“The Muppets Most Wanted” Contains Everything It Should

The delightful opening song of “Muppets Most Wanted,” titled “Sequel Song,” lays out just about everything audiences need to know about this new film. Yes, Kermit and the gang are back, and they are “doing a sequel” and doing it (as the song asserts) quite knowingly “that everybody knows that the sequel is never quite as good.”

Certainly, that’s true here; the film doesn’t manage to capture the nostalgia and earnestness of the first film, but even a rehashing of the first “The Muppets” movie would mean more wonderful Muppets magic.

“Muppets Most Wanted” certainly delivers that magic in spades, with all of the trademark highlights that are to be expected in a Muppets film: celebrity cameos, the gang coming back together again, songs, meta-humor, explosions, Kermit and Piggy attempting to get married, friendship and a dastardly villain who is actively working to undermine the Muppets for his own gain!

“Muppets Most Wanted” knows exactly how audiences feel about the repetitiveness of these films, with full sections of the film asserting, “We’re doing the Muppets again!” and a hilarious sequence wherein the characters not only discuss that they are doing a sequel but also quiz each other on what kind of film it should be. This moment is a double-edged sword, with one side proving that the filmmakers know exactly what kind of film they are delivering, more of the flavor audiences like, and the other proving just how arbitrary the stories in this and most Muppet films are: They serve only as a basis upon which to launch jokes.

This wasn’t the case with the previous film, as the narrative served to comment on the disappearance of the Muppets from pop culture and how comedy has changed in the time since they left. “Muppets Most Wanted” goes for an emotional beat that isn’t quite as strong, commenting on the importance of Kermit to the group, but it is enough to make the film feel like more than just a series of jokes.

Additionally, there is an odd moment early on when the Muppets decide to name this new film “The Muppets Again,” which was the name of the film during production before it got changed to “Muppets Most Wanted.” It is an odd moment primarily because the titles don’t match up, but it also serves to point out just how much better and more accurate the title “The Muppets Again” would have been. This is pure Muppet formula, kid-tested, parent-approved.

While the first film relied on the Muppets to provide all the zany antics, it was anchored by a heartwarming story of Walter and his “brother,” played by Jason Segal. While Jason Segal’s and Amy Adams’ appearances are briefly teased here, the film feels less off without them. Instead, the Muppets take front stage to do what they do best. The result is a typically crazy, energy-charged movie full of subplots and character actors that light up the screen. However, despite how delightful all of these moments are, the film ends up being a little bit less than the sum of its parts.

After the opening song, the film transports its audience to “Gulag 38B: Siberia, Russia” where Constantine, the world’s No. 1 criminal mastermind, breaks out in a flurry of moves that would make “The Matrix” blush. The real kick, though, is that he looks nearly identical to Kermit the Frog, except for a mole on his right cheek and a comical Russian accent.

It isn’t long before Constantine pulls a switch with Kermit, with assistance from his No. 2, Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), and the two con the Muppets into doing a world tour that will cover for their heist of the Crown Jewels. Meanwhile, Kermit is sent back to the Gulag, where he is forced by prison guard Nadya (Tina Fey) to arrange a talent show featuring his fellow inmates, all celebrity cameos.

The cameos are all wonderful and too numerous to list, but here’s a start: Frank Langella, Tim Hiddleston, Ray Liotta, Salma Hayek, Josh Groban, Christopher Waltz, Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, Danny Trejo, etc. The world tour concept allows for them to be introduced in their country of origin and feels far more natural than how the celebrity appearances were handled in the “first” film; Christophe Waltz even gets to dance the waltz! The music by Bret McKenzie (“The Muppets,” “Flight of the Conchords”) is better integrated into the film as well, with fewer awkward numbers like Amy Adams’ “Me Day”, but they never quite reach the heights of the Academy Award-winning “Man or Muppet.” Highlights include the opening number, Constantine and Badguy’s “I’m Number One,” and Nadya’s “The Big House.”

“Muppets Most Wanted” has everything that a Muppet movie should have and more. It might not be as emotionally or thematically compelling as the previous film, but when the jokes are firing this constantly and the songs are this catchy, one can hardly complain.