Muppets Most Wanted (2014) [Blu-ray]
Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Family | Musical

Two frogs! One pig! Intrigue! Music! Mayhem! Muppets!

There's plenty of fun for the whole family as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Animal and the entire Muppets gang head out on a world tour. But mayhem follows the Muppets, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper. Now Kermit is behind bars at the mercy of prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey), and the World's Number One Criminal, Constantine - a dead ringer for Kermit - has taken his place!

As Constantine and his dastardly sidekick Dominic (Ricky Gervais) plot the robbery of the century, they are pursued by Sam Eagle and Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell). Will Constantine get away with his nefarious scheme? Will Kermit escape in time to save the day? Packed with dozens of guest cameos and some great new songs, Disney's Muppets Most Wanted is the most hilarious, most wanted Muppet movie ever!

Storyline: Flush with their revival's success, Kermit the Frog and his friends are approached by Dominic Badguy to go on a world tour. Unknown to them, this is all part of the sinister plan of Constantine, the world's most evil frog, to become the greatest thief of all time. After making sure that Kermit is jailed as himself, Constantine impersonates him to use the Muppets' tour as cover for his scheme. While Sam the Eagle and Inspector Jean Pierre Napoleon investigate, the Muppets find their boss seems strangely changed even as Kermit desperately attempts to escape to stop the impostor. Only when Walter, Fozzie and Animal realize the truth is there a chance to prevent Constantine from pulling off the crime of the century. Written by Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, August 4, 2014 -- Children of the '70s and '80s know there's no wait like the wait for the next Muppets movie. Muppets Most Wanted arrived earlier than most -- hot on the heels of Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller and James Bobin's franchise resurrection, The Muppets (2011) -- but the two-and-a-half year wait was more grueling than the last. It can't be overstated: The Muppets was that good. As a result, Most Wanted ran headlong into higher expectations and hungrier appetites, which never bodes well for a sequel, particularly one that's short a crucial member (in this case, Segel, who declined to return to the writer's room). And maybe it's those expectations, that insatiable appetite, that love of the previous film that made Most Wanted feel so much like... a sequel. Not a bad sequel by any means, but not a classic either. There are fantastic character beats, a slew of inspired comedy bits, some side-splitting gags, a few catchy songs and two of the most memorable villains to grace a Muppets film. But it all struck me as a somewhat generic, at-times scattershot follow-up to a more streamlined, engaging and endearing passion project with more heart and soul than poor Most Wanted has to offer.

The sequel picks up immediately following the events of the 'The Muppets' as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo, Animal and the entire Muppet gang head out on a world tour. But mayhem follows, as the Muppets find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine, the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog. Soon Kermit is behind bars at the mercy of Siberian gulag warden Nadya (Tina Fey), as his evil doppleganger infiltrates his life and takes his place. As Constantine and his dastardly sidekick Dominic aka Number Two (Ricky Gervais) plot the robbery of the century, they're pursued by Sam Eagle and Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell). Will Constantine get away with his nefarious scheme? Will Kermit escape in time to save the day? Will his friends even notice he's gone?

My reaction to Most Wanted included a series of strong laughs early on, a slow descent into mild disappointment over the course of the film's second act, a nagging sense that there were two songs too many, a few more welcome chuckles and belly laughs, and a much-needed uptick in mood near film's end. It didn't culminate in big grins and standing ovations -- or a shoulder shrug or long, exasperated sigh -- but I still walked away grumbling rather than gushing. My son? Loved it. Couldn't get enough. My circle of friends? Colleagues? They enjoyed it much more than I did too. Our own Brian Orndorf gave the film a 9 out of 10 when reviewing the sequel's theatrical release in March. I was beginning to wonder what I had missed when the Blu-ray edition dropped on my doorstop. Sadly, my second viewing was as unenthusiastic as my first. So I'm going to break form and leave you to Brian. I suspect his impressions will serve most of you better than mine, and anything that drives audiences to support the Muppets is a priority in my book. You can find Brian's full review here. For the link-averse among you, here are the highlights:

"Muppets Most Wanted is acutely aware of sequelitis. There's even an opening number devoted to the difficulties of follow-ups, establishing the picture's attentiveness from the outset, allowing the production to relax and enjoy the ride, dialing down heartwarming material to play sharper and more Muppety. As much as the original film worked, the slight change of course allows Bobin and Stoller room to monkey around with the stars of the show, making time to explore the range of zany characters, even highlighting those who've been pushed aside to make room for Walter, the latest addition to the family. Muppets Most Wanted has a stronger focus and a snappier pace, with the Constantine wrinkle exploited wonderfully by the screenplay, which dreams up a bomb-happy baddie boasting a thick Russian accent he barely sheds to become Kermit (an uproarious running gag), working with Dominic to keep the troupe clueless onstage as they break into museums. The crook even makes a play for Miss Piggy to preserve the distraction, giving her what she's always wanted from Kermit: a wedding.

