The Muppets sure have been through quite a lot in its lifespan, this is especially the case with their movies. After the huge success of The Muppet Show, the Muppets made it big when it came time to transition from the small screen to the big screen. From the early 80’s to the late 90s there were a couple movies that would pop up here and there and for the most part, they were successful. The movie will be looking at in this review however will be none other than The Great Muppet Caper.
Kermit, Fozzie and Gonzo play journalists who are not super good at their jobs. When they are tasked with heading to London to report on a jewel heist, they soon figure out that they got a lot more to deal with then they bargained for. Not only does Kermit mistake Miss Piggy for the real culprit Lady Holiday, but Ms Piggy starts to fall in love with Kermit much to his amusement. The gang also comes across a lot of other recognizable Muppet characters who all stay at a rundown place called the happiness hotel. From here, a whole bunch of nonsensical weirdness happens.
So the plot is kinda your average crime mystery, but what makes it work is definitely The Muppets and there zany humor. There's a lot of random celebrity camos as well as some really clever 4th wall breaking that elevate this story into being more that its plot suggests. It is truly funny and a lot of the jokes definitely hit in all the right places. Let's also not forget that this is The Muppets were talking about. Each of the characters get their own moment to shine and each has something funny or of value to offer. These characters are so well established that you can put them in any scenario and they would still leave an impact on you.
As to be expected of Jim Henson and crew the puppetry is so good and it really feels believable in a weirdly aesthetically pleasing sort of way. Now that’s not to say that it is completely mind blowing how they handle the puppetry cause I have seen puppetry used in more creative ways in other muppet movies or even in The Muppet Show. Still, it works for the purposes of the story. The music in this movie isn’t quite at the level of memorability in other muppet works, but it does it’s job and the way they handle shooting the musical numbers is impressive to watch. The songs still got that infectious spirit that in the end it’s hard not to crack a smile while listening and watching.
So is this the best Muppet movie ever? I wouldn’t really say that, but is it fun as all can be? Abso-flippin-lutely! It is definitely worth seeing if you are a huge Muppet fan. It's off the wall story and hilarious line delivery are still some of the best that the Muppets have done. Add that in with the great as always puppetry, loveable characters and even impressive music numbers and you got a film that is fun for the whole family.
(Final Grade: B)