The Missing Lynx

Last updated
The Missing Lynx
El Lince Perdido poster.jpg
Spanish theatrical release poster
Directed byRaul Garcia
Manuel Sicilia
Written byRaul Garcia
Manuel Sicilia
Jose E. Machuca
Story byRaul Garcia
Manuel Sicilia
Produced by Antonio Banderas
Marcelino Almansa
Juan Molina
Manuel Cristobal
StarringAbraham Aguilar
Beatriz Berciano
Carlos del Pino
David García
Steven Hughes
Conchi López Rojo
Julio Núñez
Esperanza Pedreño
David Robles
CinematographyDavid Cabrera
Joaquín Catalá
Javier Fernández
Edited byClaudio Hernández
Nacho Ruiz Capillas
Music bySergio De La Puente
Production
companies
Canal Sur Televisión
Televisión de Galicia (TVG) S.A.
Etb (Euskal Telebista)
Televisión Pública de Canarias
7 Región de Murcia
Instituto de Ciencias y Artes Cinematográficas del Ministerio de Cultura
Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO)
Consejería de Cultura y Medio Ambiente de la Junta de Andalucía
Cajasol
Kandor Graphics
Perro Verde Films
Green Moon
YaYa! Films
Distributed by Filmax
Phase 4 Films (North America)
Release dates
  • September 29, 2008 (2008-09-29)(Animadrid)
  • December 25, 2008 (2008-12-25)(Spain)
Running time
100 minutes
CountriesUnited Kingdom
Spain
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish
Budget$6.5 million
Box office$1.4 million

The Missing Lynx (Spanish: El Lince perdido) is a 2008 animated adventure action comedy film produced by Spanish studios Kandor Graphics and YaYa! Films and producer Antonio Banderas. The film is directed by Raul Garcia and Manuel Sicilia, and written by them and Jose E. Machuca. It is presented by Banderas himself. With the film released in Spain on December 25, 2008 in Spanish, it was released in the United States on March 9, 2012 in English. The film is about a bunch of animals from Doñana National Park in Spain, trying to save other animals kidnapped by the bad guys. The movie takes place in the natural parks of Andalusia. The film was developed using servers supplied by Kandor. The Missing Lynx received mixed reviews from internet audience polls and it earned $1.4 million on a $6.5 million budget. The Missing Lynx was released on DVD in October 15, 2009 by Aurum Productions.

Contents

Plot

After one of his countless mishaps, Félix (Felix in the English version), a clumsy and unlucky Iberian lynx, is transported to the animal recovery shelter at the Doñana National Park, along with Beeea (Beeety in the English version), a daredevil goat, and Astarté, a brave falcon with an injured wing. However, the national park has undergone security measures while Félix was gone. Mysterious animal kidnappings have occurred at other national parks and animal preservations, which had caused the shelter to be turned into a prison-like structure, leading Félix's paranoid chameleon friend, Gus, to believe that their human caretakers are in a conspiracy to keep the animals locked up for experiments. While the others are skeptical of Gus' claims, a female lynx, Lincesa (Lynxette in the English version), is brought to the shelter; she and Félix begin to form an attraction to each other.

In the dead of night, the shelter is infiltrated by mercenaries led by Newmann, the self-titled "greatest hunter in the world", hired by an eccentric millionaire, Noé (Noah in the English version), who has created a sort of Noah's Ark for threatened species. Due to the antics of two bumbling mercenaries, Félix is able to escape from his cage and free his friends from the transport trucks, with the exception of Lincesa being hit with a sedative dart by Newmann. With some encouragement, Astarté is able to fly back to the shelter and set off the alarm, alerting the humans to their disappearance. Félix and his friends set out to find the kidnapped animals and stop Noé's plans, later accompanied by their mole friend, Rupert, who escaped from the ship. They enlist a pack of wolves to help them evade Newmann and the pursuing mercenaries, but the wolves are caught, along with a few other animals, and Félix starts to believe that it's his bad luck to blame for them being followed. They meet Diogenes, a vulture with a mission to clean the environment, who supplies the group with materials to build a makeshift transport to outrun the mercenaries. Félix however abandons the group to protect them from his bad luck.

On Noé's ship, Lincesa discovers that Noé has the ability to speak with animals. He tells her that he was once locked up in an insane asylum for claiming to talk with animals, but after being released, he used his communication skills to amass a large fortune (e.g., horses at the racetrack, moles finding oil pockets underground, fish guiding him to sunken treasure). His plan to collect endangered animals and bring them to an island refuge is his way of thanking them by saving them from extinction, for helping build his fortune. "What's the point in being free if you're not alive?", he tells Lincesa, but she turns his words on him saying, "What's the point in being alive if you're not free?" After hearing this and being reminded of how terrible it was for him to be locked up, Noé becomes disillusioned with his plan.

