It is not easy being green these days. Or pink. Or brown. Or old school. Especially if you are a Muppet. The ever increasing dominance of computer generated animation from such studios as the powerhouse Pixar; along with Dreamworks etc, have pushed most other forms of children/family friendly fare to the side. Especially in theatrical releases.
This was really driven home by the pairing of this movie with a Toy Story short titled, ‘Small Fry.’ The reaction to the start of the Toy Story short was very enthusiastic and it really delivered. The Muppets may be old friends but the Toy Story characters are newer old friends and are poster children for CGI animation. While no one wants to be denied new Toy Story material, the appearance of Woody, Buzz et al before The Muppet movie unintentionally hobbles the Kermit gang out of the gate.
The Henson brand of puppetering via the Muppets seems destined for the Nostalgia Bin that all franchises inevitably head to as technology continues to advance. The ever evolving Tech Tool Kit allows the creation of flashier and more visually dynamic characters and worlds. Coupled with an increasing quicker pace, more sophisticated viewing audiences, and the Muppets are a little more than quaint.
The Muppets remain a force today largely due to their ongoing involvement with the pre-schoolers educational television show, ‘Sesame Street.’ First airing in 1969 the show has raised generations of kids which helped maintain its visibility. At the height of its popularity the Muppets launched, ‘The Muppet Show,’ which ran for 5 seasons from 1976 to 1981. Since then the puppet franchise has appeared in various forms through other television specials, series, and movies.
The most notable theatrical use of the Muppet style of puppeteering was for 1982’s, ‘The Dark Crystal.’ The most notable television use was for the Science Fiction series, ‘FarScape,’ that ran from 1999 to 2003. The four season run had all its loose ends tied up with the 2004 four hour mini-series, ‘The PeaceKeeper Wars.’ Both are notable because they employed character designs that were far more intricate and outside the established universe of Muppet characters.
The theatrical releases of the Muppet movies have been generally well received but they have invariably been eclipsed by other releases of the day. The nature of the Muppets work both for and against them. They are timeless because the characters never age but they are also limited in their ability to express themselves no matter how talented the people behind the scenes are.
Muppet movies depend heavily on their ability to recruit popular actors of the day and this movie is no different. Amy Adams has established herself previously in 2007’s, ‘Enchanted,’ as an engaging song and dance actor. So is the multi-talented Jason Segel.
The Muppets(2011) eschews trying to morph the franchise into a version that would ape current sensibilities. It feels much like a reboot and a returning to roots. In the prologue we are introduced to a new muppet character, Walter – voiced by Peter Linz, whom is the brother and close pal to Jason Segel’s – Gary. As time passes Gary grows while Walter of course does not. During the growth montage Walter discovers the Muppets and is naturally drawn to them. The introduction of a new Muppet character in Walter works quite well as he becomes the audience’s viewpoint for rediscovering and regrouping The Muppets to produce a new show.
Special mention must be given to character actor favorite of mine, Chris Cooper, who plays the movie’s villain. He pulls off the delicate balance of being evil without being too frightening to younger audience members. Cooper gives a deliciously fun and menacing turn.
Unfortunately from that point on The Muppets falls back on formulaic story ideas such as a road trip movie to round all the characters up. And give each of them a scene in which to shine. Far from original yet, in some cases, quite humorous. What is less so, is the continual recycling of the Miss Piggy/Kermit, ‘Will they, Won’t they,’ romance retread. In this day and age this type of romance recycling is becoming less and less tolerated by today’s audience. Of course for the smaller set of the viewing audience all of this will be new and readily embraced.
Where this movie entertains is in the cameo appearances of the human guest stars. The main fun of these movies are the star sightings so none will be named here. A couple of them were pleasant surprises, especially the human counterpart to Walter during one of the song sequences.
The charm of the Muppets is a little dated more because of the mechanics employed to relate the story ideas rather than anything to do with the content. Laughter is still one of the greatest gifts to bestow upon others and the Muppets demonstrate they are more than capable of still being able to do so.
The Muppets may not blaze any new trails but it is a fun, family friendly movie that leaves a positive message while providing laughs for everyone. And you will get to see your favorite Muppet character back and bringing the fun once again.
