link is an unusual film in that it blends elements of drama, documentary and avant-garde cinema. There is also very little action. Instead, the film is filled with extended, picturesque sequences reminiscent of the style often used in nature documentaries. The film follows the last of the man-apes - Australopithecus robustus - as he wanders through the wilderness after his tribe is slaughtered by aggressive humans who have invented the axe and learned to make use of fire. In many ways it's a sad tale as the last of the Australopithecus searches in vain for others of his own kind. Nonetheless, it's a thought provoking film with many underlying messages. Visually the film is amazing. This movie must have looked gorgeous on the big screen. The cinematography is bright and clear, with some stunning backdrops of deserts, grasslands and other beautiful parts of Namibia, Africa where it was filmed. We also get some compelling footage of the wildlife he observes. This is in a very different genre to other movies & is more akin to Koyaanisqatsi, Samsara or Baraka