The Muppets have a formula that works for all ages
The Muppets have always had a place in my heart. I grew up with the Muppets, back when Jim Henson was still alive and the Muppets had their own weekly show. While the Muppet franchise isn’t as strong as it once was, it might be possible to breathe new life into it.
Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” has an all star cast including Tina Fey as Nadya, a feisty prison guard, and Ty Burrell as Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon. The movie takes place across several places including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. The Muppets are entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine – the World’s Number One Criminal. Complicating matters is that Constantine is a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog.
The Muppets still have their magic. Fast paced songs and kid friendly humor dominate, but the movie is sure to please anyone who loved the Muppets when they were growing up.
The movie makes fun of spy movies, prison break movies and a plan to steal the Crown Jewels. None of the jokes are child inappropriate, but parents will see the humor as well.
Of course, it’s Disney, so there is the to be expected money grab. What surprised me is that it wasn’t ridiculous. A few product placements were thrown in, but it wasn’t over the top. What advertisements were done were more tongue in cheek style advertisements.
One thing missing from this installment was Jason Segal and Amy Adams. They truly made the Muppets shine. While Tina Fey was good, she really couldn’t compete and didn’t seem to have the same level of chemistry as the child-like Segal.
The puppeteers are still working their magic, and the script itself carries off three different stories equally well. One is Kermit in a Siberian Gulag. Another is his evil look-a-like touring with the Muppets. In the third, Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) partners with Muppet Sam the Eagle (voiced by Eric Jacobson) to hunt down the international jewel thief. Eventually, all three intersect and everything gets resolved.
The musical numbers are upbeat and fun, though a bit generic and not that memorable. However, the Muppets have been rocking since the 70s. There’s only so much they can do with them.
The Muppets feels like a kids movie aimed at grownups and fans of the Muppets will not be disappointed. All of the old favorites are there. The franchise is going on 35 years, but still manages to feel fresh.
Currently performing at number 2 at the box office, the Muppets prove they have a formula that works for all ages, from children all the way through adults. Muppet’s Most Wanted is worth the watch, due to an entertaining cast and an adherence to the style that made the Muppets famous. Watch the official Trailer below!
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