[5]

If you love the Muppets, this eighth Muppet movie won’t disappoint you too badly, though it’s far from their best effort. Director James Bobin (Flight of the Conchords) and writer Nicholas Stoller return for their second entry in the franchise, after the great success of 2011’s The Muppets. This time, Kermet is replaced with the world’s most dangerous frog, a Russian gulag escapee named Constantine. Constantine takes Kermet’s place on the Muppets’ worldwide tour, working with their new manager (Ricky Gervais) to burgle from neighboring museums at each performance. The Muppets take a long time figuring out their beloved Kermet has been replaced, all while the real Kermet is stuck with Tina Fey in a Siberian gulag, bringing the inmates closer together through song and dance.

The songs aren’t terrible (the opening number is the best) and all your favorite Muppet characters get a decent amount of screen time. The film starts off well and has a strong climax centered around Miss Piggy’s wedding to the evil Kermet doppelganger. Where Most Wanted loses a lot of points is in its long, draggy, middle section, where Kermet is away from the rest of the gang and you really wish the characters would wise up and get the plot moving again.

With Ty Burrell, Ray Liotta, Danny Trejo, and lead puppeteers Steve Whitmire, Dave Goelz, Eric Jacobson, Bill Barretta, David Rudman, and Matt Vogel. Look for cameo appearances from Christoph Waltz, Lady Gaga, Chloe Grace Moretz, Salma Hayek, Tony Bennett, Tom Hiddleston, Sean Combs, Zack Galifianakis, Frank Langella, Celine Dion, James McAvoy, Miranda Richardson, Usher, Stanley Tucci, and many others.