Movies: Muppets Most Wanted

Score:  ***1/2 out of ***** (B)

Long Story Short:  The Muppets are back again, ready for more after their smash hit comeback in 2011.  We even get an upgrade in the human department, starring three of today's top comedians in Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Ty Burrell.  But these stars, plus a slightly overemphasized plot, steal a bit too much of the spotlight away from our old friends Kermit, Miss Piggy, and Co.  It's an amusing entry with some really good songs, but ultimately Most Wanted falls well short of classic.


Well, it's been a bit of a drought for me recently, with my last post coming nearly a month ago.  Due to scheduling, I got to see Muppets Most Wanted a week late so the review, which I normally write the weekend after its release, is two weeks late.  The good news is that there should be a review each of the next two weeks - although each will also be delayed two weeks from the films' release date.  As for Muppets, I was interested in this sequel after Netflixing the reboot from 2011 and enjoying it.  I almost decided to just wait on this one, too, but I was itching to see a movie and this seemed the best option.  Muppets Most Wanted was directed by James Bobin and stars Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, and of course the Muppets.

Muppets Most Wanted picks up literally right where 2011's The Muppets left off, and the gang is wondering what to do next.  Thanks to their successful comeback, they get plenty of attention, including from Dominic Badguy (Gervais).  He suggests that the Muppets do a world tour, and they are all (except Kermit) excited by the idea.  They first travel to Berlin, where Badguy insists that the Muppets upgrade from their shabby planned venue to the best scene in town.  As Badguy takes charge Kermit gets more and more frustrated, before getting jumped by his criminal look-alike, Constantine.  Before he knows what's happening, police are taking Kermit off to the gulags while the criminal takes his place.

The Muppets continue from city to city on their tour, happy as Badguy gives them free reign - and also oblivious to Badguy's secret plans.  Meanwhile, Kermit finds life in the gulags to be as difficult as you'd imagine, being watched closely by prison guard Nadya (Fey).  Investigators Napoleon (Burrell) and Sam Eagle start on the case, but this is one that will take the whole gang to resolve.

As with the 2011 film, Muppets Most Wanted features a few main human actors to accompany the Muppets, along with a large cast of cameos (which I won't spoil).  Ricky Gervais has the biggest part, although even he is just #2 to the criminal mastermind, Constantine (a relationship put to song in the film).  Gervais was a very nice choice, as Badguy ingratiates himself to the Muppets with ease, praising their talents and raising their expectations for success.  At other moments, Gervais entertains by playing the smirking villain even as he's kept in check by Constantine.  Tina Fey is also fun as prison guard Nadya.  Perhaps her accent is not the greatest (not that that matters in a Muppet movie) but she does a great job adjusting to the silly, semi-villainous humor of her role while also embodying the human warmth required in this kind of family film.  Finally, there's Ty Burrell playing Interpol agent Napoleon.  This character is the most stereotyped of the three, but Burrell, as he is on Modern Family, is plenty amusing nonetheless.

I'm far from a Muppets aficionado, but I know that the films have certain required components to make them worthy additions to the franchise.  Primarily the films are about the Muppet family itself, and how it deals with various challenging situations.  While that may seem obvious, Muppets Most Wanted actually goes a little bit off script here (admittedly, I didn't think of this until I read a few other reviews, but I agree with them).  Kermit, Miss Piggy and the rest just aren't the dominant focus here; instead, the heist aspects take center stage, and that mainly deals with the Constantine-Badguy and Napoleon-Eagle duos.  However, Muppets Most Wanted is faithful in its use of song, and here it does a great job.  In fact, I think they are the best parts of the film, when I usually find these routines boring and unnecessary.  Finally, the Muppets need a good sense of humor, and Most Wanted is decently if not wildly successful here.  All three human actors are great in this department, but most of the humor is more chuckle-worthy than hilarious.

***

All week, I've been going back and forth between a "B" and "B+" for Muppets Most Wanted as I've thought about it.  Either way, it meant that I found it a very solid film, but also one that does not really rise to the level of a great Muppet movie.  In the broadest terms, this is quite a fun film; it's doubtful that it won't entertain you as long as this type of film appeals to you.  The plot is clever and, while not unique, doesn't abandon the Muppets and actors to carry the film by themselves.  Gervais, Fey, and Burrell make a great trio, I'll say again; and many of the songs are really good.  However, in the end it just doesn't feel very "filling"; I don't think that this is one that'll stick with me.  I think a large part of that is the aforementioned mysteriously shrunken parts for the main Muppets, including even Kermit and Miss Piggy.  Maybe if they'd wrapped it up with a killer ending, it'd get a "B+", but it's only a tepid conclusion, especially in comparison to the 2011 film.  Certainly, Muppets Most Wanted is worth seeing - but unless it's for a family outing, you can probably wait for it on Netflix.