In the age of Pixar, not all great animated movies are made by Pixar. The Missing Link, a Hugh Jackman-voiced adventure released theatrically by United Artists of all studios, is a smart, lively, and funny little film that refuses to pander to children.

About an uptight British explorer (Hugh Jackman) known and ostracized for his determination to prove mythical creatures exist, The Missing Link has him joining forces with a sasquatch (Zach Galifianakis) named Mr. Link—also known as Susan—to hunt down proof of yetis, because the existence of sasquatch is apparently not enough.

What ensues is a fairly typical adventure yarn heightened by fantastically witty writing and a willingness to be just edgy enough so as to cater to adults as well as to children. The movie has the look and feel of a big-budget animated romp, yet comes off as distinctively… well, distinct. Between the voice work and the clever dialogue, writer/director Chris Butler brings to life several enjoyable characters who deserve more attention than they ever will, given the film’s lackluster performance at the box office.

The Missing Link looks terrific as well; in fact, it’s probably the best looking stop-motion film ever made. I had to do some research just to make sure it was indeed a stop-motion film and not a fully animated movie meant to look like one, as it was incredibly hard to discern. The visual effects are incredible, the detail work impressive.

It is, truly, a shame that The Missing Link didn’t garner more attention in theaters—and subsequently will be overlooked on home video in favor of more popular fare. There is just something uniquely charming about this movie, a confidence you rarely see outside of a Disney production. As great as Toy Story 4 was, one could easily argue The Missing Link is the best animated movie of the year.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.