MOVIE REVIEW: The Muppets get back together for one last show
With so many recent releases having intense plots, sexual undertones and vampires, “The Muppets” is a nice break from the ordinary and takes the audience somewhere extraordinary.
The movie revolves around the disbanded Muppets and their quest to put on one last show to save their theater from a greedy oil titan. Jason Segel plays the human brother to Walter, a puppet who is the Muppets’ biggest fan and has not found his place in the world yet. In order to save the Muppets, Walter, Segel and his girlfriend, played by Amy Adams, travel to Los Angeles and get the Muppets back together for one last show.
Things start getting a little weird with the first musical number. It’s as though the Muppets are poking fun at the Muppets and they’re not aware of it. After a long, peppy song and dance routine, the entire dance crew collapses, thankful that Segel and Adams have left the scene. This strange Muppet humor continues when the evil oil titan, played by a hilarious Chris Cooper, bursts into a totally uncalled for rap routine, complete with scantily clad background dancers.
Through all of the
Muppets’ earnest comedy and touching moments, one
question is left unanswered: Does Walter know he’s a puppet in a human’s world? Regardless, the audience roots for him the entire time and the love story between Segel and Adams becomes unimportant.
There were also countless inside jokes with older members of the audience who knew the Muppets well, making the movie more enjoyable for adults than kids. This is solidified by obvious political undertones, with big oil playing the villain and countless references to “the budget.”
Even with the strange songs and quirky humor, Adams and Segel make a perfectly cheesy couple and keep the film grounded in reality. Random cameos by various celebrities are also entertaining and keep viewers wondering whose famous face they might see next. The strangeness of the movie completely wins the audience over and has everyone singing “Ma Nah Ma Nah” on their way out of the theater.
Reach reviewer Anna Burleson
