Muppets Most Wanted Press Reviews

[goldenstate5]

This is actually one of the reasons I was concerned about this movie being a "sequel" and then going and doing it's own thing. If it's a sequel, people will ask "hey, where's Gary and Mary" and complain that it doesn't really follow the last story, and if you look at it, no family films EVER follow the story of the last movie. The Muppets probably did a great job in living up to the last film.

How could people be negative to the Muppets? Who are these cold-blooded, vicious, sour people? Have you no shame?

I've been thinking about this one, and on one hand I guess I can see where the confusion arises. For its entire production term, the film was (awkwardly) titled "The Muppets... Again!", and apparently that is still present in the movie. ("We're Doing a Sequel" has the Muppets actually title the movie that in the lyrics, which then hysterically smash cuts to... not that title at all!) Not only that, but the film starts immediately at the last scene from the previous film, retains Walter who is introduced in the previous film and continues the idea of the Muppets going around performing The Muppet Show, instead this time it's around Europe. So on the surface it sure as heck seems like a bonafide sequel, but obviously the main plot focuses somewhere entirely else.

So I guess you have a bizarre disconnect for critics, who aren't sure what to make of it all. From what I can see, Stoller and Bobin are pretty much trying to have their cake and eat it too, by appeasing to Disney and delivering something that somewhat resembles the first film ("More of the same" is Disney's go-to franchise-ready slogan, and of course is in the opening song), but is also its own thing. It speaks bizarrely about our culture who whined incessantly about The Hangover Part II being quite literally the same dang movie, but apparently demands their Muppet sequels to once again be emotionally-heavy sobfests with Jason Segel crooning with puppets. Nothing against the 2011 film, but it did its thing well and but really there's no need to repeat it.

Honestly I'm surprised that only one review actively compared it to GMC, which seems to be more of the spiritual predecessor. That's the one I'd trust, even if it is negative. This seems to be a happy-go-lucky, zany Muppet movie and I couldn't be more excited. I want it to succeed badly to get the coveted third film (which would make three trilogies of Muppet movies for three different generations), so here's hoping the reviews stay good!

 

[Drtooth]

So I guess you have a bizarre disconnect for critics, who aren't sure what to make of it all. From what I can see, Stoller and Bobin are pretty much trying to have their cake and eat it too, by appeasing to Disney and delivering something that somewhat resembles the first film ("More of the same" is Disney's go-to franchise-ready slogan, and of course is in the opening song), but is also its own thing. It speaks bizarrely about our culture who whined incessantly about The Hangover Part II being quite literally the same dang movie, but apparently demands their Muppet sequels to once again be emotionally-heavy sobfests with Jason Segel crooning with puppets. Nothing against the 2011 film, but it did its thing well and but really there's no need to repeat it.

I'm in the rare camp that believes that Hangover 2 was done ironically. As in the studios and fans probably begged them to make a second, and there's no logical way they could have. The characters would have to be complete idiots to fall for the same thing twice. So that's what they did. Made an illogical mission pack sequel as proof they couldn't make a second film, logically. And the second did so well, they made a third.

I also agree full heartedly that there's no need for another film like The Muppets. The Muppets was the film that we needed to bring the franchise back. The getting the band back together story that was a thinly veiled metaphor for the awkwardness of the Post-Henson years, and the freefall of Henson's ownership. A huge canon discontinuity after MTM (as none of the films past that are referenced). The Muppets served its purpose, made just enough money for a follow up film, and now we're into a more classic caper that doesn't need to have that huge emotional sting. There is no logical way to make The Muppets 2, unless the band broke up again and was brought back together at the end. Besides... they did that with MTM. I don't get why that's the criticism. Jason and Amy could have had cameos in the middle of the film instead of Fake Shemps (supposedly) at the very beginning, but didn't. They have no role in the story, and the human characters in this film look a lot more engaging.