The human factor of Muppets Most Wanted fares particularly well here, with Burrell finding a nifty match in Sam the Eagle, playing up Napoleon's French way of procedure (lots of breaks for food and rest) while the American bird loses his patience. Gervais tucks away his customary sarcasm to portray Dominic, clearly having a ball playing with the Muppets, trading one-liners and even indulging in a song with Constantine concerning his lowly number two status on the criminal food chain. Tina Fey shines bright as Nadya, also taking on a cartoon Russian accent, showing comedic toughness and wonderful timing as a most severe warden who comes to depend on Kermit to put on a show for the prison, working with earnest but tuneless inmates. She steals scenes with her enthusiasm. And it wouldn't be a Muppets movie without celebrity cameos, and this picture is chock full of famous faces excited to rumble with the puppets. There's Lady Gaga, Frank Langella, Tony Bennett, Usher, Christoph Waltz (who shares his namesake dance with Sweetums), Tom Hiddleston, Salma Hayek, and Saoirse Ronan, just to name a few. The stars (a few more are pulled from the Disney Channel ranks to keep young viewers invested) bring their A-game to Muppets Most Wanted, making charming impressions in brief, chaotic appearances.

It's difficult to list the pleasures of Muppets Most Wanted, as there are so many. Bobin and Stoller find their groove immediately with the picture, deftly blending elements from the previous film (Walter rises to hero status to find Kermit) into this new effort, and indulging a few character weaknesses with the likes of Fozzy and Animal. Outrageous behaviors and insecurities remain vivid and immensely appealing, while the feature's comedic imagination is boundless, offering opportunities for goofballery to everyone in the cast. The production also utilizes the stage show once again, showcasing a Spanish version of the opener for audiences in Madrid, while Constantine finds himself overwhelmed with stage fright during his first night as host, passing out in front of a sold-out crowd. It's a gut-buster of a sight gag.

Perhaps most surprising about the picture is the quality of its songs. The Muppets was iffy with its musical numbers, with only a few remaining memorable. Muppets Most Wanted is more consistently toe-tapping, offering tunes that establish the punishment of the gulag ("The Big House"), Napoleon and Sam the Eagle's plan of investigative attack ("Interrogation Song"), and Miss Piggy fantasies ("Something So Right," feature Celine Dion). McKenzie injects a distinct personality into every song, preserving the freshness of the musical numbers (also including a reprise of "Together Again" from The Muppets Take Manhattan). Although the jokey tone of Muppets Most Wanted is a lament for inferior sequels, here's a follow-up that actually improves on its predecessor. With frequent belly laughs and a globe-trotting energy, the film embraces the madcap antics of the Muppets, sustaining love and respect for the characters while abusing them in highly entertaining ways."

Muppets Most Wanted just didn't do it for me. I had a good time, but it left me feeling a bit empty, particularly in light of The Muppets (2011), which exhumed old memories and deep-rooted nostalgia I didn't realize was still buried inside. The sequel is fun, funny and full of the same zany meta-parodies the Muppets have thrived on for decades... I should have loved it. Many people did. Some even declared it superior to The Muppets. Not me. I walked away having enjoyed parts but grumbling about the whole. Disney's Blu-ray release is better, but it too has its share of flaws. While its video presentation is terrific, its DTS-HD High Resolution 7.1 track leaves something (small) to be desired, as does its disappointing supplemental package, which doesn't offer a whole lot. All that being said, Muppets Most Wanted is still the Muppets. It would have a home on my shelf even if it were awful, and it's far, far, far from awful. Let's go with "pretty good" and call it a day.

[CSW] -3.0- "It's not easy being mean...heh, heh, heh" The Muppets are back for another sequel (#8) the first one after the highly regarded 2011 film, simply titled, "The Muppets". This one is almost there, but just does not quite measure up to that one. It is nevertheless a highly entertaining, very funny entry in the franchise that will please adults almost as much as children. The cameos we've come to expect do not disappoint. Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo bring their hard-personas to the comic table, singing and dancing through their rugged exteriors. Tina Fey nails the hard-nosed Russian prison guard Nadya, and Burrell's pairing with Sam the Eagle is utterly inspired. But this still is once-is-enough entertainment.
[V4.5-A4.0] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box.


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