The Muppets (2011)
Greg Says: If you liked the Muppet Movies, you’ll love “The Muppets”
Title: The Muppets (2011)
Rating: 7/10
Date: 4 December 2011
Recommendation: “Wait for the instant download”
Helpful: 0 out of 2 found this helpful.
Gary (Jason Segel, “How I Met Your Mother”) and Walter (a new Muppet voiced by Peter Linz) are brothers growing up in a small town. Gary grows but Walter stays the same size. Walter falls in love with the old “Muppet Show” and idolizes them. While Gary falls in love with Mary (Amy Adams, “Julie & Julia”). The three go on a trip to Hollywood to see the Muppet Theater where they learn that Tex Richman (Chris Cooper, “The Tempest”) wants to tear down the Muppet Theater to get at oil beneath the building. Walter, Gary, and Mary have just 48 hours to round up the old Muppets and put on marathon show to raise the 10 million dollars to save the theater. And we’re off. . .
If you’re a fan of the original “Muppet Show” or the Muppet movies, then you’re going to enjoy “The Muppets.” The story is a cross between an old Mickey Rooney and Julie Garland film (“Hey kids, let’s put on a show”) and “The Blues Brothers” (“Hey, we’re getting the band back together”). The plot is thin and is mainly a vehicle for all the characters from the original show to come back to the stage and put on a show as we remember it.
There are a number of cameos (including Alan Arkin, Mickey Rooney, Jack Black, Sarah Silverberg, and more). There are tons of puns. And lots of inside jokes. One nice thing about the plot is that there are opportunities for growth for just about every major character. Everyone learns something about themselves.
The movie is rated PG for reasons I don’t understand. It is as clean cut as it gets. There may be some concern over explosions. But there is no swearing and nobody really gets hurt. Well, except the bad guy. I also noticed a complete absence of the Henson name in the movie (except a couple images of Jim Henson in pictures on the wall). Since Disney owns the Muppets I can see why this may be, however costumes were supplied by Jim Henson’s Creature shop.
This is a very good movie for older fans of the Muppets and a very nice introduction to the Muppets for a younger generation. But there is no reason to rush out and see it on the big screen. So, for a simple story told with love and affection for classic characters I recommend you “wait for the instant download.”