Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray Movie Review

"We're making a sequel!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 4, 2014

Children of the '70s and '80s know there's no wait like the wait for the next Muppets movie. Muppets Most Wanted arrived earlier than most -- hot on the heels of Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller and James Bobin's franchise resurrection, The Muppets (2011) -- but the two-and-a-half year wait was more grueling than the last. It can't be overstated: The Muppets was that good. As a result, Most Wanted ran headlong into higher expectations and hungrier appetites, which never bodes well for a sequel, particularly one that's short a crucial member (in this case, Segel, who declined to return to the writer's room). And maybe it's those expectations, that insatiable appetite, that love of the previous film that made Most Wanted feel so much like... a sequel. Not a bad sequel by any means, but not a classic either. There are fantastic character beats, a slew of inspired comedy bits, some side-splitting gags, a few catchy songs and two of the most memorable villains to grace a Muppets film. But it all struck me as a somewhat generic, at-times scattershot follow-up to a more streamlined, engaging and endearing passion project with more heart and soul than poor Most Wanted has to offer.

The sequel picks up immediately following the events of the 'The Muppets' as Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, the Great Gonzo, Animal and the entire Muppet gang head out on a world tour. But mayhem follows, as the Muppets find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine, the World's Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog. Soon Kermit is behind bars at the mercy of Siberian gulag warden Nadya (Tina Fey), as his evil doppleganger infiltrates his life and takes his place. As Constantine and his dastardly sidekick Dominic aka Number Two (Ricky Gervais) plot the robbery of the century, they're pursued by Sam Eagle and Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell). Will Constantine get away with his nefarious scheme? Will Kermit escape in time to save the day? Will his friends even notice he's gone?

My reaction to Most Wanted included a series of strong laughs early on, a slow descent into mild disappointment over the course of the film's second act, a nagging sense that there were two songs too many, a few more welcome chuckles and belly laughs, and a much-needed uptick in mood near film's end. It didn't culminate in big grins and standing ovations -- or a shoulder shrug or long, exasperated sigh -- but I still walked away grumbling rather than gushing. My son? Loved it. Couldn't get enough. My circle of friends? Colleagues? They enjoyed it much more than I did too. Our own Brian Orndorf gave the film a 9 out of 10 when reviewing the sequel's theatrical release in March. I was beginning to wonder what I had missed when the Blu-ray edition dropped on my doorstop. Sadly, my second viewing was as unenthusiastic as my first. So I'm going to break form and leave you to Brian. I suspect his impressions will serve most of you better than mine, and anything that drives audiences to support the Muppets is a priority in my book. You can find Brian's full review here. For the link-averse among you, here are the highlights:

"Muppets Most Wanted is acutely aware of sequelitis. There’s even an opening number devoted to the difficulties of follow-ups, establishing the picture’s attentiveness from the outset, allowing the production to relax and enjoy the ride, dialing down heartwarming material to play sharper and more Muppety. As much as the original film worked, the slight change of course allows Bobin and Stoller room to monkey around with the stars of the show, making time to explore the range of zany characters, even highlighting those who’ve been pushed aside to make room for Walter, the latest addition to the family. Muppets Most Wanted has a stronger focus and a snappier pace, with the Constantine wrinkle exploited wonderfully by the screenplay, which dreams up a bomb-happy baddie boasting a thick Russian accent he barely sheds to become Kermit (an uproarious running gag), working with Dominic to keep the troupe clueless onstage as they break into museums. The crook even makes a play for Miss Piggy to preserve the distraction, giving her what she’s always wanted from Kermit: a wedding.

The human factor of Muppets Most Wanted fares particularly well here, with Burrell finding a nifty match in Sam the Eagle, playing up Napoleon’s French way of procedure (lots of breaks for food and rest) while the American bird loses his patience. Gervais tucks away his customary sarcasm to portray Dominic, clearly having a ball playing with the Muppets, trading one-liners and even indulging in a song with Constantine concerning his lowly number two status on the criminal food chain. Tina Fey shines bright as Nadya, also taking on a cartoon Russian accent, showing comedic toughness and wonderful timing as a most severe warden who comes to depend on Kermit to put on a show for the prison, working with earnest but tuneless inmates. She steals scenes with her enthusiasm. And it wouldn’t be a Muppets movie without celebrity cameos, and this picture is chock full of famous faces excited to rumble with the puppets. There’s Lady Gaga, Frank Langella, Tony Bennett, Usher, Christoph Waltz (who shares his namesake dance with Sweetums), Tom Hiddleston, Salma Hayek, and Saoirse Ronan, just to name a few. The stars (a few more are pulled from the Disney Channel ranks to keep young viewers invested) bring their A-game to Muppets Most Wanted, making charming impressions in brief, chaotic appearances.

