Review: Muppets Most Wanted

(or maybe The Muppets . . . Again!)

The Muppets returned to the big screen this past March 21 with Muppets Most Wanted, a direct sequel to The Muppets. The film has grossed over $69 million and had a budget of $50 million. 

This film begins at the "The End" firework titles at the end of The Muppets. As the Muppets break the fourth wall, the audience realizes that The Muppets film was indeed just that - a film. All the fans have gone (or never existed really as they were just extras) and the Muppets are left pondering what to do next. Perfect segue to a song, right?

We start with the really fun and Muppety sounding "We're Doing a Sequel." The song has clever lyrics, though sometimes they betray the characters. For instance, We're doing a sequel / We're back by popular demand - wait - didn't we just spend a whole movie saying the Muppets weren't popular and their fans (who turned out to be extras) saved the day? We're doing a sequel / That's what we do in Hollywood / And everybody knows that the sequel's never quite as good  - wait - did the Muppets just put themselves down? I get the parody here, but that seems like a set-up for failure, or perhaps an excuse for mediocrity (there's a pattern here, you'll see). Anywho, putting those things aside, and a few other lyrics that I find a little irksome, it's a great start to the film. We get Muppets singing, including Scooter and Rowlf, some great parodies of other films, and some really snazzy costumes! Things are going well, we're having fun right up until we get to the lines We're doing a sequel / It's more of the same. / Let's give it a name. / How 'bout The Muppets Again! and then we cut to the titles and its called Muppets Most Wanted. Wait, but didn't the gang just say it was called "The Muppets . . .Again," or did they not get the memo that the name was changed? Perhaps it was really difficult to edit out this song? It is a good one. Okay, we'll let you pass on this one, filmmakers. Good songs should stay.

So, after a rousing start, a bouncy song, and the shadowy escape of a criminal who bears a resemblance to Kermit, the Muppets meet with Dominic Badguy who suggests the Muppets do a world tour and he be their manager - effectively removing Kermit from the gang. Kermit appears almost as a bad guy here as he votes against the other Muppets to not go. The Muppets seem like giddy children who have no respect for Kermit or each other. Whoa, not cool. 

Now that the gang, except Kermit, has voted that Dominic be their manager and they go on a world tour, we get to see a Muppet vehicle that ranks well with Kermit's Bicycle, the hot air balloon, and Piggy's motorcycle - a train. I really love that Beauregard was driving the train, backwards nonetheless. I was hoping that would be a running gag. But alas, it was not. 

Now, I can't get much further in this review if I don't mention Constantine (performed by Matt Vogel). Constantine is our villian. A Kermit duplicate with a mole who is hilarious and spot on the entire film. His plot exposition song "I'm Number One" really tells us what makes this frog tick. He's nothing more than a selfish frog with plans to be rich (and probably famous, just like another frog) by being a criminal. Oh yeah, and he likes to see monkeys dance and things explode. Constantine is quite the opposite of Kermit in the sense that Kermit is the reluctant leader and Constantine is the only leader.

After a frustrated Kermit goes for a walk, suggested by Dominic with a convenient map of where to go, Kermit is ambushed by Constantine and taken to a Russian Gulag. Constantine can now run The Muppets world tour with Dominic. Let me digress for a moment, as I found the premise of the Muppets not noticing Kermit to be gone was once again betraying the characters. Okay, now for the digression: 

James Bobin says this about Kermit being replaced in the film, "You have to suspend disbelief and accept that The Muppets don’t know, and also not care that they don’t know. It’s an impossible situation, but it’s much funnier if you believe it. And if you do believe it, you’ll be fine with this film."

The problem I have with this idea is that I do care that the Muppets don't know. I care about these characters with all my heart. When something like Kermit being replaced happens, I care. Now, I know this has happened before in The Muppet Show when Kermit was almost replaced by an automated host (The Muppet Show episode 104) and a green pig (The Muppet Show episode 224), but even though the gang is initially fooled, they know something is up with their MC. In this film, it's just out of character for the Muppets to be so selfish, only care about their acts, and not notice that Kermit is gone. Except Animal, which was a very nice touch. End digression.

In the Gulag we are introduced to a number of cameos and Nadya, the prison guard. Nadya is played well by Tina Fey and even gets a song. However, this song doesn't really feature any Muppets and just introduces the Gulag. Other than that, it doesn't do much for the film. Nadya's character is treated like a character should be treated in a Muppet film, as a secondary character to the Muppets. She's funny, has a crush on Kermit, and knows every escape plan in the book (well, at least on Netflix). Although we do end up spending a little too much time in the Gulag. It seems like this was the answer to The Happiness Hotel in The Great Muppet Caper. But without the Muppets.

