Like so many other people approaching middle age I grew up with the Muppets. I have fond memories of the TV show, of the early films, of the soundtracks I owned on vinyl. And then the Muppets disappeared from the small screen, and struggled on the big screen. The Muppet Movie and The Muppet Christmas Carol are still highly watchable. The rest, not so much.
But they’re now back, largely thanks to Jason Segal, who co-wrote and starred in The Muppets. Alongside director James Bobin, Segal has managed to renew the spark that the Muppets had largely lost as they were condemned to straight-to-video releases through the wilderness years.
The Muppets works as a movie because the characters are still magnificent. Kermit is the everyman, Miss Piggy the flamboyant starlet, Gonzo the daredevil, Fozzie the comedian etc. etc. Everyone has a favorite, and everyone can relate. Give these characters a good storyline and they’ll fill the screen with personality.
The plot of The Muppets is a good one. A lifelong fan overhears plans to destroy the legacy of the Muppets for pure profit. He persuades Kermit to get the old gang back together and put on one last show to save the buildings, branding, and everything else associated with the once-great Muppets.
The songs are fantastic, the jokes funny, the self-references spot-on, the cheesiness perfectly pitched. Segal does a good job as the human accomplice, Amy Adams likewise. And the celebrity cameos come thick and fast. Jack Black puts in the performance of his life as the unlikely star of the show.
To sum up this is a movie which reintroduces us all to Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo, and the rest of the gang in spectacular fashion. And they really did need reintroducing, re-imagining, and rebooting. I just hope the Muppets are back with us for good, and that more movies are being planned. Let’s not forget them a second time, eh.
