This feels like it's been such a long time coming (I started my ‘Muppet Countdown’ way back in September last year) and I can’t wait any longer to tell you what I think. So without further ado, it’s FINALLY time to light the lights. This is my take on 'The Muppets'.
‘The Muppets’ follows two brothers, Gary (Jason Segel) and the decidedly felt-ey Walter. The pair, along with
I booked a day off work to go and see this film because I couldn’t bear the thought of waiting a minute longer than I needed to in order to see it. That decision was one of the best I have made in recent history. I am 100% serious when I say that.
It’s hard to put a price on joy but for £6.50 I’d say going to the pictures to see ‘The Muppets’ is the best money to joy ratio I’ve ever experienced. The Director, Writers, Producers, Cast, Puppeteers, Set Designers, Make-up Artists, Cleaners, whatever, everyone seems to have put their heart and soul into this project and it totally shows.
The cast are delightful. There are a whole host of cameos that I won’t go into because it’ll spoil it but rest assured they’re as good as any Muppet cameo that has gone before.
Chris Cooper makes a great bad guy and his rap had me in absolute hysterics.
Amy Adams is wonderful (when is she ever anything less?). Mary is sweet and lovely but also understandably annoyed that her boyfriend of 10 years is yet to propose and spends most of their anniversary vacation with his brother.
Jason Segel really looks like the happiest man alive for the whole 103 minutes. He is absolutely adorable and his on screen chemistry with
The script is King and it was always going to be the key to nailing this movie. It’s funny, light, sweet and fantastically self-aware. When the decision was made to revisit these characters there was always the issue of making the Muppets relevant to a generation of children that probably don’t know who they are. Admittedly a hard task, but I think they manage it well by the introduction of Walter as a new Muppet so we see it all through new eyes. The entire opening sequence sums up the films attitude to its audience. It’s partly an introduction to a new character and partly a love letter written by a Muppets fanboy. Personally I think Segel and co-writer Nicholas Stoller have weaved just the right amount of reverence for the original films and series into ‘The Muppets’ but to me it still felt current and new.
The songs! Oh the songs! Everyone’s talking about ‘Man or a Muppet’ and rightly so after its Oscar win but in my opinion, every song is a winner. I very much appreciated ‘Me Party’ especially as the first time, I went to see it I was on my own and, like some kind of demented Playdays presenter, I’ve been running round singing ‘Life’s a Happy Song’ for WEEKS. I’m so pleased for Brett McKenzie, his brand of humour lends itself perfectly to this kind of project, he’s crafted tunes that sit perfectly into the existing Muppets template but still sound new and lovely. It’s not all new stuff though, there are a couple of covers of pop songs (they are hilarious, I was crying with laughter) and the gorgeous ‘Rainbow Connection’ gets an update (at this point I was crying tears of nostalgic joy).
Alas, it is not a perfect film. As a dyed in the wool Muppet fan it pains me to say it but there is a problem with ‘The Muppets’. A solitary problem it may be but it’s a bit of a big one. The ending. It occurred to me when I went to see this the first time that the ending was a bit weird however I was too busy singing my head off and wiping the tears from my eyes to care (fear not, I wasn’t breaking the Cinema Code of Conduct, I was entirely on my own at this screening and free to do as I pleased), however, the lovely and wonderfully clever Mark Harrison pointed out to me that the ending I and the rest of the movie going public saw, was not the ending that (*WARNING - THIS LINK CONTAINS SPOILERS*) was originally intended to be in the film.
It saddens me that they didn’t stick to their guns because the original ending sounds better than the one we were given. It also would have explained the Tex Richman ‘Maniacal laugh’ gag that kind of worked to begin with but quickly ran out of steam. I’m having trouble working out their thought process because at 1 hour 43 I don’t think it’s particularly long so they can’t argue they were cutting down the running time. We may never know why, I’m just hoping it pops up as an alternative ending on the DVD.
This did annoy me but I still came out of each screening I attended (I’ve seen it twice and intend to go for a third time…) with a massive smile on my face so it didn’t sully the experience too much.
I can’t begin to tell you how happy it makes me that i am able to say that ‘The Muppets’ is wonderful. On the day I went to see it I was sat on the bus genuinely nervous about what it was going to be like because I’d built it up so much in my mind, it stars some of my favourite people and I mean… it’s THE MUPPETS! I didn’t know what I’d have done if I hated it. But thankfully this is not the case. It’s a breezy, joyous delight of a film.
You don’t have to take my word for it, after all I have repeatedly admitted to being a huge fan of these beloved Henson creations so I suppose I am biased, but please believe me when I say I’ve desperately tried to keep a level head and not look at it through rose tinted specs.
I really can’t find the words to explain how much I loved it; nothing seems to do it justice.
Now, if ‘The Muppets’ isn’t enough to put a smile on your face (in which case get out and never darken my doorway again) how about some…
Reasons to be cheerful!
1. We have a new Avengers trailer… and it’s all kinds of AWESOME! The action might be a bit in your face but I love these characters and cannot wait to see them all on the big screen at the same time. The name change to ‘Avengers Assemble’ is a bit ridonkulous and makes me think of the "News Team... ASSEMBLE!" scene from Anchorman, but frankly this is just too much hotness for one film, it’s almost indecent!
2. I proper love this! Combining TED and 'Prometheus' promo. This new video of Guy Pearce isn't going to feature in the film but it's seriously whetted my appetite! It’s a clever idea, snaps for whoever came up with it!
3. This isn’t anything strictly film or telly related but I just thought it was great; the new advert for the Guardian newspaper and online is genius!
And that’s everything I have for you today!
Goodbye till next time :-)
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