Archive for December, 2011

That other spoiler free review of the new Muppet movie

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

Let me start by saying, I liked it. It wasn’t an instant classic, and I doubt it will ever be a classic of any sort, but it was by no means the bomb that a lot of reboots are.

That said, I will say there was one element of the film which I had a problem with: Kermit. To me, Kermit was always the voice of reason in the muppet mayhem. He was the best parts of every one of us, and in watching him you felt he was the one “normal” guy in the room. He didn’t always have the answers right away, but he had hope and balance.  Not so much in this new movie.

It’s not that he’s become too zany or acts differently from Jim Henson’s Kermit ALL of the time. It’s that he’s a little too whiny and defeated for me. Kermit is no longer the guy who pulls the muppets together and helps them find their way. He’s now just another muppet needing help.

So… I’m glad I saw it. I’m glad they made it. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great (to me at least). It will likely reinvigorate the franchise (which is good) and it did offer the opportunity for my children and I to share something (which is also good). But, for all the hype there was about it’s arrival, it turned out to be a one-viewing family film.

In hindsight, that’s my only real disappointment – because I wanted it to be great, and it wasn’t.

Contributed by: Scott Copperman