Speaking of human characters in Muppet films, we can't forget Jean Pierre Napoleon played by Ty Burrell. I really enjoyed the team-up of Jean and Sam Eagle. It was funny, appropriate, and fit well into the film. They even got a song together, "Interrogation Song." This song ended up being one of my favorites, especially the uncut version on the soundtrack. It's fun, features lots of Muppets, and helps move the film along. However, this song also has a betrayal moment to the Muppets. At the end, Sam sings, They couldn't, they're too stupid. Okay, have the Muppets ever called one another stupid? I think they are naive to the situation, which is where the humor lies. But they are not stupid.

In the meantime, the Muppets put on shows to adoring fans . . . or so we think. Once again, the characters are betrayed. Apparently, the Muppets are not popular, once again. Walter, who has a suspicion that Dominic and Constantine are not who they say they are, follows Dominic and witnesses him bribing people to go to the show and write good reviews. Okay, this is the third instance I have mentioned of this idea that the Muppets are not popular. Here's why it bothers me: The Muppets are popular but are being sold to audiences (in two films now) as if they are not popular. Will this lead to a self-fulfulling prophecy? The opening song confirms this, We got another go to show them we can do it all again! If the Muppets fall into the void as unpopular, it will because the current films are treating them as unpopular forgotten has-beens. 

So now Walter knows the scheme and Fozzie finally gets to knowing and Animal knew all along. Let's talk about Walter for a moment. Walter had a whole film to be introduced. In this film, he is rightfully placed as a supporting character. However, I do find it very hard to believe that Gonzo, Rowlf, and Scooter would not notice Kermit being gone. Instead, the character who helped bring the Muppets back from the void of unpopularity (or did he?) is the only one who has any suspicion, besides Animal. My point here is that the qualities that make the Muppets a family- love, respect, mutual admiration, teamwork -have been distilled into one character, leaving the others a little flat. However, I do have to say that many of the Muppets that were missing or that did not get enough screen time in The Muppets, take fine form here. There's even a nice little jab at the first film with Rizzo and Robin. Which, I admit, I gasped audibly in the theatre.

Rowlf: Walter quit the Muppets? We just did a whole movie where he joined the Muppets.
Floyd: We sure spent a lot of time on it.
Rizzo: I'll say! Maybe even at the expense of other long-standing, beloved Muppets. C'mon Robin!
Robin: (sighs) Coming.

So the Muppets finally realize something is up. Constantine breaks up the Muppets and Piggy is getting ready for her wedding. We get a great Miss Piggy song, "Something So Right." I really love this song. It was totally written for Piggy, she gets to star in it, and Rowlf gets to play the piano. Oh yeah, and Celine Dion is her fairy godmother. The tune is wonderfully written for the pig and includes some other great Muppets like Link, Scooter, Dr. Teeth, Lew, Beaker, Floyd, Pepe, and Rowlf. This is one of the best character development songs in the film. We get to really feel Piggy's pain as she wrestles with the prospect of getting married after all these years.

Let's skip ahead to the wedding. We get some great visual gags as Kermit tries to infiltrate the Tower of London and not get caught. A hilarious and very Muppety mirror gag stands out. Annie Sue appears here, as well as a gaggle of Muppets. Once it's been revealed that Constantine is the fake Kermit (pointed out pointlessy by Scooter), things get a little crazy and back to Muppet standards. Chaos ensues as Constantine tries to escape with Piggy as hostage! Another sub-plot is revealed! And now we get the Muppet ladder! The Muppet ladder? Yes, the Muppet ladder that was previously mentioned earlier in the film as something we all should know about. 

The Muppet ladder is probably one of the most visually pleasing scenes in the film. It captures the real heart of the characters, who really do care about each other. Contrary to previous indications. The gang pulls together in Muppet Caper fashion to stop the thieves. You know, like in this scene from The Great Muppet Caper:

The Muppets, in a final moment of clarity, stand together as a family and save the day! They really do care for each other (sorry, I had something in my eye). Nadya shows up to take Kermit back to the Gulag, but instead the Muppets band together. So instead of going to prison, the Muppets do one last act at the Gulag - the Gulag Finale. 

The Gulag Finale turns out to be a hilarious scene for the Muppets. Not so much for the humans (with some awful green screen editing). The Muppets sing, "Together Again," again. It's cute and is probably there to help create the bookends using the word "again" in the opening and closing songs, as well as for nostalgia purposes. Who doesn't want to leave the theatre feeling a good about the Muppets from their childhood?

Final Thoughts:
Overall, after much ranting, I really liked the film. It stands up well with the first three Muppet movies. However, it does betray the characters a few times and relies a little to heavily on the theatre format, which can be limiting (remember, every other Muppet film saw the characters interacting in the real world, not in the theatre setting). Hopefully, this attitude of the Muppets being unpopular will change and not be a self-fulfilling prophecy. But in the end, the characters return to true form and remind us what it means to be family and a Muppet.