The Muppets (2011)

The Muppets is a 2011 American musical comedy film and is the seventh theatrical film featuring the Muppets. It marks the return of the Muppet franchise and is the first film in the franchise since Muppets From Space, which came out in 1999.

Plot
Devoted fan Walter, his brother Gary, and Gary's girlfriend Mary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, as they must raise $10 million to save their studio from Tex Richman, a businessman who plans to demolish the studio to drill for oil.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) It's a touching send up to the Muppets and a brutally honest depiction of how they're seen today.
 * 2) It gives a good mix of nostalgia and new elements, and manages to avoid too much nostalgia pandering.
 * 3) Funny and hilarious moments.
 * 4) The film rewards the viewer for being a Muppets fan with all its references, a new rendition of the iconic theme song, ending the movie with Mahna Mahna, and every Muppet banding together to sing Rainbow Connection, which can be enough to get even viewers who aren't Muppets fans a little teary-eyed.
 * 5) Catchy songs. Most notably Life's a Happy Song and Man or Muppet, with the latter getting nominated for a Oscar.
 * 6) The puppetry and characteristics of the Muppets is executed very well.
 * 7) It has a great balance between humor and emotional moments.
 * 8) The movie doesn't have a traditional happy ending where the Muppets get their studio back. Instead, they actually don't make back the money they need, but they're instead greeted by a massive crowd of Muppet fans, and the gang declare Walter the newest Muppet.
 * 9) It also has a great mix between old source material with new source material.
 * 10) Plenty of old Muppet characters that had not been seen in years were rebuilt for the film.
 * 11) Walter is an endearing character, and he gets a fantastic moment to shine at the end with his whistling number.
 * 12) Amazing visuals that makes the Muppets look like they're truly alive.
 * 13) The film led to a brilliant, if somewhat inferior, sequel that still captures the spirit of The Muppets.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The infamous gross-out joke with Fozzie Bear wearing "fart shoes" (but to be fair though, that joke was meant to be a parody of low-brow jokes).
 * 2) Slightly misleading title: Despite being called The Muppets, the film is actually focus more on Walter, Gary and Mary than Kermit and the gang, even they do get a great amount to focus alongside the former three.
 * 3) The film has an unnecessary advertisement for Cars 2 which pops up at times.
 * 4) Richman cheats by cutting the power to the theater, although he does get his comeuppance.
 * 5) Plot Hole: It is never explained why Gary is a human and Walter is a muppet when they’re brothers, however this could be because Walter may be adopted.

Trivia

 * The Drummer for Nirvana and lead Singer of Foo Fighters Dave Grohl makes a cameo as animal in one scene.

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