Sequels. We can’t live with them, and can’t live without them. It’s such a well-known fact that most of them aren’t as good as the original that the Muppets remind us of this unwritten rule in the first five minutes of Most Wanted, with the catchy but sadly prophetic song “We’re Doing A Sequel”.
The previous film was very tongue-in-cheek with its meta referential approach; both nostalgic and yet totally savvy in its use of social media and 2010s pop culture. It was clearly a case of a Hollywood studio rebooting a valuable property, but also a work of love from high-profile talent such as Jason Segel and Brett McKenzie.
Segel is gone, and although both McKenzie and director James Bobin return, this follow-up is a much more conventional film: Constantine, an evil and dangerous Kermit look-alike, escapes from a Siberian gulag. With the help of his accomplice (Gervais), who is posing as a talent agent, he frames our favourite frog and trades places with him. The villains then take the Muppets on a European tour – a cover-up for an international jewel heist being investigated by Sam Eagle and a French detective (Burrell) – while Kermit is sent to Siberia under the custody of a strict warden (Fey).
Some references – such as the Swedish Chef’s The Seventh Seal sequel idea or a mariachi/flamenco-influenced Spanish version of The Muppet Show theme – are so brilliant you can’t wait to get the Blu-Ray to pause and replay those little moments. It’s the same with the multiple cameos, ranging from blink-and-you’ll-miss-them appearances, to an incredible duet between Miss Piggy and a very famous and often maligned Canadian singer, in a self-deprecating turn that will make even her harshest critics see her under a new light.
While the thought of a film featuring Gervais and Fey – and, to a lesser extent, Burrell – is enough to make comedy lovers salivate, we must warn you not to hold your breath waiting for their characters to finally come together in a hysterical, orgiastic overload of funny. They each have their own stellar moments, but they barely interact. To be fair, they are aware that the Muppets are the real stars, and that doesn’t stop them from enjoying their work here. They clearly are in it for more than just a pay cheque.
McKenzie again delivers great tracks, with standouts like the ’70s-infused I’ll Get You What You Want, which would’ve made a great Flight Of The Conchords song. And hopefully the powerful ballad Something So Right will be remembered by the Academy in 2015, even if it the film was released so early in the year. It’s that good!
Summary: Most Wanted delivers big laughs, and although there is ultimately a sense of slight disappointment when compared to its predecessor, it’s only because The Muppets set the bar so high.
RATING: 3 out of 5 stars
Miguel Gonzales