While this made for TV movie is not a top-tier Muppet movie, it is still a good film.
This film takes a note from Its a Wonderful Life (1946). When Fozzie loses the money needed to keep The Muppet Theater going, Kermit falls into a strong depression feeling that he ruined the other Muppets lives by making them believe in his dream as well. When an angel comes to visit him, Kermit says he wishes he had never been born and then the angel decides to use this to show him, what the world would be like if he wasn't.
One of the best things about any Muppet movie is how well they mix wacky zany humor with a warm heart and natural sentimentality. It is during the heartfelt scenes where this movie really shines. Though the story is in many ways a parody of another Christmas movie, it is still quite heartfelt. To see Kermit of all characters pushed to the point where he can no longer believe in dreams makes us simply want to give our favorite frog a big hug. No matter how silly this movie gets, it still explores this heartfelt idea to its fullest. The whole section where Kermit sees how the world would be without him is very heartfelt. One of the best scenes in this film is Kermit and Gonzo’s song together which is simply lovely. The scene with Miss Piggy if there was no Kermit is both heartfelt and funny at the same time,
The humor in this movie can be a bit hit and miss. The comedy falls flat when it focuses too heavily on pop culture references. Parodying Moulin Rouge! (2001) and The Grinch (2000) make it feel like this film is trying too hard. It doesn’t help that these parodies aren’t really that funny. The comedy simply relies too much on simply the audience recognizing what the movie is referencing and too little on funny gags. Scenes that reference TV shows like Scrubs and Fear Factor, simply feel like NBC (which this made for TV movie originally played on) advertising itself. However I will admit a reference to The Muppet Movie did really make me laugh. The scenes involving Whoopi Goldberg as a God-like character, are also never as funny as they should be. The best comedy came from the characters and simple slapstick gags. Gonzo’s eccentricities, Piggy’s temper, Pepe’s innuendos and Fozzie’s clumsiness all ad some delightful comedic moments. Statler and Waldorf get some of the comedic lines in this movie. Also little slapstick gags like Robin getting his younger stuck on a pole definitely made me laugh.
Even at less than an hour and a half (without commercials) this movie feels longer than it needs to be and a little stretched out at times.
While this isn’t on par with the best Muppet movies, it is still a delightful watch around Christmas time.
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