Director: James Bobin
Original Release: 2014
Choice: Our Girl's
My Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5
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| via Muppet Wiki |
Fresh off the set of their last film, our furry, felted friends set off on a world tour at the urging of sketchy promoter, Dominick Badguy (Ricky Gervais). Dominick is actually an international thief who goes by the name of "The Lemur." He is in cahoots with Constantine, an even more notorious criminal who has just escaped from a Siberian gulag and happens to look just like Kermit the Frog apart from a black mole on his face. Constantine pulls a switcheroo and sends Kermie off to the tundra while he takes over the variety show. Naturally, Constantine and Dominick are planning a major heist which requires extensive European train travel.
The previous movie in the series, entitled simply The Muppets, earned high praise for recapturing the spirit of the franchise. But I actually think this latest offering did a better job of it. The act which toured Europe had the crazy, edge-of-disaster feel of the old show and there were numerous homages to the first three films. There were even a few clips from the original TV series. Just hearing Jim Henson's voice again was transporting for this sentimental fool. The human cast, led by Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey, was well into the spirit of the affair. Musical highlights include "The Muppet Show Theme" performed in Spanish and "Together Again," a reworking of the song from The Muppets Take Manhattan.
I am biased. I'd likely give a Muppet movie a 4 even if it were terrible. Even so, I think this one's well worth the trouble. Neither the Muppets nor Sesame Street will ever be the same as the Henson days again but I'm happy to see the spirit live on. The movie has been a box office disappointment so who knows if we can expect more in the coming years?
The Muppet movie brings back good memories of the kids growing up. Glad the new one is good. Thanks for the recommendation, Armchair.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure.
DeleteWait, this one didn't do well in the theater? My kids loved it!
ReplyDelete(I haven't been able to go see it, but my kids went with their grandparents and that it was the best thing since chocolate cake.)
The Disney overlords were disappointed. $63 million sure seems like a lot of money to me but it is unlikely to come anywhere near the $165 million of its predecessor.
DeleteI had no idea this movie didn't do well. I sure hope they keep making them because I'm tired of people being completely ignorant of this brilliant franchise. I'm biased too, but I still love everything Muppet.
ReplyDeleteMaybe more time between movies would be good, though. I wonder if the last one did better simply because it had been so long since the previous film - 12 years instead of just 3.
DeleteI too have such good memories of the Muppets.
ReplyDeleteWe bought the complete TV series, on DVD (bummer) many many years ago. We watched them all the time.
cheers, parsnip
The old shows are still the very best. Sesame Street was at its best in the '70s, too.
DeleteWe were hoping to catch this in the theater and I think now even more so with this endorsement. I particularly like:
ReplyDelete'I actually think this latest offering did a better job of it. The act which toured Europe had the crazy, edge-of-disaster feel of the old show'
Let me know what you think!
DeleteMay write up a post when we catch it.
DeleteCool.
DeleteI've watched it with the kids. Had enjoyable time, too!
ReplyDeleteYup, good family fun.
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