After Félix finds Rupert, who had mysteriously disappeared, it turns out that Rupert is responsible for Newmann and the mercenaries tracking them. After the events at the animal center, Noé implanted Rupert with a microchip and set him free in hopes of finding the escaped animals, in exchange for the safety of Rupert's family (moles aren't endangered, after all). Realizing that it's not his bad luck to blame, Félix returns to his friends in time to save them from being caught by Newmann. The hunter underestimates Félix, and this results in him being scratched in the face by the lynx. He becomes mad with rage at this, and attempts to fire a lethal shot at Félix, but is interrupted by a call from Noé, telling him to call off the hunt immediately. Further enraged, Newmann decides to take over the ship, lock Noé in a cage, and set up traps in the ship's hangar for Félix.

While Gus and Beeea free Noé from his cage, Newmann tries to draw Félix to him using Lincesa as bait. Unexpectedly, Newmann causes an explosion that starts to flood the ship, beginning an evacuation protocol of the caged animals. While fighting Newmann, Félix has an epiphany that, by holding on to the hunter, he will be prone to injury by his own traps, thanks to Félix's bad luck. This leads to Newmann seemingly crushed to death by a large trap. Félix, Lincesa, the animals, and Noé make it to safety in life rafts.

Afterwards, Felix and Lincesa have a cub, and have Gus present it to the other animals (à la Lion King). The film ends with the two incompetent mercenaries, now working for the shelter, arguing over whether they have seen the lynx before.

In a mid-credits scene, it is shown that Newmann actually survived his encounter at the ship, but now has a fear of cats.

Cast

Production

Antonio Banderas is the film's producer. Antonio Banderas.jpg
Antonio Banderas is the film's producer.

In March 2005, Raul Garcia and Manuel Sicilia were hired and set to write and direct The Missing Lynx. Jose E. Machuca co-wrote the script for the film. Antonio Banderas, Marcelino Almansa, Juan Molina and Manuel Cristobal produced the film with the budget of $6,500,000 for release in 2008. Abraham Aguilar, Beatriz Berciano, Carlos del Pino, David García, Steven Hughes, Conchi López Rojo, Julio Núñez, Esperanza Pedreño and David Robles joined the film in 2006. Sergio De La Puente composed the music for the film. Development and storyboarding of the film was completed in Madrid, Spain. Production then moved to London, England for the final phases of animation, lighting, color and production in order to maximize tax credits offered to foreign film projects in the United Kingdom. On September 22, Aurum Productions and Phase 4 Films acquired distribution rights to the film.

Release

The film was theatrically released on December 25, 2008 by Aurum Productions and Phase 4 Films and was released on DVD in October 15, 2009 by Aurum Productions.

Reception

The Missing Lynx received mixed reviews from internet audience polls. As of February 2013, it holds an average rating of 5.2 out of 10 in Internet Movie Database. [1] 45% of moviegoers on Rotten Tomatoes enjoyed the film. [2]

Music

The film's score was composed by Sergio de la Puente. The soundtrack also contains "Not My Day", performed by Yuri Mendez and "Space Between Bodies", performed by the Spanish rock band We Are Balboa.

Awards

Animacor - International Animation Festival, Spain 2008
AwardNominee
Special MentionWon
Goya Awards 2009
AwardCategoryNominee
Goya Best Animation Film (Mejor Película de Animación)Won
San Diego Latino Film Festival 2009
AwardCategoryNominee
Jury AwardBest FilmWon

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lynx</span> Genus of medium-sized wild cats

A lynx is any of the four extant species within the medium-sized wild cat genus Lynx. The name originated in Middle English via Latin from the Greek word lynx, derived from the Indo-European root *leuk-, in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pet adoption</span> Adoption of pets that have been abandoned by previous owners

Pet adoption is the process of transferring responsibility for a pet that was previously owned by another party. Common sources for adoptable pets are animal shelters, rescue groups, or other pet owners. Some organizations give adopters ownership of the pet, while others use a guardianship model wherein the organization retains some control over the animal's future use or care.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gaspar Noé</span> Argentine director, screenwriter, cinematographer and film producer

Gaspar Noé is an Argentine filmmaker based in Paris, France. He is the son of Argentine painter, writer, and intellectual Luis Felipe Noé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black cat</span> Domestic cat with black fur

A black cat is a domestic cat with black fur that may be a specific breed, or a common domestic cat of no particular or mixed breed. All-black fur pigmentation is slightly more prevalent in male cats than female cats. Most black cats have golden irises due to their high melanin pigment content. Black cats are the subject of myth, legend, and superstition. They are often associated with witches and bad luck in European folklore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angra do Heroísmo</span> Municipality in Azores, Portugal

Angra do Heroísmo, or simply Angra, is a city and municipality on Terceira Island, Portugal, and one of the three capital cities of the Azores. Founded in 1478, Angra was historically the most important city in the Azores, as seat of the Bishop of the Azores, government entities, and having previously served as the capital city of Portugal during the Liberal Wars. The population in 2011 was 35,402, in an area of 239.00 km2. It was classified as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castaway</span> Person who is cast adrift or ashore, usually in a shipwreck

A castaway is a person who is cast adrift or ashore. While the situation usually happens after a shipwreck, some people voluntarily stay behind on a desert island, either to evade captors or the world in general. A person may also be left ashore as punishment (marooned).

