History Film / MissingLink

The film tells the story of the Man-apes (''Australopithecus robustus'') that co-existed with our ancestors and how they were displaced and ultimately pushed to extinction.

* TheBadGuyWins: TruthInTelevision. Of course, the early humans (like the ones who kill the Man-Ape's family) will go on to become Earth's dominant species, and the Man-Ape is doomed to extinction.

* DumbIsGood: The Man-Ape is presented as a gentle but not particularly intelligent creature, contrasted with clearly brighter, but also more vicious humans.

* LastOfHisKind: The Man-Ape after his entire tribe is killed by humans. Not only is he the last of his tribe, but he's also probably the last of his whole species.

Not to be confused with the [[WesternAnimation/TheMissingLink 1980 Picha film]] and the [[{{WesternAnimation/MissingLink}} 2019 Laika film]].

* TheSpeechless: The Man-ape doesn’t speak and the only noises he makes are very basic vocalizations.

Not to be confused with the [[Animation/TheMissingLink 1980 Picha film]] and the [[{{WesternAnimation/MissingLink}} 2019 Laika film]].

* DumbIsGood: The Man-Ape is presented as a gentle creature, contrasted with clearly brighter, but also more vicious humans.

* LastOfHisKind: The Man-Ape after his entire tribe is killed by humans.

* SparedButNotForgiven: When the Man-Ape realises that the axe he has carried is a weapon he begins attacking human footprints in the sand, suggesting he wants revenge before he relents, throwing the axe into the sea.

* TheAloner: The Man-Ape becomes this after discovering that his entire family has been murdered by humans, he travels across the African savannah and beyond in search of a companion but never finds one.

* DownerEnding: The Man-Ape is left as the last of his kind, mournfully watching the sunset as he sits on the beach, his species destined to disappear when he dies.

* HigherUnderstandingThroughDrugs: The Man-Ape eats a hallucinogenic plant which causes him to realise the axe he has been carrying with him is a weapon (this could be a reference to the Stoned Ape Theory, a hypothesis that consumption of hallucinogens helped early humans in developing the ability to conceptualize and abstract thinking).

* SpeculativeDocumentary: The film is a speculative look at how Australopithecus went extinct and how the last individual may have lived out its life.

* HigherUnderstandingThroughDrugs: The Man-Ape eats a hallucinogenic plant which causes him to realise the axe he has been carrying with him is a weapon (this could be a reference to the Stoned Ape Theory).

* SparedButNotForgiven: When the Man-ape realises that the axe he has carried is a weapon he begins attacking human footprints in the sand, suggesting he wants revenge before he relents, throwing the axe into the sea.

* UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeMammals: Almost all the African animals are already evolved into familiar forms, the only exception is one creature that seems out of place… '[[LivingRelic the extinct Hominid]].''

* UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeMammals: Almost all the African animals are already evolved into familiar forms, the only exception is one creature that seems out of place… [[LivingRelic the extinct Hominid]].

A 1988 {{Adventure}} {{DocuDrama}} filmed in the style of a {{Nature Documentary}}, Starring Peter Elliot as the Man-Ape and narrated by Creator/MichaelGambon.

The film tells the story of the Man-apes (Australopithecus Robustus) that co-existed with our ancestors and how they were displaced and ultimately pushed to extinction.

* OneMillionBC: The film is set in Africa approximately 1 million years ago.

Not to be confused with the [[{{WesternAnimation/MissingLink}} 2019 Laika film]].

* UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeMammals: Almost all the African animals are already evolved into familiar forms, the only exception is one creature that seems out of place… the extinct Hominid that is the brink of extinction.

* UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeMammals: Almost all the African animals are already evolved into familiar forms, the only exception is one creature that seems out of place… the extinct Hominid.

* UsefulNotes/PrehistoricLifeMammals: almost all the African animals are already evolved into familiar forms, the only exception is the extinct Hominid “Ape Man”.

* SpeculativeDocumentary: The film is a speculative look at how the last Australopithecus may have lived out its life.

* GreenAesop: The movie’s environmental message is about the tragedy of extinction, the closing text summaries by saying:

* DownerEnding: The Man-Ape is left as the last of his kind, mournfully watching the sunset as he sits on the beach, his species doomed to extinction when he dies.

* OneMillionBC: The film is set in Africa 1 million years ago.

* SparedButNotForgiven: When the Man-ape realises that the axe he has carried is a weapon he begins attacking human footprints in the sand, suggesting he wants revenge. When he appears to be considering it he stops and then throws the axe into the sea, seemingly giving up on the idea revenge.

* SpeculativeDocumentary: The film is a speculative look at how the last Australopithecus Robustus may have lived out its life.

* DownerEnding: The Man-Ape is left as the last of his kind, mournfully watching the sunset as he sits on the beach, doomed to extinction.

* SparedButNotForgiven: When the Man-ape realises that the axe he has carried is a weapon he begins attacking human footprints in the sand, suggesting he wants revenge. When he appears to be considering it he stops and then throws the axe into the sea, seemingly giving up on the idea revenge.