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It’s been more than a decade since Jim Henson’s Muppets last appeared in theaters (in 1999’s Muppets from Space)—and, for those of us who grew up with the singing, dancing, vaudevillian hand puppets, that’s much too long. Fortunately for us, long-time Muppets fan Jason Segel fought to bring them back to the big screen—and, after months of hype and build-up and absolutely hilarious parody trailers, the end result is a family-friendly film that will delight life-long fans while creating plenty of new ones.
The new Muppets movie introduces a new Muppet named Walter. Growing up in Smalltown with his brother, Gary (Segel), Walter was always different. It wasn’t until he discovered The Muppet Show that he found happiness and hope—and, ever since then, he’s been the Muppets’ number-one fan.
When Gary decides to take his girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), to Los Angeles to celebrate their tenth anniversary, he surprises Walter with a ticket of his own—so he can finally visit Muppet Studios. But instead of a bustling Hollywood attraction, the studios have become a rundown mess. And as Walter explores Kermit’s old office, he overhears evil oil tycoon Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) discussing his dastardly plot to tear down the studio and drill for oil.
Desperate to stop Richman, Gary, Mary, and Walter set out to find Kermit and convince him to get the gang back together for one last studio-saving show.
For those of us who grew up with Kermit, Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest, The Muppets is like a fun-filled family reunion. It’s entertaining to see where the years have taken each of the beloved characters. It makes perfect sense that, years after splitting up, Fozzie would end up in a rundown club in Reno, Animal would be forced to enter anger management, and Miss Piggy would edit a fashion magazine in Paris. But it’s even better to see them back together again, singing and dancing and performing the classics right along with their own Muppetized versions of popular songs (my personal favorite: a side-splitting Nirvana cover).
Diehard fans will spot a few moments that feel slightly less than Muppet-like—and, at times, it feels a little too self-aware. But the same old Muppet charm is still here—and the nostalgia alone makes it well worth the ticket price.
At the same time, though, The Muppets is about more than just nostalgia for us grown-ups. It’s also a fun movie for kids. Felt hand puppets may seem a bit old-fashioned—but, for kids who have been exposed to nothing but flashy 3D animation, they’re actually pretty new and different. And the characters are every bit as lovable—their antics every bit as silly—as they were back when we were kids.
So, with its mix of lovable characters, silly comedy, nostalgia, and quirky celebrity cameos, The Muppets is a singing, dancing spectacle—the kind of movie that both old fans and new ones can enjoy.
Blu-ray Review:
If you and your kids loved Disney’s latest incarnation of The Muppets, you won’t want to miss out on the film’s Wocka Wocka Value Pack Blu-ray release. It may contain just two discs, but they’re completely loaded with Muppets fun.
The disc’s special features were produced with the same kind of light-hearted tone that made the movie such a success. Whether you listen to the filmmaker commentary track or meet the characters in Scratching the Surface: A Hasty Examination of the Making of The Muppets (which, incidentally, isn’t nearly as “hasty” as it claims to be), you’ll be left with a strong feeling that people had a whole lot of fun while making this movie. You’ll find even more of the same easy-going silliness in A Little Screen Test on the Way to the Read-Through and The Longest Blooper Reel Ever Made (In Muppet History), a cute (and appropriately lengthy) feature that’s filled with bloopers, interviews, and other wackiness.
Fans of Chris Cooper’s villain Tex Richman will also want to check out the extended version of his song found in Explaining Evil: The Full Tex Richman Song. It’s just as bizarre as the original—but the extended version does help to explain a few plot points as they relate to his character. And, for even more cameos (featuring everyone from Billy Crystal to Danny Trejo), be sure to take a look at the deleted scenes.
Perhaps the best thing about the Wocka Wocka Value Pack, though, is the fact that it includes a code that allows you to download a digital copy of the film’s soundtrack. Whether you can’t stop singing the Oscar-winning song, “Man or Muppet,” or you still laugh until you cry every time you hear the Muppets’ barbershop version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (like I do), the soundtrack download alone makes it worth shelling out a few extra bucks for the special edition.
