Movie Review: Muppets Most Wanted

There are two kinds of bad films. First is the type that is truly terrible, one with little to no redeeming features at all. For example, the cinematic atrocity that is Grease 2. There is an OK idea for a plot--Frenchie takes Teen Angel's advice and goes back to high school--but overall it is a horrid film: writing, acting, and music. I regret that I'm simply aware if this movie's existence. I double regret actually watching it.

The other kind is a film that is so bad that you actually like it, maybe even enjoy it enough for multiple viewings. For example, Dennis Quaid's Jerry Lee Lewis biopic Great Balls of Fire, or Johnny Depp's 2013 take on The Lone Ranger. These films also aren't good,  Depp's turn as Tonto is nothing short of cringe-worthy, and Quaid's Lewis is way over the top, but there is just something about them that you like. They clearly tried, but obviously missed the mark.

Relative to the rest of the Muppetverse,  Muppets Most Wanted, the latest film in the franchise, is in the second category. Starting literally the second the previous movie ended--in fact the first shot of this film is the "The End" of the last-- The Muppets are back together, with the addition of Walter, and are discussing what to do next. Enter Ricky Gervais  as Dominic Badguy, who offers to work with Kermit and the others on promoting a world tour. But Badguy has a secret, he is the number two criminal mastermind. Who is number one? None other than Russian Kermit doppelganger Constantine, "the world's most dangerous frog". After escaping from a Siberian Gulag, Constantine joins Badguy, and they hatch their plan to steal Britain's Crown Jewels.

This is the main plot to the film. Key to this is that the Muppets believe  Constantine is really Kermit; Badguy manages to convince them that Constantine's Russian accent is really Kermit with a cold. And they buy it. The exception here is Animal, who knows right away something is wrong. "Bad frog," he says, "Bad frog. Bad frog." Meanwhile, Kermit has been captured by the authorities thinking he is Constantine, and has been sent "back" to the Gulag, where  Commandant Nadya, played by Tina Fey, recruits him to stage the Gulag talent show.

The tour travels across Europe as Constantine and Badguy uncover one clue after another--Da Vinci Code style--as to how to get to the Crown Jewels. The plan culminates with the long-awaited lavish London wedding of Miss Piggy and "Kermit", which  Real Kermit, after escaping from the Gulag, crashes. After the expected "Which One Is The Real Kermit?" scene, Piggy finally realizes the Constantine has duped them all.

In the end, the Crown Jewels are recovered, and Badguy and Constantine are taken into custody by Ty Burell's Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon and Muppet CIA agent Sam The Eagle.

This relationship between Napoleon and Sam is probably the thing that makes the most sense in the whole movie. Starting the moment they meet, they are arguing over who has the biggest badge. This is one of the biggest laughs in the film, as each in turn comes up with bigger and bigger badges. From then on, they have their disagreements--"European slacker" versus "Hard-working American"--which makes for some good scenes, and when it's all over, they realize they work well together and have become good friends.

As far as the story goes, Muppets Most Wanted is OK at best. It is an interesting take on a more "adult" subject. Being rated PG limits the filmmakers on what they can do--it is the Muppets after all, but all the explosions and threat of death seem a bit out of place here.

Finally, let me mention the music. It is rather uninspiring. The opening song--a self-deprecating riff on how, generally speaking, sequels suck-- was funny. But the rest of the music was not that great. And don't even get me started on the whole Celine Dion thing.

As one who grew up with the Muppets, I can honestly say that they are normally very entertaining. But not this time. And I'm not sure about the kids either. I went with a group that included two eleven year-olds. Didn't hear a single laugh out of them.