They're back! And you probably never knew how much you missed them. The Muppets, opening this Wednesday, hails the return of Kermit and the gang to cinemas. Though the world has changed quite a bit since their heyday, their message is still the same; that laughter is the third best gift you can give someone.The plot is fairly simple. The Muppets have disbanded and Kermit has signed over ownership of the Muppets' Theatre under the impression that it will be made into a Muppet Museum. In all actuality, he has given it to a wealthy oil tycoon who plans on tearing the place down to drill for oil. Kermit must raise a whopping $10 million in order to buy his theatre back. And that means the Muppets will have to come together for one more show. What follows is that strange mix of the sincere and the ridiculous that those of us who grew up with the Muppets have come to expect from them.
This film is a return to form, complete with musical numbers and post-modern insight where the characters reference that they're in a movie. The best part of this is that it doesn't try to modernize the Muppets. It doesn't try to make them relevant to today's audience. It recognizes that their message is still relevant, and therefore, so are they. The Muppets are about bringing laughter and joy to as many people as they can. Their zany brand of comedy is simultaneously hilarious and heartwarming. It will have you crying from laughter one moment, and choking back tears of joy the next.
So what didn't I like about it. Not enough Lew Zealand? Frank Oz's presence was sorely missed (Eric Jacobson, who takes over for Oz, does a decent job, but hardcore fans will be able to tell the difference). And there were times when I felt that Jason Segel and Amy Adams were acting a bit too childish. Part of the charm of the Muppets is how the live performers commit to the material and take it so seriously. Segel and Adams' performances might have bordered on the melodramatic a little too much. But these gripes are, for the most part, easily overlooked.
Bottom line: The Muppets is a wonderful, heartfelt comedy that's sure to please any Muppets fan or those just looking for a silly time. But it might not be for those who take their movie-going experience a little too seriously.
