The Muppets: Most Wanted is another very enjoyable film that is crippled by the success of its predecessor.
It is funny, entertaining, and filled with a few very enjoyable songs but plagued by the heights the previous Muppets film managed to reach. This may come as a disappointment to most, but people need to remember that it would have been almost impossible to recreate the wonderful film that Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller managed to bring us in 2011.
What The Muppets had, that this current film does not, going for it was the fact that they could base the majority of the plot around the nostalgia fans would experience by seeing their favorite talking frog, bear, and pig on screen again.
The Muppets: Most Wanted follows the gang attempting to take advantage of their recent comeback success by organizing a worldwide tour. Along the way, they become, unknowingly, embroiled in a heist, perpetuated by one of the most dangerous thieves around the world and shenanigans ensue.
Most of what you would suspect from a Muppet’s film is on display in their most recent adventure. There are plenty of celebrity cameos, catchy musical numbers, and simple, yet effective, humor along with some inside jokes for those who have some knowledge of film, or followed the production of the movie. Most of the time, this formula works wonderfully.
Where the film suffers most, however, is the limited number of characters who receive the majority of screen time.
Where the previous film was able to expertly revitalize our attachment to so many different characters, this movie is largely a Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and Walter affair. There are a few fresh faces featured in the film, but your personal preference is going to dictate how attached you become to them. For me, Tina Fey’s character was one of the least entertaining newcomers, while one of my favorite aspects was the revitalization of Sam The Eagle.
The Muppets: Most Wanted is not a perfect film. It will most likely disappoint anyone going in and expecting to see a repeat of 2011’s masterpiece. If you go in to the film with an open mind, though, I promise you will find the cost of your ticket, well spent. It’s an amusing, family film that manages to entertain without going for cheap laughs or, already, dated cultural references. See it, because, if for no other reason, it’s the Muppets!
Verdict: Two Thumbs Up
