User reviews

I wanted to love this movie, but it just didn't move me that much. The story in itself is very strong. It's about a group of anthropologists capturing a pygmies couple to England for scientific purposes. They treat the two as if they are not human, but some kind of link between man and ape. It's a painful story of an era in time in which western society thought itself to be superior over other races. The real savages are not the pygmy couple, but those that don't want to accept that they are just as human as themselves. It's also about how science can become dangerous when scientists lose their empathy for the persons they are testing and how that can lead to inhumane situations.

Like I said, it's definitely a strong subject for a movie. And apart from that, the settings are okay, the acting is strong and the dialogues really depict the scientific society of Britain in those days. I still had the feeling that something was missing. Its main character Docter Dudd ( Joseph Fiennes ) is too quickly transforming from heartless scientist to someone with heart for the pygmies couple. His partner in crime - clandestine animal smuggler Elena van den Ende ( Kristin Scott Thomas )- never really gets into the story and she's choosing sides way too quickly. And I think that there are some strange plot twists that just aren't that believable.

At the end, it's a good movie. Maybe not as good as it could've been. But for those with a heart for period pieces with an important message on colonialism in past days, it's good enough.

In 1870, in Central Africa, the expeditionary Professor Jamie Dodd (Joseph Fiennes) and his associate Elena Van Den Ende (Kristin Scott Thomas) kidnap a couple of pigmies, Toko (Lomama Boseki) and Likola (Cécile Bayiha), and bring them to Scotland for research. Professors Alexander Auchinleck (Iain Glen) and Fraser McBride (Hugh Bonneville) are studying the missing link with Professor Jamie Dodd, and they believe they Africans might be the connection between man and monkey. However, Jamie finds evidence of intelligence in the couple, but their partners do not want to destroy their theory, and they imprison Jamie and travel with the pigmies to present them to European intellectuals. Jamie unsuccessfully tries to bring them back to Africa, but he has serious problems with the civilized society.

"Man To Man" has an original screenplay, with a wonderful cinematography and magnificent performances and direction. Unfortunately, the story does not flow well. For example, the abrupt beginning, without a previous development of the characters or the situation is confused and gives the impression of an action film. When Jamie is discussing with Alexander and his sister about the destiny of Likola, there is an ellipsis without explanation for the attitude of these characters. The ambiguous character of Elena Van Den Ende is also confused, showing contradictory feelings. The music score is also very beautiful. The "civilized" attitudes of the white man with the pigmies are also very impressive. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Elo Perdido" ("The Missing Link")