The Muppets are back in their second feature film since Disney acquired the lovable characters ten years ago. Your theater-going experience is certain to include some trailers, but Disney Pixar has attached a brand new short to the film. Party Central stars the fraternity Oozma Kappa from Monsters University, who are throwing their first frat party. Nobody shows up, so Mike and Scully steal a pair of doors to trick the popular students partying at ROR to join them. It’s an hilarious short with some memorable gags and the audience was rolling with laughter. The short was written by Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton and is directed by Kelsey Mann, who was the story supervisor on Monsters University.
Muppets Most Wanted begins where 2011’s The Muppets left off with the fireworks spelling “The End” in the sky above Hollywood Boulevard. As the camera pans down, the crowd walks away to break the fourth wall. They were all extra’s, but the studio instantly wants another film. Queue music! A lavish musical number opens the film called “We’re Doing a Sequel” that is reminiscent of the openings to The Great Muppet Caper and The Muppets Take Manhattan. The song also reveals the original title of the film, “The Muppets… Again.” While taking suggestions for a plot for the sequel, Kermit is inspired by a stranger who walks in and suggests the Muppets do a world tour.
Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) introduces himself to the Muppets as a tour manager who convinces them to go on a world tour against Kermit’s better judgement. Meanwhile the world’s number one criminal, a frog named Constantine who looks like Kermit with a mole, breaks out of Siberia’s Gulag. The tour’s first stop is at a tiny theater in Berlin, which happens to be across the street from the National Treasure Museum. Right before their first show, Kermit gets in a fight with Miss Piggy and is frustrated with his cast mates who prefer Dominic’s easy-going management style. At Dominic’s suggestion, Kermit goes on a walk to clear his head to a very specific ally where he is ambushed by a hooded figure who glues a fake mole to his face. Kermit is instantly recognized as Constantine and is sent to Gulag!
The Muppets continue their tour with “Kermit,” who isn’t acting like himself. However, despite Kermit’s funny accent he is easier to get along with. He allows his crew to do whichever acts they want at each stop and even tells Piggy the words she’s been waiting to hear for years. At the same time, a string of robberies have occurred which attracts the attention of Interpol officer Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and CIA agent Sam Eagle, who form a partnership to solve the crime. They eventually make the connection that the robberies always happen on the same night that the Muppets perform in theaters nearby, which makes them all suspects.
Back in Siberia, prison mates quickly realize that Kermit is not Constantine. However Nadya (Tina Fey), the head of Gulag, keeps him there because the world thinks Constantine is locked up (and because she has a secret obsession with Kermit the Frog). She forces Kermit to direct their annual review, which draws parallels to the way he treated his friends. When Kermit finds out that the Muppets continued the tour without him, not realizing that Constantine has taken his place, he becomes depressed. To make matters worse, Constantine has proposed to Miss Piggy as part of his greatest crime yet! Will any of the Muppets realize Constantine infiltrated their group? Who will save Kermit? Will Sam Eagle and Jean Pierre crack the case? Will Kermit and Piggy actually get married?… well that would be weird, but to answer all of these questions you will have to go see Muppets Most Wanted.
I found Muppets Most Wanted to be fast paced, despite its long run time of 112 minutes. I have never laughed so hard at a Muppet film, and I’m a big fan. Like their previous films, there are hilarious cameos a plenty from a diverse array of stars that extends from Tony Bennet to Ross Lynch. The songs are amazing and hilarious, with six original songs written by Bret McKenzie, who wrote the songs from The Muppets as well. Bret’s Flight of the Concords partner Jermaine Clement also stars in the film as one of Kermit’s fellow inmates in Gulag. Like the previous film, there are a few Muppet versions of other well known songs and a reprise of the memorable “Together Again” from The Muppets Take Manhattan.
Piggy’s wardrobe in this film is fantastic. While I doubt award shows would give a statue to somebody who designed costumes for puppets, the sheer number of outfits she wears and the amazing detail in each one is a marvel. I’m surprised consumer products hasn’t latched on to these iconic styles more with a Piggy merchandise line. I can definitely see a successful line of fashion dolls and collectors pieces themed to Piggy’s iconic wardrobe from this film.
Diehard Muppet fans will be thrilled by the number of obscure characters that find their way into background shots. Some of them even get a few lines or references (fans of the Muppets The Frog Prince may even have an “OMG” moment like I did during one scene). I’m sure I am in the minority, but I actually preferred Muppets Most Wanted to The Muppets. That film was an original story about the characters returning to popularity, but this one feels more in line with one of my favorites, The Great Muppet Caper. The nonstop laughs, memorable songs, and fun plot make this a must see film event you won’t want to miss.
Alex is currently watching and reviewing all of Disney’s films in chronological order. You can follow along here.