Chase Beecher- They've got another go to show. They've ordered a sequel. The studio thinks they're a viable franchise. Yes, friends, this is how the Muppets open their movie. Well, this movie. Yes, the Muppets.... again. No, that's not the name of the film.
"Muppets Most Wanted" is
the film's title. You will want to see it. Not only is it a funny madcap caper
following the Muppets on a worldwide tour of "The Muppet Show" it's a
tale of a pig and a frog,and another frog.
Our beloved Kermit is frognapped
and replaced by the world's number one frog and criminal, Constantine. He is a
dead ringer for Kermit. Almost. He has a mole on his upper lip that he paints
green and has a terrible 80's movie Russian movie villain accent. Constantine
is brilliantly performed by Matt Vogel, who is the MVP of this film. Of course,
The Muppets have not noticed Kermit has been replaced, all except Animal. ( no
one believes or understands him.)
Kermit ends up in a Russian gulag
ran by the ruthless Nadia (Tina Fey-- who can sing!) and filled with cameos.
(Seriously, don't blink during this film. You will miss a big star with a one
liner cameo.)
As the film paces on (at a
breakneck speed) more and more crimes are being committed at the same time and
place The Muppets are performing. (Berlin, Dublin, Spain) Ricky Gervais, who
plays Constantine's number two, and the evil little frog are committing and
stealing things galore. Gervais is hilarious as a tour manager for our fuzzy
group, who secretly is trying to frame them for all this mischief.
Ty Burrell as an Interpol agent,
and Sam (the American) Eagle as a CIA agent, join forces and bump heads the
entire film to find out "who did it." Burrell is great as an
Inspector Clouseau-type. Sam is great as a bird.
In the mean time, Piggy gets one
of her biggest dreams to come true: to sing a ballad with Celine Dion. (Which
I'm sure we will hear at the Oscars next year.) Rizzo and Robin walk away with
the biggest laughs in the film. (People applauded at my screening after hearing
his line.) More classic Muppet gags are
found and callbacks to their other movies are had too.
The film's climax takes place in
London and is suspenseful. It's the most action I've ever seen in a Muppet
movie. (Kermit dangling from a helicopter?! A wedding?! Fozzie poses as a
bearskin rug?!) The film ends happily and everyone is together again. Again.
This film is the funniest Muppet
film I have seen to date. 2011's " The Muppets" was funny and full of
nostalgia to remind people of these characters while introducing them to new
fans. Now that we have that out of the way, let's cut the Muppets loose and let
them do what they do best: put on a show. The rip roaring, laugh out load fest
is just under 2 hours, but it flies by.
Director James Bobin knows exactly
how to treat these characters as does screenwriter Nicholas Stoller. I consider
"The Great Muppet Caper" to be "the crown jewel" of Muppet
films. This comes very close. This film has Jim Henson's texture and feel all
over it. I wouldn't be surprised to learn he came back and made it himself.
If you're having doubts about
seeing this consider this: I was seated next to another blogger complaining
that Muppets were too "cute" and "not very funny" and he
didn't want to be there. By the film's second act he was laughing so hard he
was crying and snorting. That was not "cute."
I give it 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.
Now, hurry up. Go see it. They've made a sequel.
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