Review: The Muppets (J. Link's take)

Review by J. Link

As is the case with all Muppets movies the story line is pretty simple. Gary (Jason Segel), Mary (Amy Adams), and Gary’s younger brother Walter (A Muppet) visit the Muppet studios where Gary overhears an evil oilman’s (Chris Cooper) plot to demolish Muppet Studios so he can drill for oil. Gary, Mary and Walter find Kermit and set out to get the gang back together. In an effort to raise enough money to save their studio they put on a show! As much as I would to rave about the movie I must admit that I did have some problems with it….

I didn’t see a need for Amy Adams. I agree with Sean’s point that if you’re going to make a movie about the Muppets you don’t need to throw in a love story between the human characters. I think that movie would have been better if instead of focusing so much time on the relationship between Gary and Mary they used that time to focus on the relationship between Gary and Walter and how helping the Muppets affects their relationship. Walter is a Muppet and wants so badly to be a part of the group. I didn’t feel sorry for Gary at the end when he has to let Walter go because it wasn’t explored enough. Poor Walter, who is a Muppet, is missing from the film for long periods of time when he is responsible for getting the Muppets back together in the first place. Instead of focusing on Walter and the Muppets we’re left to watch Gary fight to get Mary back. I don’t care about that! Like Sean said it was a nuisance.

 

One of the main aspects of a Muppet movie that I love are the songs! This movie was chalked full of fun songs and some that just didn’t work well. The highlights were Life’s A Happy Song, the acapella version of Smells Like Teen Spirit, the chickens performing Forget You (those who know the real lyrics to the song will find it extra hilarious), and the Rainbow Connection. The songs I could have lived without were definitely A Man or a Muppet, and Pictures in My Head. I don’t feel they helped drive the story forward. I must say that Chris Cooper rapping will go down as one of my favorite moments in film history.

I remember when I was kid I wanted to be on The Muppet Show so badly. As a 25 year-old adult I still want to be on The Muppet Show. There is something special about these characters that have captured the hearts of so many for many generations. I tried to watch the movie with a “critical” eye but couldn’t. I can’t nit pick apart because I feel that if I do the magic of The Muppets will disappear. Was it a perfect movie? Not at all. It was a slight mess but at the end of the day I choose to see past that. It reminded me of why I fell in love with the Muppets in the first place so I’ll forgive the unnecessary love story, and the bad songs, and silly cameos and continue to sing Life’s a Happy Song to myself.

My Rating? B