Hello :-)
We all know I’m a huge Muppets fan and, following 2011’s comeback film ‘The Muppets’ I was eagerly awaiting this year’s follow up ‘Muppets: Most Wanted’. I recently re-watched the film on a flight to Greece and it's currently out on DVD and Blu-Ray so here are my thoughts :-)
We rejoin our felty friends exactly where we left them at the end of ‘The Muppets’. The gang hear they’ve been given a sequel and decide to capitalise on this with a world tour at the suggestion of their new manager Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais). The Muppets unwittingly get involved in a crime spree which leads to Kermit having his identity stolen by the world’s biggest criminal and getting locked up in a Russian gulag.
I’ve been back and watched ‘The Muppets’ many times since I first saw it and, as I said in my original post, the ending is a a problem. Also the ‘Maniacal Laugh’ gag that runs throughout just doesn’t work; there’s no set up to it and, like I said, the ending is so rushed they gloss over the resolution that the bowling ball to the head actually cured Tex Richman of his inability to laugh. But still, flawed as it is, I love it. With this in mind, it’s quite a statement to say that I think ‘Muppets: Most Wanted’ is on a par with, if not slightly better than it’s predecessor.
The main sea change is a shift in terms of human involvement from the first film to this one. Where ‘The Muppets’ was quite Gary and Mary-centric, in this film we deal almost entirely with the Muppets. This puts me in mind of the original Henson films, all of which were Muppet led and I love that.
There is a raft of brilliant cameos. At times it does feel a bit like you’re playing a live action version of Where’s Wally but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The three main human presences are Ricky Gervais’s Dominic Badguy (it’s pronounced Badge-ey…), Tina Fey’s Gulag officer Nadya and Ty Burrell as Jean Pierre Napoleon, a French Interpol inspector who works with CIA agent Sam Eagle on finding Constantine.
Fey is dealt a bit of a bum deal, she gets a pretty decent song but other than that she isn’t really left with much to do. Gervais is an admitted Muppet fanboy and you can see the joy in his face from start to finish. My favourite is Ty Burrell. Jean Pierre (a role originally meant for Christoph Waltz) is brilliant and his scenes with Sam Eagle are highlights in a film full of chuckles.
The songs are all strong and, importantly, all original. Admittedly there's nothing here as life affirming as 'Life's a Happy Song', as heart wrenching as 'Pictures in My Head' or as potentially award winning as 'Man or Muppet' but how can you not love a song called "I'll Get You What You Want (Cockatoo in Malibu)"?
The film is a machine gun of gags, firing one after another; as with the previous film it doesn’t matter if one of them doesn’t land because there’ll be another one along almost straight away for you. There’s also something for everyone. If you thought the ‘Fart Shoes’ gag in the last film was the peak of comedy there’ll be something in here for you, if it’s jokes about French stereotypes and the European working times directive, we’ve got you covered too.
The song says “everybody knows the sequel's never quite as good” but if that is the case I don’t think anyone’s told James Bobin. There’s slightly less heart-string tugging here but that hole is filled by some classic comedy and an increase in Muppet screentime.
With disappointing box office figures it’ll be interesting to see where the future of the Muppets is heading. Nicholas Stoller and James Bobin have both expressed an interest in returning to write (and in Bobin’s case direct) a third instalment to this reboot but there has also been talk of the Muppets returning to their televisual roots. Either way I’m interested to see the Muppets “do it all again…”
Now I fancy some…
Reasons to be Cheerful :-)
San Diego Comic Con happened the other week so there’s been a rush of news heading out from California and stuff being released to coincide with the biggest dates in popular culture. Here are some of my favourite titbits.
1. Teaser Trailer for Mockingjay! For those who haven’t read the books ‘Mockingjay’ is a massive departure from the previous two Hunger Games instalments. It’s the most political book and structurally it’s completely different. Some love it, some hate it; I’m in the former group. I must admit I had my reservations when I found out they were going to split the book in two and I am still a little bit anxious that the film is going to be a bit bottom heavy in terms of action. I guess we’ll have to wait and see :-)
2. First picture of Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman has emerged. I quite like it as far as female Superhero costumes go. Yes, it’s a bit Xena but then Xena itself was influenced by Wonder Woman so I suppose, to borrow an adage, pop culture will eat itself. I have issues with female superhero costumes in general, the lack of material, the impracticalities of a strapless/plunging neckline and don't even get me started on high heels, that can wait for another time…
3. New posters, images and a Trailer for 'Horns'. This looks super interesting! I like the idea (it sounds like a gothic take on the Green Clarinet sketch from 'That Mitchell and Webb Look') , I like the posters and obviously I like the central casting of Daniel Radcliffe very much looking forward to this :-)
4. Finally we’ve had the first posters from ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ and they’re pretty sexy! They all join together to make one big banner (how very apt) which you can pour over in great detail here.
The plot sounds exciting, something we haven’t really hit upon before in a Superhero movie. The notion that the world is pretty big and six people in snazzy suits are going to have a tough time policing it. I’m looking forward to it, we’re all looking forward to it. Bring on Earth’s mightiest heroes :-)
That’s everything for today!
Goodbye till next time :-)
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