The Muppets
Directed by James Bobin
Starring Jason Segel, Amy Adams, Chris Cooper, Rashida Jones, Jack Black, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, Scooter, Rowlf, Animal, and Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem.
Backstory
I never considered myself a big Muppets fan. Granted, I have fond memories of watching the Muppet Show when I was a kid and I adore the Muppet movies, but I’ve always found myself someone indifferent towards the franchise. But, when I started seeing the trailers and such for this new Muppet movie, something strange started happening. I started geeking out. Big time. With the holiday movie season quickly drawing to a close, I knew I had to go see it in theatres before time ran out. And I did!
Plot
The story follows the adventures of Walter, a Muppet-like person who is one of the biggest Muppet fans in the world. Finally, he, his human brother Gary and his girlfriend Mary are off to Los Angeles to see the fabled Muppet studios! But Walter is heartbroken to find the studio is in disrepair, and about to be sold to sleazy oilman Tex Richman so he can drill for the oil underneath. Not wanting to see this fate befall this treasured landmark, Walter tracks down Kermit the Frog to let him know what’s going on. Inspired, Kermit sets out to reunite the Muppets and hold a telethon to foil Tex’s plans. Will the Muppets get back together? Can they raise enough money? Will Walter finally find where he belongs?
What I Liked
This is an old-school Muppet movie. The Muppets are back on the big screen in fine form, doing what they do best. As with the classics, it is a musical, and the songs are very good and very hum-able. As with all the classic Muppet movies, there are some great surprise celebrity cameos along the way. Being a “Weird Al” Yankovic fan, I like that the climax is very reminiscent of UHF. And Amy Adams, as Mary, is once again on the top of my list of celebrity crushes.
What I Didn’t Like
The film kind of loses its way in the middle, as it can’t decide whether the focus should be on Walter’s journey of self-discovery or Kermit and his efforts to get the Muppets back together. And some gags, while hilarious, just kind of seem random and out of place.
Final Assessment
There’s nothing but good vibes from this film. I can’t tell if the vibes were from the film, or my childhood nostalgia, but who cares? It gave me the warm and fuzzies…and in the good way.