The Muppets Review

• 29th Jan 2012

Mahna mahna, do doo be-do-do, mahna mahna, do do-do do, mahna mahna, do doo be-do-do be-do-do be-do-do be-do-do-doodle do do do-doo do.

You are welcome for that now being stuck in your head for at least the next three days. To be honest as the marketing campaign for the new Muppets movie kicks in you’ll find it popping into your mind all the time soon.

So they’re back. As all of us of a certain age understand the wonder that are the Muppets, before that time of CGI, computer created characters and films we reference as “not as good as they used to be”, are the epitome of pure innocent enjoyment. Those funny looking singing characters that made us so happy as a kid. Even that self-righteous whiney one, Kermit, holds a place in your heart. Which Muppet are you? I know you have spent a fare amount of time contemplating this.

But times have moved on and the premise of a Muppet movie on paper can only be considered dated. Will it appeal to the jaded, computer generated knowledgeable youth of today? Will Disney destroy all that was good with them as they try to appeal to new audiences and cater to what they think audiences want from a film nowadays? Thank f*** the answer to that question is no.

The Muppets from its very opening is just simple fabulous enjoyment. The story line is your essential Muppets set up. They’ve all moved on, spread across the globe and as usual Kermit and Miss Piggy are on the outs. Told through the tale of Muppet Walter and his human friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams), they must convince Kermit to get the old gang back together, put on a show and save the old Muppet theatre and studio from the evil business tycoon (played deliciously ham by Chris Cooper) looking to knock it down and dig for oil.

I have little to fault with this movie. After a twelve year break times have moved on and you do go to this film expecting to see they’ve screwed with the formula. But even looking for faults they are barely there if at all. The songs are catchy and cheery, the puns and setups are hilarious and all your favorite characters are there. What I am sure will be a particularly popular song with all is “Am I a man or a Muppet”. Just plain pant wetting funny. However this song is an example of what has changed in children’s films over the years, the jokes for the grown-ups. Done back in the eighties so well by Danger Mouse we expect to see this humor in all the U-rated films. The Muppets has this technique down perfectly. Some obvious some subtle, one of my preferred is the chickens rendition of Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You” (I am positive they are clucking the explicit version of the lyrics).

Along with the subtext adult directed jokes the film is unabashedly open to taking the piss out of itself and expectations of movies today. This aspect is the closest I could find to a fault but only if being very picky.

So Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fonzy, Gonzo and Animal to name a few are going to be adored by audiences so the danger element will inevitably fall to the human actors stepping in beside them. Amy Adams and Jason Segel thankfully live up to the roles. For anyone who has seen Enchanted you know Amy Adams has this style of film down and you can’t help but love her and the poster boy of American comedy, Jason Segel, continues with his loveable idiot male persona. There is a whole host of cameos (spot Dave Grohl, great placement), my favorite being Jim Parsons. Jack Black crops up screaming and shouting as he tends to do, love it or hate it the Muppets actually make him likeable.

The Muppets has been a great success in my eyes. It doesn’t pretend to be anything other than it is, a Muppet movie, and it is amazingly refreshing to have this style of film back on the big screen. Kids will love it, adults will love it. And I feel validated in my rantings over the years that Jim Henson was a genius and they don’t make films with that style and purity like they used to…oh hang on they have.

Lauren Cracknell