In this instalment of the franchise Kermit and the gang have recently graduated from, what I can only assume was an arts programme, University. Having produced a musical that hit big during their collegiate days they get the idea of heading to New York City and getting their show up on the big stage on Broadway.
Like the second film, The Great Muppet Caper, the film diverts from the cameo a minute style and creates a full blown narrative of The Muppets actually attempting the accomplish something. However, finally we don’t have to sit through these characters pretending to not know each other. Therefore we can skip all of the known things and jump into the middle of an already running episode of The Muppets.
In this film we finally get to ask the question as to why they look to Kermit for the answers always. We already know the answer though. It’s just natural. Kermit is the natural leader and the rest of the group refuse to emerge as true individuals. However, it’s what must be done in order to allow Kermit to rediscover his aptitude for the position as leader of the Muppets.
What makes The Muppets so great is the relationships and how they interact. Why Kermit and Ms. Piggy are the leads are how wonderfully beautiful and hilarious they are. We get to see Kermit, this mild mannered calm frog, act like a normal person (am I allowed to call it a person?) and when Ms. Piggy sees something as innocent as a hug between friends and reacts the way she does we are mildly entertained by the insanity of it all; which includes a group of big burly construction workers gawking at a pig.
The rest of the film is as expected. We’re given a handful of ‘people’ characters to help push Kermit along his quest. This time around we have Jenny (Juliana Donald) who becomes Kermit’s personal costume designer for all of his plans and schemes to get ahead in the New York theatre scene.
I still believe that to this point the most underused Muppet has to be the Swedish Chef. His moments just make me smile no matter what he’s doing. He even got a singing line (which of course I didn’t really understand) in the final musical moment.