Movie review: Muppets Most Wanted

Entertainment reviewer for NZ Herald.·Other·

10 Apr, 2014 02:30 AM2 mins to read

Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Christoph Waltz star in the follow-up to the 2011 Muppets film. While on a grand world tour, the Muppets find themselves wrapped up in a European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit lookalike and his dastardly sidekick. Director James Bobin returns, as does music supervisor Bret McKenzie - Kiwi Oscar-winner for The Muppets and one half of Flight of the Conchords. Due in cinemas on April 10.

The big screen re-launch of The Muppets in 2011 brought Kermit and friends into the 21st century with all the wit, warmth and goofiness of the original television shows and movies, and the next instalment sees the hilarity continue.

As might be expected the sequel, Muppets Most Wanted, has a list of cameos longer than Gonzo's nose, an excellent collection of amusing songs courtesy of Bret McKenzie, and self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek humour. This time it's without the previous movie's leading couple, Jason Segel and Amy Adams.

Muppets Most Wanted picks up straight after the grand finale of the previous film. Having completed shooting the The Muppets, the stars wonder what to do next; the answer is, of course, to do it all again. Cue a self-referential opening musical number, We're Doing a Sequel - "the studio want more, while they wait for Tom Hanks to make Toy Story 4" - featuring Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett.

The song also quips "and everybody knows that the sequel's never quite as good", which is true in this case as well - but only just.

We're quickly on tour with the Muppets as they perform shows across Europe with special guests including Christoph Waltz, Salma Hayek and Saoirse Ronan. Along for the ride is manager Dominic Badguy (Gervais). Aided by the world's most dangerous criminal, Russian frog Constantine, he uses the tour as a cover for underhand activities.

Constantine kidnaps and replaces his doppelganger, Kermit, who is then captured and mistakenly imprisoned in a Siberian prison. It's not good for Kermie, but it sets the stage for the catchy and clever ditty The Big House, sung by prison officer Nadya, played by Tina Fey, a rendition of Working in the Coal Mine sung by the other Concord, Jemaine Clement, as a prisoner, and the feelgood gulag finale.

Somehow though, Muppets Most Wanted feels longer and its narrative noticeably slimmer than its predecessor, although for the most part that is masked by that long roll-call of cameos.

As far as family entertainment goes, it's still hard to beat with its cheesy gags, preponderance of puns, and parade of stars delivering a comedy caper irresistible to both parents and kids.

Cast:

Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell and Tina Fey