Your Thoughts: "Muppets Most Wanted" Theatrical Film

[sesamemuppetfan]

I thought it might be fun to tally up all similarities I found between this, The Great Muppet Caper, and The Muppets Take Manhattan.

Similarities to The Great Muppet Caper:

• A random appearance by the villain in the opening song (then again, in TMM we saw Max and Doc Hopper before we knew who they were, in MTM we briefly saw Ronnie Crawford about an hour before he was introduced, and in FTB the Sleaze brothers appear three scenes before we know anything about them).
• The opening scenes have Kermit telling the others what they need. In GMC, Kermit tells them they need an exciting cover story, in this he tells them they need a half-decent plot.
• Both movies have a water ballet (even if the water ballet in MMW is just a brief scene in the opening song).
• Both movies have the Muppets going to London.
• Both movies involve a jewel heist.
• Something about Beauregard being the train conductor feels similar to him being a taxi driver.

And similarities to The Muppets Take Manhattan:

• In MTM, the other Muppets want to take the show to Broadway (after a fellow student jokingly remarked that they'll be on Broadway) but Kermit feels that although Manhattan Melodies was a hit as a college musical, it's not good enough for Broadway. And in this, Kermit feels like although the Muppets had just become successful again, they shouldn't be thinking so big right away, while the other Muppets want to do bigger things.
• Maybe this should have been included in the above example, but in MTM, the others convince Kermit to decide to bring the show to Broadway. And in MMW, after Dominic books an expensive theater to perform at, the others convince Kermit to bring the show there instead of the smaller venues he had arranged.
• The tuxedos look like golden versions of the tuxedos they where at the beginning of Manhattan Melodies.
• The wedding, obviously.
• Both movies include the song "Together Again" (obviously... again)..

Okay, so I found one more similarity to GMC than MTM. Though most of the similarities to GMC that I noticed occur in the opening song.

That's all very true. Not to be a know-it-all or anything, but Ronnie Crawford wasn't a villain, mind you.

 

[Twisted Tails]

I'm on it! I'm going to do everything I can to make sure one of the best Muppet movies don't go down as a failure!

Me too! I never said this movie was a failure. It was a comeback! To convince us that this is what Muppets are supposed to do. They rehearse and then put on a show to a wide audience. I rate it... 5 stars.

Who wouldn't LOVE the Muppets?

 

[goldenstate5]

I saw it again today, and I'll have to revise my score from 3/5 to 4/5. I still have some problems with the Dominic/Da Vinci Code stuff, and I was even more bummed in that payoff scene when one of the dudes goes, "It's the Muppets... this isn't going to be easy." (just weirdly mean-spirited) The finale, although I love the idea of performing Together Again is somewhat mismanaged with those awful green-screened cameos. I still can't complete Bobin okay'd that to go onto the final print. It's a bad idea and should've been cut in favor of just a clean finale.

However, the rest of it I was able to enjoy more as silly Muppety fun, and it is indeed fun even if the tepid third-full theater seemed to be sleeping through it more than anything else. (Piggy's awesome attack on Constantine finally woke them up, though) I absolutely still adore Matt Vogel's puppeteering and I think he showed up Peter Linz for creating a new Muppet character, even though Walter is still likable. Was able to catch more jokes this time around, and the songs are still awesome (if a little too cut up)... "I'll Get You What You Want" reminded me a lot of 90s Muppet projects, especially MTI which isn't a bad thing. (I had to run to the bathroom during it on first watch) It's a catchy, hip song with clever lyrics, visuals and rats singing in the background. (I love whenever any Muppet projects have the songs "backed up" by other Muppets in the background... it gives you a great subtle sense of the world they're putting you into and just pulls me back into childhood)

Once again Ty Burrell and Sam Eagle are just hilarious, and I even enjoyed the wacky Muppet Show segments a lot more. Suddenly everything started gelling more together this time, although the 2011 movie is arguably still the better "film". I am very glad this got made, and it's enjoyable in its own right as just a fun Muppet movie with lots of good laughs. I mean, it features Beauregard in two scenes... and honestly that makes the movie for me.

 

[Wiseman]

Besides the human cameos, I also noticed at least a few Muppet cameos. The Muppets from Muppet Treasure Island appeared in the Gulag scenes. In the song "I can get you what you want" the armadillo was stolen from Puppet Up. When Dominic Badguy stole the Crown Jewels after going through the lasers there was a brief moment when he appeared to be hanging upside down from a wall with an Escher style pattern on it, similar to Labyrinth, there were probably other allusions to previous Henson films and productions both Muppet and non-Muppet related but these are the ones I saw right away.

 

[Drtooth]

The Muppets was made solely to get this movie made. I'll just say it. This was by far a more enjoyable, and better put together film. it didn't feel like they were trying to shove 3 films into one, they didn't end the movie's plotline during the credits. The humans were more engaging this time. We had a smaller, focused group of Muppets instead of "look how many we can put in a scene" while putting as many as they could into big scenes as possible. They showed just enough Muppet Show schtick that you get the general idea, without stopping the movie's momentum to perform them. The fourth Wall moments were much better and stronger. They went straight into the action (no 10 minute wait for the Muppets outside of a flashback). Danny Trejo wasn't cut out completely. Just editing, pacing... everything was superior there.

This is, without a doubt, my favorite Post-Henson Muppet project.

I'll say, yes... I agree that there wasn't a song as grand as Man or Muppet, but there were also no Big Lipped Alligator Moment klunkers like Me Party. My only real complaint was there wasn't a full Electric Mayhem song, but where would they put it?

And really... Link had multiple lines and scenes. That's amazing.

And the fact that this isn't doing well at the box office makes me utterly sick to my stomach. The Muppets was the movie we needed to have to restart the franchise... this is the film we deserved.

Oh, and I'm absolutely delighted they did dedicate the film to Jane and Jerry.

 

[Gonz21]

I really was very disappointed in it. I love these characters and they have never failed to make me laugh out loud until now. I chuckled a couple of times but that was it. I also don't find the songs very memorable at all. In fact there is something seriously wrong when the best songs in a Muppet movie are from an earlier Muppet production or another movie entirely. The Muppets have bounced back from disappointment before so I have no reason to believe they won't this time.

 

[dwayne1115]

I really was very disappointed in it. I love these characters and they have never failed to make me laugh out loud until now. I chuckled a couple of times but that was it. I also don't find the songs very memorable at all. In fact there is something seriously wrong when the best songs in a Muppet movie are from an earlier Muppet production or another movie entirely. The Muppets have bounced back from disappointment before so I have no reason to believe they won't this time.

I'm sorry you did not like the movie as much as a lot of us have. Maybe if you watch it again that might change.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

Wow that is all...but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I agree to a point on the music though.

 

[LinkLady77]

Loved how bizarre and odd it was when Constantine fainted.[/quote]


I loved how Sweetums drags him across the floor by his legs towards to the side of the stage as the curtain falls...LOL!!

 

[King Rupert]

I actually thought the music in this film was one of the brightest spots. Brett McKenzie seems to have his finger on the pulse of the Muppets, much more so than Bobin or Disney IMO.

The plot was ambitious but I felt it held up and really moved well.

The Muppets played it too safe, as Disney tends to do. I thought Ty Burrell and Tina Fey were terrific, I thought Ricky Gervais acted as though he was above the movie (he got first billing after all).

I give it a 6 out of 10. The box office numbers are not doing so hot either. Only 16M.