 

[MrBloogarFoobly]

Forbes loves it: http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottme...uppets-most-wanted-is-a-winning-comic-sequel/

Oregon Live calls it "Serviceable"
http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2014/03/muppets_most_wanted_review_ker.html

Mass Live calls it "A Tour De Force"
http://www.masslive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2014/03/movie_review_muppets_most_want.html

 

[ftnpro]

I saw the movie yesterday at an advance screening. No spoilers from me, of course- I'm just glad that I don't have to dodge spoilers all week!

Reading the "professional" reviews shows just about every possible opinion on the spectrum. All I can say to my fellow Muppet fans is don't overthink it- go see the movie for yourselves, take along some Muppety friends, and have a great time! Sure, each of us will find something to quibble with... and we'll also find things to laugh out loud at and sing along with.

Simply put, it's great to have a MUPPET movie in theaters! Meet you back here to discuss it after Friday.

 

[goldenstate5]

So far it's staying balanced on RT at 72%: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/muppets_most_wanted/

My guess is that it'll probably ascend to 75%, which isn't great but not nearly as bad as it could've been.

 

[volleygirl]

While I'm not an avid poster, I would like to give my two cents. It's only two cents, so I hope I'm not taken as more than that ;-). I LOVE everything Muppets. I will watch everything once, and really wish they would come out with the rest of the TV series!

Regardless, I have gotten the opportunity to see the MMW pre-release. I was surprised at how much I loved the new Muppet Movie. I think I loved it because of all the references to the Muppet Show. I loved the songs, how sing-able they were as well as catchy.

Without this post being extremely long, I will cut to the chase. I extremely disliked the MMW movie. I saw all the parallels to the Great Muppet Caper and other earlier movies, but I just wasn't into it. Perhaps I was jaded by the great kid movies that I had seen recently: The Lego Movie, and Frozen. I would see either of those movies 10 more times before I'd watch MMW again. And I WANTED to love the movie. But I didn't. The cameos were thrown in at EVERY chance. The storyline wasn't funny. The songs weren't catchy. I just couldn't even like the movie. I was so sad. I don't even know what else to say. I didn't expect the same caliber as the first Muppet movie, but I didn't expect such disappointment either.

I'm. so. sad.

 

[dwayne1115]

While I'm not an avid poster, I would like to give my two cents. It's only two cents, so I hope I'm not taken as more than that ;-). I LOVE everything Muppets. I will watch everything once, and really wish they would come out with the rest of the TV series!

Regardless, I have gotten the opportunity to see the MMW pre-release. I was surprised at how much I loved the new Muppet Movie. I think I loved it because of all the references to the Muppet Show. I loved the songs, how sing-able they were as well as catchy.

Without this post being extremely long, I will cut to the chase. I extremely disliked the MMW movie. I saw all the parallels to the Great Muppet Caper and other earlier movies, but I just wasn't into it. Perhaps I was jaded by the great kid movies that I had seen recently: The Lego Movie, and Frozen. I would see either of those movies 10 more times before I'd watch MMW again. And I WANTED to love the movie. But I didn't. The cameos were thrown in at EVERY chance. The storyline wasn't funny. The songs weren't catchy. I just couldn't even like the movie. I was so sad. I don't even know what else to say. I didn't expect the same caliber as the first Muppet movie, but I didn't expect such disappointment either.

I'm. so. sad.

Wow....I hope that this is not something that a lot of Muppet fans say. I really want to love this movie.

 

[cahuenga]

A person who is registered on this forum and hasnt posted anything in 7 years cant be named muppet fan..haha

 

[volleygirl]

I agree. Not an avid fan on this forum. But honestly, I did want to preface it by saying that it can only be worth, at most, 2 cents. I hope I'm in the minority. If I am, I will give it one more chance. And I probably will buy the DVD to have it in my collection, but at this point, I'm not willing to watch it with so many other great options.

 

[dwayne1115]

A person who is registered on this forum and hasnt posted anything in 7 years cant be named muppet fan..haha

Well at the same time they did join, and are still a member here. I'm just saying we should still listen to what she has to say. We can't not call her a Muppet fan just because she has not posted much on the forum.