Muppets Most Wanted : Mostly Spoiler Free Review

by: Nick

I grew up with The Muppet Show and the Muppet Movies in the 1970s and 1980s.

2011's The Muppets was a wonderful return. So I was really excited to see Muppets Most Wanted, which opened Friday, despite the fact it was not going to star Jason Segel, who was instrumental in making The Muppets so great. I've been purposely avoiding reading too much about Muppets Most Wanted, so as not to be spoiled, but did catch a snippet or two of reviews stating that the newest Muppets fell short of The Muppets. In a nod to the high expectations of this follow up to that instant classic, Most Wanted, which literally begins immediately where The Muppets ends, acknowledges the fact that sequels rarely live up to the original in it's own opening musical number, aptly named "We're Doing a Sequel." By the way, if you are keeping track, this is actually the 7th sequel to the original original, The Muppet Movie.

Most Wanted doesn't have the heart that Muppets had, and the songs are not as memorable, though, upon listening to the soundtrack, which I bought on iTunes as soon as I got home, they are starting to be.

Not once did I shed a tear (several, actually) like I did in Muppets. But what both Barbie and I did do was laugh. A lot. I actually think that Most Wanted is a funnier film than Muppets. It's more along the lines of one of the Muppets earlier caper type movies, and I look forward to seeing it again, as I was laughing over some of the dialogue.

My one complaint, I'd like to have seen more of Ty Burrell, who stars as Phil, my favorite character on one of my favorite sitcoms, Modern Family, as French Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon, who teams up with my favorite Muppet, Sam Eagle, to solve a crime spree.

Is Muppets Most Wanted better the The Muppets? No. But it's just as good, in it's own way, in my humble opinion.

As a bonus, there is an animated short before Muppets Most Wanted  titled Party Central, featuring the characters of Monsters University, that manages to pack in more laughs in a few minutes than all 1 hour and 42 minutes of the Monsters University feature film. It alone is worth the ticket price.

by: Barbie

Ty Burrell starring as an Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon with Sam Eagle.

A match made in heaven! These two should be be in multiple buddy movies!  

I was amazed to hear that many people who saw this movie before us were panning it. Maybe that was why I was so happy with it. This movie had me laughing out loud in the movie theater with the anonymous people sitting all around me. We were all having a great time, and I was so happy we were.

The Muppets Most Wanted reminded me of the classic Pink Panther, Abbott and Costello and Dirty Dozen type movies my Dad and I would watch when I was younger. People mention an emotional connection, but really, it's not necessary. It was fine to have a fun slapstick comedy without any tears!

Thank you Muppets. I had a great time laughing with you again!