Film Review: The Muppets

One dark cold Saturday night deep in the north east of England, a brave grey haired irish man braved the bitter wind and ice to attend his local multiplex.  His film of choice….The Muppets.

All seemed to be going well. No traffic, Short queues. Coffee machine still serving.  Everything was falling into place.  The lights of Screen 5 dimmed and the familiar DCM logo appeared, but something was different.  The screen was dotted with bright blues and yellows.  Ray Winston discussed his love for cinema shrouded in blue pixels.   Was this a re-release of the horrendous Avatar.  Had big Jim Cameron finally pushed 3D so far it killed the Muppets?  A member of staff popped in to inform the confused audience of technical difficulties.  The film would air in 5 minutes.  5 minutes passed.  No kermet and friends.  Another member of staff popped in and disclosed it would be another 10 minutes.  In a world where film projection is a thing of the past, the fate of the Muppets lay in the hands of a computer.  Suddenly the screen lit up and it began.

What followed was a tour de force of nostalgia, classic childrens entertainment and puppet action.  Jason Segal plays Gary, a regular guy from Smalltown USA who just happens to have a puppet brother named Walter.  Like many children who have grown up in the 80’s and 90’s the two have a strong bond with the muppets.  In the build up to Gary’s and his girlfriend Mary’s (Adams) anniversary  Gary has arranged a trip to LA.  Out of sympathy for his misfit brother, Gary decides to take Walter to see the shrine to his heroes that is the Muppets studio tour.  It is soon obvious that all is not well in muppetland, the studio is abandoned and forgotten much like its stars.  The world has moved on, the muppets are a thing of the past.  An evil texas oil man plots to take over the studio unless Kermet can get the band back together and put on one hell of a comeback.

Within the first 5 minutes The Muppets does a fantastic job of pulling on the heartstrings of any viewer old enough to have seen them in their prime.  The opening musical number is beautifully written and reminds the world of how touching and entertaining a bunch of characters with hands up their backsides can be.  The main strength of the film is its nostalgia.  It doesn’t try to be cool or updated, never abandoning its cheesy and corny roots, and instead it focuses on what has made these characters so loveable since their conception in Hensons workshop.  It is obvious that this is a love letter from Segal to the characters he has grown up loving.  In many ways the Muppets has more in common with The Artist than any other recent film as both are highlighting the beauty of cinema and near forgotten traditions in their purest form.  The Muppets, like silent films have not been forgotten.  If handled correctly they can work as well as they did all those years ago.  The story is by no means deep or meaningful, though the evil oil barron trying to take over the muppet studio is enough to get the action going.  When they deliver songs that are written so well all the simple plot fades into the background and the audience is reminded of the muppets when they were on top of their game.

Adams channels much of the talent and ‘Disney Princess’ like qualities she captured in Enchanted while Segal beams with childlike enthuasm throughout.  The two are not alone though as a string of celebrity cameos including Jack Black, Dave Ghorl, Neil Patrick Harris, Whoppie Goldberg and many more keep the mood at an all time high.

A fantastic return to form that will remind adults of their childhood and introduce kids to Kermet and his band of friends.  Strangly touching in places with a lot of heart and laughs.  The disgruntled and caffeine filled Irishman exited the cinema with teary eyes.  Reminded of how good cinema can be.  No 3D, No explosions and No potty humour needed.  The muppets had given him the third best gift in life….laughter.