<i>FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue</i> 1998 American film

FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue is a 1998 American animated fantasy adventure film. It is a direct-to-video sequel to FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992). It was produced by Wild Brain Productions and distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment through the CBS/Fox Video Label. It was directed by Phil Robinson & Dave Marshall and written by Chris Fink and Richard Tulloch. None of the actors from the first movie reprise their roles, the film features a new voice cast, including Laura Erlich, Harry Joseph, Gary Martin, Matt K. Miller, Digory Oaks and Westin Peace.

<i>Buddy</i> (1997 film) 1997 film by Caroline Thompson

Buddy is a 1997 American biographical comedy-drama family film written and directed by Caroline Thompson, produced by Jim Henson Pictures and American Zoetrope, and released by Columbia Pictures on June 6, 1997. It starred Rene Russo as Mrs. Gertrude "Trudy" Lintz and Robbie Coltrane as her husband.

<i>Asterix and Cleopatra</i> (film) 1968 French film

Asterix and Cleopatra is a 1968 Belgian–French animated comedy film; it is the second Asterix adventure to be made into a feature film. Overseen by Asterix creators Goscinny and Uderzo, the film is noticeably more well-produced than its predecessor, featuring far more detailed animation and a more polished soundtrack.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ship's cat</span> Cat that lives aboard a ship at sea

The ship's cat has been a common feature on many trading, exploration, and naval ships dating to ancient times. Cats have been brought on ships for many reasons, most importantly to control rodents. Vermin aboard a ship can cause damage to ropes, woodwork, and more recently, electrical wiring. In addition, rodents threaten ships' stores, devour crews' foodstuff, and can cause economic damage to ships' cargo, such as grain. Vermin are also a source of disease, which is dangerous for ships that are at sea for long periods of time. Rat fleas are carriers of plague, and rats on ships were believed to be a primary vector of the Black Death.

La Secta was a religious cult-like stable that has existed in AAA since late 2005 under four different names.

<i>Noahs Ark</i> (2007 film) 2007 Argentine film

Noah's Ark is a 2007 Argentine-Italian animated comedy film directed by Juan Pablo Buscarini. Based on the biblical story of Noah's Ark, its story is told from the animals' point of view. The film tends to follow the traditional story, with the animals being anthropomorphic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan Varela</span> Spanish painter

Juan Varela is a biologist and Wildlife Artist. Born in Madrid where he studied Biology and obtained a master's degree with his studies on seabird behavior. Until 1980 he worked on seabird research in gull colonies off the African north coast. At the same time, he did scientific illustration for nature magazines and encyclopedias. He was the main illustrator of the Spanish well known nature film maker and writer Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente.

<i>Titanic: The Legend Goes On</i> 2000 Italian animated film by Camillo Teti

Titanic: The Legend Goes On, also released as Titanic: The Animated Movie, is a 2000 Italian animated musical film about the sinking of the RMS Titanic, written and directed by Camillo Teti.

<i>The Skin I Live In</i> 2011 film directed by Pedro Almodóvar

The Skin I Live In is a 2011 Spanish thriller and melodrama hybrid film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet and Roberto Álamo. It is based on Thierry Jonquet's 1984 novel Mygale, first published in French and then in English under the title Tarantula.

Sailors' superstitions are superstitions particular to sailors or mariners, and which traditionally have been common around the world. Some of these beliefs are popular superstitions, while others are better described as traditions, stories, folklore, tropes, myths, or legend.

<i>Justin and the Knights of Valour</i> 2013 Spanish film

Justin and the Knights of Valour is a 2013 animated fantasy film whose working title was Goleor: The Scales and the Sword. It is the story of a boy named Justin, who wants to become a knight like his grandfather Sir Roland. The film was produced, created, developed and animated by Kandor Graphics, the second of their two animated films. It was produced by Antonio Banderas, Marcelino Almansa, Kerry Fulton and Ralph Kamp, and written by Matthew Jacobs and Manuel Sicilia with music by Ilan Eshkeri. It was edited by Claudio Hernández and directed by Manuel Sicilia. Sony Pictures Entertainment distributed it in Spain, and Entertainment One in the United Kingdom.

<i>Big Bad Wolves</i> 2013 Israeli film

Big Bad Wolves is a 2013 Israeli black comedy horror-thriller film written and directed by Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado, produced by Tami Leon and by Moshe and Leon Edry through their United King Films banner. The film focuses on the story of three Israeli adults who abduct a young school teacher in order to torture and interrogate him about the murder and rape case of a young girl in the woods.

<i>Tommy and the Wildcat</i> 1998 Finnish film

Tommy and the Wildcat is a 1998 Finnish adventure family film directed by Raimo O. Niemi and Ville Suhonen, and starring Konsta Hietanen. It tells story about Tommy, the twelve-year-old boy, who tries to help a lynx named Leevi to survive in the wilderness.

References

  1. "The Missing Lynx". Amazon . Retrieved 2013-02-22.
  2. "The Missing Lynx". Flixster . Retrieved 2013-02-22.