The Muppets do it all again, again, in their latest feature-length film Muppets Most Wanted (2014). The gang of felt-filled misfits return and continue their adventures from the precise moment the last film left off. Packed with many catchy songs and speckled with allusions to popular films like Silence of the Lambs (1991), The Shawshank Redemption (1994), and Apocalypse Now (1979), Muppets finds a way of entertaining both children and adults alike. In their newest adventure, Kermit is replaced by an evil doppelganger and sent to a Gulag in Siberia. His malicious replacement Constantine—the number one criminal in the world—uses his guise as Kermit to manipulate the Muppets, and their desperate drive to succeed in show business, for his own gain. Under false pretences the Muppets tour some of Europe’s biggest venues where the audiences have been bribed to watch the shows and give standing ovations every night.
Meanwhile Constantine and his sidekick Dominick Badguy—the world’s number two criminal played by the delightful Ricky Gervais—break into various museums and swipe items that will aid them in stealing the Crown Jewels. Although all the familiar faces are present, such as Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, and Animal, it is Ricky Gervais and Tina Fey (as Nadya) who steal the show. Gervais’s characteristic self-conscious style of acting is at home with the antics of the oddball Muppets. He is continuously berated by Constantine as he is unceasingly reminded that he is only the number two criminal. Tina Fey is just as memorable as the warden of the Siberian Gulag where Kermit is being held. She foils his escape attempts because she has watched every prison escape movie on Netflix. Her main concern outside of keeping Kermit in prison, however, is the upcoming Gulag’s annual cabaret that Kermit has been asked to oversee. The film builds to the climactic song-and-dance number in the Gulag performed by some very talented Russian criminals.
Muppets is filled with more celebrity cameos than I care to count; it becomes a who’s who of Hollywood stars and beyond. Some of the cameos are uninspired and are barely noticed like Ray Liotta’s; others stick out for the wrong reason like Chloë Grace Moretz’s poor Russian accent; the rest, however, are entertaining and well placed like Christoph Waltz’s and Jemaine Clement’s—they manage to outshine those around them. Like many of their previous films, the narrative revolves around the premise of the Muppets desperately trying to become famous. Although they constantly struggle to find their audience in the film, it is enjoyable for the cinematic audience to watch as they bomb on stage time and again. With eight theatrically released films dating back to 1979 and a television show that lasted five seasons, I think these Muppets characters might actually have a bright future ahead of them; but remember you heard it here first.
Author Biography
Jonathan Cziborr was born and raised in Canada. He has recently graduated from the University of Alberta where he acquired a B.A. majoring in film studies. He has put aside his life as a chef to pursue his biggest passion, movies.
Film Details
Muppets Most Wanted (2014)
USA
Director James Bobin
Runtime 107 minutes
