There has not been a Muppet movie in theaters since 2011, making “Muppets Most Wanted” a welcome addition to 2014. Muppet fans are true fans and would rather see any new film featuring their silly Muppet friends than not have one at all, no matter how good or bad it is. Luckily, “Muppets Most Wanted” is a fantastic family film that will have people of all ages in stitches. But how does this Muppet movie compare with all the others?
In this eighth Muppet movie, lovingly dubbed Muppets 2.0, the zany gang is back, including Kermit, Fozzie, Piggy, Animal, Gonzo, Beaker, the Babies, Janice, Pepe the King Prawn, Rowlf the Dog, Sam the Eagle Kissasian, Scooter, The Swedish Chef and even the chickens. They all head out on tour to entertain people around the world. Just as expected, mayhem follows the Muppets to popular tourist destinations in Europe, like London, Madrid and Berlin. With their habit for getting into trouble, the Muppets get mixed up in a jewel heist headed by the worst criminal in the world, Constantine. This evil-doer just happens to look exactly like Kermit, but he is the complete opposite. Laughs ensue with countless celebrity appearances from timeless actors like Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, Celine Dion and Ty Burrell.
Released in 2011, “The Muppets” was a long-awaited Muppet movie that raised the roof on the box office. Prior to this movie, fans had not been granted a new Muppets movie since 1999. With great ratings, this movie set a high bar for “Muppets Most Wanted.” Since “Muppets Most Wanted” starts off right where “The Muppets” left off, it was not hard to once again create a puppet movie masterpiece. “The Muppets” is a lot more heartfelt than “Muppets Most Wanted,” with most audience members admitting to shedding a tear or two. But, “Muppets Most Wanted” makes up for the lack of heartache with stomach stitches due to a ton of laughs.
This was the second movie ever to star the Muppet gang. Released in 1981, this movie also finds the felt-complexion friends embroiled in a jewel heist. After the first movie was such a hit, director Jim Henson made sure this movie was even more spectacular, funnier, cuter and crazier. It was also filled with the most famous celebrities of the time. Some people would say that this movie is much better than “Muppets Most Wanted,” but the technological advancements of the new Muppet movies allows the gang to get into more trouble than anyone could ever imagine in the 1980s.
This is often considered the most-watched Muppet movie of all time, even if it is not considered the best. In “Muppets Take Manhattan,” released in 1984, the audience is introduced to the Muppet babies for the first time. And, finally, Miss Piggy marries Kermit The Frog. It seems like people have been waiting forever for these special nuptials between a pig and a frog. The Muppets are known for putting on a great show, ever since their super-popular TV show aired on Sunday nights. Just like with all the other Muppet movies, including “Muppets Most Wanted,” they find themselves in heaps of trouble that lead to uncontrollable laughter.
A comparison of Muppet movies cannot be done without talking about “The Muppet Movie.” This was the very first Muppet feature film, and it is also considered the best of all the puppet movies. Hitting the box office in 1979, “The Muppet Movie” was a successful venture, bringing an extremely popular television show to the silver screen. Even now, this is a fantastic movie for kids of all ages, including the grown-up kind. This movie is about a community that comes together, combines their talents and brings joy to the world. The music and celebrity guests are the icing on an already delicious cake. Comparing this movie from 1979 to “Muppets Most Wanted” from 2014 is like comparing a Ford Pinto to a Ford Escape. Both vehicles work well in their respective decades, but the Escape has much better performance and offers an extremely smooth ride due to new advancements in filmmaking.
As far as puppet movies go, even without beloved puppeteer Jim Henson, Muppets are still stealing people’s hearts. Each and every Muppet movie is special in its own unique way, and a true Muppet fan loves them all. Breaking the age barriers, “Muppets Most Wanted” is a great family movie that people from ages 2 to 102 will appreciate for years to come, just like its predecessors.