rss feedThe Muppets: A Review
The brand new Muppets film, a musical comedy, was released in North America in late 2011, but will hit the rest of the world sometime early in 2012. The question many found lingering over the entire production was simply, can the muppets still be relevant and funny in the 2010s?
The answer is yes and no, but you’ll leave the cinema feeling the former more than the latter – this is because director James Bobin adopts the right, perhaps the only, approach. A star-studded cast includes Jason Segel and Amy Adams as the main human protagonists set against a suitably hammy performance from Chris Cooper as the villainous Tex Richman, but the main character is new ‘muppet’ Walter, the brother of Gary (Segel).
Set decades after the last significant muppets show, the original cast are separated and essentially forgotten – save for by the brothers, who still avidly watch the old shows on tape. Walter’s feelings of isolation in the human world and desire to be among his beloved muppets drive this musical adventure on its whirlwind path to finally meeting Kermit and the gang, via the abandoned muppet studio and the tensions Walter’s quest cause between Gary and Mary (Adams). Then the reunited muppets must embark on an adventure to raise $10 million in order to foil Richman (Cooper) in his plans to drill for oil under the old studio.
The plot, the twists and turns, the music, it’s all been done before; but the film acknowledges this, and this is one of the keys to its considerable critical acclaim. At various points the characters nod to the length and budget, and the fact it doesn’t take itself too seriously is a massive relief in the cheesier moments. But of course the main reason it ultimately proves to be so watchable is the abundance of charm and nostalgia that still exudes from the original cast; the new additions also shine.
The only point of confusion is that it’s clearly a children’s film yet aimed at the age group which remembers the muppets show from childhood, which makes it ideal for parents with children, but perhaps slightly offputting for adults who harbour fun memories of a pre-Disney muppets franchise. Nonetheless, despite the fact that it’s hardly ‘masterpiece’ material, its successes certainly outweigh its weaknesses.
