Muppets Most Wanted

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Kermit & Constantine come face to face. Muppets Most Wanted.

Muppets Most Wanted – Kermit the Frog wants to help his fellow Muppets reclaim their former glory and when the shady Dominic Badguy promises everything they’ve ever wanted, he reluctantly agrees to hire him. Finding himself embroiled in a plot involving his evil, fugitive doppelgänger, Constantine, Kermit is mistaken for the crook and thrown into a Siberian gulag. Although the majority of his friends can’t tell that Kermit has been replaced, one or two start to have their suspicions. But until they figure out what’s going on Kermit must survive amongst the surprisingly friendly inmates and put on a show the guards will never forget.

Muppets Most Wanted (2014) – Director: James Bobin

Is Muppets Most Wanted appropraite for kids?

By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=40181221

Rating: U

Running Length: 107 mins

Starring: Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Ricky Gervais

Genre: Comedy

REVIEW: ‘MUPPETS MOST WANTED

Since taking over from The Jim Henson Company (a name synonymous with the Muppets), Disney has produced two movies which has brought with it a fresh bout of success to the world-famous Muppets, ensuring a new generation can enjoy the exploits of Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal and co. ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ sees Kermit mistaken for a criminal and thrown into a Siberian jail where the inmates are far more cuddly than dangerous. Constantine, with his strong Russian accent and uncaring attitude is clearly an imposter to the audience but his nearest and dearest ridiculously (and therefore hilariously) can’t tell the difference between the two look-a-like frogs.

Keeping the humour very much child-friendly but with so many great gags that land time and again, ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ is just as fun to watch for the kids seeing these characters with fresh eyes as it is for their parents who enjoy the characters from their own childhoods. With endless cameos from A-Listers, a jet-setting plot around Europe and dozens of colourful personalities, ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ ticks all the boxes for a wonderfully rich world of warm comedy that it is impossible not to enjoy.

With such a large ensemble cast, it would have been nice to have had more screen-time for main stayers like Animal, Gonzo and Fozzie but this is only a minor quibble and when there is so much right about ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ it feels wrong to complain about it! For a movie that provides laughs aplenty, great comedy songs, surprising cameos and a genuine feel-good factor from start to finish, it is a movie that simply oozes entertainment for everyone.

CONTENT: IS ‘MUPPETS MOST WANTED’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

At the beginning of the movie, ‘The World’s Most Dangerous Frog’, Constantine, escapes his gulag prison. He is seen beating up numerous human guards and while this is a little violent, the visuals of an obviously fake frog jumping up and using his skinny, long limbs to beat grown men to the ground with singular punches or kicks is very funny. After escaping the building, Constantine detonates explosions which can be seen destroying parts of the prison behind him. There is no mention of potential deaths or suffering with this and therefore it is unlikely to be something that kids will pick up on.

Kermit walks along unfamiliar streets in the fog and suddenly the people nearby disappear either into buildings or they close shutters which isolates him. Kermit becomes a little scared and as he faces the camera, another character can be seen moving quickly across the screen behind him. One time when this character runs past, they slap him hard on the face in order to place a false mole on him. This could be a little scary for younger children but the scene is short and the tone is lightened soon afterwards so any upset should not last long.

When Kermit is taken to the gulag, he is initially surrounded by the prisoners who mistake him for Constantine and are friendly towards him, however when he says something that Constantine would never say (thank you), they turn on him, lifting him bodily into the air by his arms and legs. One shouts ‘Let’s throw him into the recycling compound!’. However they are stopped and become genuinely friendly towards Kermit soon after.

Constantine begins to raise suspicions and when a few of the Muppets corner him, he fights back and places metal teeth into his mouth which adds an extra layer of aggression to his attack. He suddenly turns around and growls, the camera is close to his face and this could be quite scary for some kids. The fight does not last long and should not be overly upsetting.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?
VERDICT: IS ‘MUPPETS MOST WANTED’ FOR KIDS?

With fantastic comedy and a thoroughly enjoyable plot, ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ ticks all the boxes of what we have come to expect of The Muppets at their best. While there are a few slightly scary moments which may require some reassurance for younger kids, ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ is undoubtedly appropriate for all ages.

  • Violence: 1/5 (some comedy fighting and slapstick violence)
  • Emotional Distress: 1/5 (two friends who have been together throughout the movie have to say goodbye)
  • Fear Factor: 1/5
  • Sexual Content: 0/5
  • Bad Language: 1/5 (very infrequent, mild blasphemy)
  • Dialogue: 1/5 (one of the gulag inmates tells others that he is ‘a triple threat: a singer, a dancer and a murderer!’)
  • Other Notes: Deals with themes of desperation to continue a career, imposters, betrayal, criminality, trusting your instincts, living in someone else’s shadow and understanding that not getting your own way all the time is sometimes a good thing.

Words by Laura Record

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