"Together again...gee, its good to be together again".
Kermit and the Muppets are coming off bringing back their career and finishing their first movie in 12 years. Gary and Mary have gone off to get married. Walter has joined the Muppets, and Tex Richman has been taken care of. So what's next? It appears the audience has ordered a sequel. At the request of an eager tour manager named Dominic (Ricky Gervais), the Muppets decide to go on a world tour. But what the Muppets don't know, is that there is a criminal mastermind planning to turn the tables on them, and he just happens to look like Kermit. Oh no!
The plot and writing seen in this movie is especially clever. Nicholas Stoller, who is more famous for writing crassy R-rated material with Jason Segel (who starred in the previous movie), clearly knows every joke in the Muppet handbook and he wittily uses it in almost every area in the movie without ever mocking it or going way too edgy for the franchise. I thought the mystery caper was a clever idea to go with and it plays out, although in a predictable way, in a mostly clever and engaging way.
The acting is fantastic too. Gervais brings his signature unique tone and personality to his character, and surprisingly, he can sing really well. Its also nice to see him not be foul-mouthed like he can be during the Golden Globes. Ty Burrell kills it as Inspector Napoleon, as he has solid chemistry with Sam the Eagle, and his performance brings an interestingly clever twist on (and homage to) Inspector Clouseau of Pink Panther fame. At times, he also reminded me of a young Steve Martin. Tina Fey is probably the best of the main actors though, as she was fantastic as the Gulag guard Nadya. She not only brings the roughness and mediocrity of a cartoon-based jailer, but she also shows clever comedic timing in the moments where you don't expect her to be comedic.
The cameos are also plenty, with the most clever ones being Danny Trejo (who actually is more like Jack Black in the first movie here), Jemaine Clement, Usher, Josh Groban, and Tom Hiddleston (a.k.a. Loki) as an escape artist. Several others appeared that I was excited to see, including Chloe Moretz, Stanley Tucci, Christoph Waltz, Salma Hayek, and Ray Liotta.
The songs by Bret McKenzie (who won an Oscar for "Man or Muppet") are terrific too, though in the end, it falls just short of the more Broadway-like previous soundtrack. The best ones were "The Big House" and "I'm Number One". Other solid numbers include "We're Doing a Sequel", the mostly talkative "Interrogation Song", and the Celine Dion-featured "Something So Right". Many clever jokes and hilarious moments.
On the downside, as what one might would see as a flaw, the casting isn't top-notch (the first one had Oscar-nominated Amy Adams and Chris Cooper). And the soundtrack falls short of the first movie. Besides that, a few of the characters don't get nearly as much focus as last time. Gonzo only does one stunt, Fozzie doesn't do much of his signature lame humor, Scooter is limited to a brief cover of "Moves Like Jagger" (a very clever one at that), and even the Electric Mayhem is only shown briefly playing. Also, Walter moves back from his main role last time to more of a supporter here, and even he has to play third (or perhaps fourth) wheel to Kermit, Constantine and Sam the Eagle.
The Muppets was one of my favorite movies from 2011, and to see another one come so soon is almost something I didn't see coming. The first one wasn't a huge success either. But, these movies always stand out to me because they are one of the few living franchises remaining that reminds us of an earlier movie generation that was more wholesome, and family-friendly. Not to mention they are also hilarious, extremely clever and carry memorable music to boot. What else could you expect from a Disney (or Disney-acquired) property?
Going to see Muppets Most Wanted, I didn't have as much anticipation as I was thinking, and I think its because of the not-so-clever marketing effort. It seems like a carbon copy of the first movie. But that doesn't mean the movie is a carbon copy of its predecessor, which I personally think of as a classic.
And while the overall result does end up falling just a few notches short of that most recent Muppet movie, this time, I was treated to a very clever twist on crime thrillers, and a movie that I think is a near-perfect companion piece to The Great Muppet Caper. Add in the usual Muppets whimsicality, terrific songs, and witty humor, and you have another memorable entry in the Muppet movie canon.
Score: 8.9/10
Content Problems Families Should Be Aware Of
Language: A song includes the lyrics "G--, I hope I get it!".
Adult Content: Miss Piggy kisses Kermit. Salma Hayek wears a form-fitting jumpsuit.
Violence: Some mild cartoon violence. A few explosions. Characters are punched, thrown and nearly tortured. One human character is ejected from a seat from high in the air.
Alcohol/Drugs: None.
Other: Kermit tries to escape by going through the sewers (nothing gross is seen). Gulag prisoners are seen strutting about in an almost effeminate way at one point. They are also seen briefly in long underwear.
