In perhaps one of the cleverest trailers I have ever seen, The Muppets came to my attention in a thoroughly surprising manner, with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy intruding on what I thought was a promotion for a generic romantic comedy. Needless to say, as a lifelong fan of the Muppets who best remembers the characters from the short-lived Muppets Tonight show that aired in the late 90s, I was pumped for this newest family film. Only sweetening the deal was the fact that this film was being written by and would star Jason Segel, who is one of my favorite actors and no stranger to comedy, albeit normally that of a more adult variety. Add to the equation Academy Award nominee Amy Adams and rumors of considerable celebrity cameos, and it is clear that Walt Disney Pictures was banking on The Muppets being a cinematic event drawing considerable crowds. Given my status as a Muppet fan, nothing short of a colossal train-wreck would disappoint me, but there was no guarantee that the younger generate would react to the characters that their parents once revered.
Silly, energetic, and fully living up to the legacy established by its title characters over the past fifty years, The Muppets meets and surpasses most expectations. The sheer novelty and nostalgia of seeing the familiar Muppets reunite and interact with each other and the outside environment is the strongest part of the film, but the characters are also aided by a surprisingly strong level of self-aware humor. Jason Segel and Amy Adams fulfill their roles perfectly, clearly having fun in embracing the innocence and simplicity that many too often forget. Catchy songs and an almost dizzying amount of celebrity cameos add to the level of enjoyment provided, but the story in its entirety and the type of humor presented may not appeal to those who do not count themselves among the long and varied list of Muppet fanatics. Despite that one trivial qualification, The Muppets remains an undeniably strong film sure to reawaken the child in many and generate a whole new generation of fans.
Overall Recommendation: High
