The Muppets

Well who would've thought? 

Who could have predicted that one of the funniest movies of 2011 would feature character-puppets that were created decades ago?

The Muppets had slowly been building hype this last year with some brilliant marketing with trailers that were mocks of The Hangover Part II, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, your generic romantic comedies, and even the new Twilight. The commercials were enough to convince me and apparently several million other Americans judging off the movie's success in the last few weeks. I wouldnt be entirely surprised if this movie doesnt lead to the spawning of a new Muppets Show, which, in my opinion, would be highly successful in this generation. I know I would watch it and I can only imagine some of the awesome guest stars they could have. It would be like Saturday Night Live except funnier.

In The Muppets, the plot is very familiar, but didnt play out the way that I thought it would in the end, which I appreciate. Basically the Muppet's name and studio is under threat by an oil tycoon who wants to drill underneath their L.A. property. In order to save it, they have to raise $10 million. The only way they can raise $10 million is to put on a show, so naturally Kermit the Frog must get the gang back together. 

"Maniacal Laugh...maniacal laugh!" 

Clearly, Kermit is the BAWS

This main plot is strong, yet simple, and provides for some funny moments. But you may be asking yourself, "Where do the two humans in the poster come into play?". That is what I think the weakest part of the movie is. Dont get me wrong, Jason Segal (Gary) and Amy Adams (Mary) do a great job here, but there are basically two subplots that have to do with them and Gary's younger, Muppet brother, Walter. I do feel like the plots just didnt gel with the rest of the movie, and I wasnt very interested with what happened to these plot lines. I wanted to watch the Muppets save their studio! With that being said, the subplots have some pretty funny parts in them (particularly a musical number where Jason Segal and Walter sing about whether they are a man or a Muppet featuring a hilarious cameo). 

Another area where The Muppets stumbles a bit is the singing. There is just too much of it I think. At least during the first 30 minutes there is. I found myself quickly wondering if this was just going to be one musical number after another when the characters would literally start singing about everything. It was great singing, I just feel like in a movie like this, the singing goes a long way and is appreciated the more it is spaced out. But it seems I was worrying for nothing because besides that first half hour, the singing, comedy, and plot evened out perfectly, and I never found myself complaining about it again. 

I was literally dying from laughter during this scene. A bunch of female
chickens clucking Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You". On paper it doesnt
sound that funny, but in execution? Hilarious.

What The Muppets does excel at is being consistently funny. And by that I mean funny for everybody. This movie will be funny for children, parents, and especially kids like myself who were able to watch the Muppet Show for a few years of my life. It has a certain sense of nostalgia attached to it, but at the same time it feels very contemporary. Not quite a reboot or a franchise, more like a reintroduction. If I had to pick one reason that the movie is so funny, I just wouldnt be able to do so. For starters, the script is sharp and surprisingly quick. Much like a R-rated comedy, there were so many hidden one liners among the audience laughter that the film begs for a second viewing. For example, (and I know this wont sound funny on paper but in the film it was priceless) at one point, the evil oil tycoon, played by Chris Cooper, swiftly unrolls the long Muppets contract in a meeting that he is having with Kermit. It is something that is pretty simple, but is made funny by a barely audible, "Well done sir!" spoken by his large, bear, Muppet henchman. Its small quips like that that had me consistently laughing. 

One of the funniest parts of the movie.
Not to mention, the Muppet on theright, Beaker, has always
been the funniest character in my opinion. Every time he
was on screen I laughed.

Another thing that makes The Muppets hilarious is its characters and cameos. There are a few cameos that fall flat just because the actors are portraying themselves (I was excited to see the gorgeous Selena Gomez, but she added nothing to the movie by portraying herself), but there are some cameos that are, dare I say, perfect. Easily the best two are Zach Galifianakis and Jim Parsons. I wont ruin them for you, but just know that they are a riot. Jack Black also has a prolonged cameo that has its consistent high points. But as we most likely all know, the true star of anything to do with the Muppets is the Muppets themselves. From Kermit, to Miss Piggy, to Gonzo, to Animal (who has a really funny subplot in this movie), to Roowlf, to Fozzie, to Swedish Chef (another always-funny character), to Pepe the Prawn, to my personal favorite, Beaker; all of these characters are entrenched in American culture for a reason. They are memorable and they are timeless. Clearly, some are more memorable than others, but for the most part, the Muppets have always sported an amazing cast of characters that each has their own, distinct personality and ways of getting laughs. 

Some of the most memorable characters ever created

Personally, I am glad that the Muppets are back. There was talk about them hosting the Oscars once Eddie Murphy dropped out, but it seems that isnt going to happen now. That's a shame because I would have actually watched the awards show for once if they had been hosting. And I am begging a studio, whether it be NBC, ABC, FOX, whatever...to pick up a new-generation Muppets Show. I really think that it would be highly successful as long as there were awesome guest stars and you stayed true to the characters. For proof of this, just take a look at The Muppets the movie. 

It's time to play the music

It's time to light the lights

You have to see the Muppets in The Muppets movie tonight!

Pros:

• One of the funniest movies of the year. I was consistently laughing at appropriate jokes; something that I feel as if I havent done for a while
• Features some fantastic cameos
• The songs are funny or touching or catchy, but never bad
• Quick and witty script that never let up on the jokes
• Not the ending you would expect per-say, but thats a good thing
• The characters. Anyone who doesnt love this gang of puppets has no soul
• Effortlessly manages the nostalgia and need to stay modern

Cons:

• Too much singing in the first half hour
• Some jokes fall flat. Rarely does this happen, but when it does it is noticeable
• The human subplots provide funny moments but dont really capture the affection of the audience
• Some characters dont get the screen time they deserve. Kermit the Frog steals most of the limelight understandably, but some of those characters are just too good to not feature more

Rath's Review Score: 8.5/10