It’s difficult to list the pleasures of Muppets Most Wanted, as there are so many. Bobin and Stoller find their groove immediately with the picture, deftly blending elements from the previous film (Walter rises to hero status to find Kermit) into this new effort, and indulging a few character weaknesses with the likes of Fozzy and Animal. Outrageous behaviors and insecurities remain vivid and immensely appealing, while the feature’s comedic imagination is boundless, offering opportunities for goofballery to everyone in the cast. The production also utilizes the stage show once again, showcasing a Spanish version of the opener for audiences in Madrid, while Constantine finds himself overwhelmed with stage fright during his first night as host, passing out in front of a sold-out crowd. It’s a gut-buster of a sight gag.

Perhaps most surprising about the picture is the quality of its songs. The Muppets was iffy with its musical numbers, with only a few remaining memorable. Muppets Most Wanted is more consistently toe-tapping, offering tunes that establish the punishment of the gulag (“The Big House”), Napoleon and Sam the Eagle’s plan of investigative attack (“Interrogation Song”), and Miss Piggy fantasies (“Something So Right,” feature Celine Dion). McKenzie injects a distinct personality into every song, preserving the freshness of the musical numbers (also including a reprise of “Together Again” from The Muppets Take Manhattan). Although the jokey tone of Muppets Most Wanted is a lament for inferior sequels, here’s a follow-up that actually improves on its predecessor. With frequent belly laughs and a globe-trotting energy, the film embraces the madcap antics of the Muppets, sustaining love and respect for the characters while abusing them in highly entertaining ways."

Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Muppets Most Wanted lights the lights with a striking, near-perfect 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation. Colors are often restrained but when they pop, wow they pop. Rich primaries, lovely skintones and satisfying black levels are just the tip of the cinematic iceberg, with contrast and clarity impressing time and time again. Detail is excellent, from the crisp, clean edges to the finest of fine textures. Felt fuzz, Fozzie fur and other Muppet-y subtleties are refined and precisely resolved, delineation is revealing, and grain is intact and rarely spikes. Moreover, macroblocking and banding are nowhere to be seen, ringing is kept to the barest of minimums, crush isn't an issue, and the only issue of note -- a hint of aliasing here and there -- is so minor and infrequent it's negligible. Long, winding road short: Muppets Most Wanted looks fantastic.

Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Disney's 2.0Mbps DTS-HD High Resolution 7.1 surround track isn't as successful, although it isn't a huge disappointment either. Not to be confused with a full-fledged DTS-HD Master Audio mix, Most Wanted's lossy offering lacks a bit of the punch featured in The Muppets (2011). Whether the slight knock in quality is attributable to the film's sound design or the High Resolution track -- or the dreaded placebo effect -- is unclear, but it doesn't matter a whole lot. Most Wanted still sounds pretty great. Dialogue is clean, intelligible and smartly prioritized (minus a few instances in which the rest of the soundscape overwhelms the Muppets' voices), LFE output is nice and assertive, and the rear speakers do a fine job creating an immersive soundfield. Crowded theaters, bustling city streets, dusty catacombs and just about every musical number in the film envelops the listener to remarkable ends and makes for an at-times exciting 7.1 experience. Perfect? No. But it's more than serviceable and still well above average.

Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Unnecessarily Extended Cut: Two versions of the film are included: the 107-minute theatrical version and a 119-minute extended cut with 12 minutes of additional (at-times funny, at-times not so funny) material.
• The Longer Longest Blooper Reel in Muppets History* (HD, 10 minutes): *Well, at least it's longer than the one for the last film. (Plus, we added these extra words to fill even more time.) Outtakes, crack-ups and other shenanigans courtesy of the Muppets gang.
• Rizzo's Biggest Fan (HD, 3 minutes): Rizzo, posing a "really big-time Muppet fan," sends an anonymous message to director James Bobin complaining about the lack of Rizzo-screentime in Muppets Most Wanted.
• The Statler & Waldorf Cut (HD, 2 minutes): A tongue-in-cheek cut of the film.
• Music Video (HD, 3 minutes): "I'll Get What You Want" by Bret McKenzie.

Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Muppets Most Wanted just didn't do it for me. I had a good time, but it left me feeling a bit empty, particularly in light of The Muppets (2011), which exhumed old memories and deep-rooted nostalgia I didn't realize was still buried inside. The sequel is fun, funny and full of the same zany meta-parodies the Muppets have thrived on for decades... I should have loved it. Many people did. Some even declared it superior to The Muppets. Not me. I walked away having enjoyed parts but grumbling about the whole. Disney's Blu-ray release is better, but it too has its share of flaws. While its video presentation is terrific, its DTS-HD High Resolution 7.1 track leaves something (small) to be desired, as does its disappointing supplemental package, which doesn't offer a whole lot. All that being said, Muppets Most Wanted is still the Muppets. It would have a home on my shelf even if it were awful, and it's far, far, far from awful. Let's go with "pretty good" and call it a day.