MUPPETS MOST WANTED
By: John ’Doc’ Strange
Directed by: James Bobin
Cast: Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, The Great Gonzo, Animal, Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey
MPAA Rating: PG (for some mild action)
Selig Rating: Matinee
Runtime: 112 Min.
In need of a plot for this film, the Muppets take the suggestion of Dominic Badguy (pronounced “Badgee,” it’s French) played by Ricky Gervais. Against Kermit’s better judgment the gang decides to do it.
Taking the train from America to Europe (yes, a train… across oceans… it IS a Muppet movie, after all), the gang starts their tour in Berlin. Meanwhile, the most dangerous frog in the world, Constantine, is busy escaping from a Siberian gulag.
Badguy engineers getting Kermit sent to the gulag so that Constantine can take his place. Kermit endures the prison under the command of Nadya (Tina Fay). Constantine with his atrocious accent leads the gang. From here, the standard formula of a Muppet movie kicks in. Fun to watch even if it is mostly to see who shows up next in a cameo!
My favorite musical numbers used the talents of Celine Dion (Piggy Fairy Godmother), Tina Fey, and Josh Groban (Maximum Security Prisoner).
For those of you who absolutely watch every Muppet movie, this is a movie for you. It has the standard onion skin-thin plot coupled with good songs and great cameos. Some of the cameos that stand out in this adventure are Ty Burrell as Jean Pierre Napoleon (Interpol agent), Ray Liotta as Big Papa, Frank Langella as Beefeater Vicar, and Tom Hiddleston as The Great Escapo. My favorite person playing themselves in the movie is Danny Trejo as a prisoner in the gulag! His song and dance numbers with Ray Liotta and Tom Hiddleston are great!
Movie Site: http://muppets.disney.com/muppets-most-wanted
The Selig Rating Scale:
FULL PRICE – Excellent movie, well worth the price
MATINEE – Good movie
DOLLAR – OK movie
CABLE – No need to rush. Save it for a rainy day.
FREEBIE – Good that I saw it on the big screen but wish I hadn't paid for it.
COMMERCIAL TV – Commercials and cutting to the allotted time will not hurt this one.
FORGET IT! – Bad. If you see this one, do yourself a favor and keep it to yourself.
GET YOUR TORCHES – BAD! – Burn the script, the writer, the director and maybe even the actors!