Like so many other people, I can say the Muppets were a major part of my childhood. I saw episodes of the original "Muppet Show" when I was little, and later saw "The Muppet Movie" and "The Great Muppet Caper" (didn't see "The Muppets Take Manhattan" until last year), as well as some post-Jim Henson material; "The Muppet Christmas Carol", "Muppet Treasure Island", and the remake of "The Muppet Show", "Muppets Tonight". None of these disappointed me. By the time "Muppets from Space" came out, I was seeing the first signs of adolescence, and didn't end up seeing the movie that year, though I do recall seeing the trailer for it on TV. Nine years later, having finally seen this movie, I am not impressed!
Lately, Gonzo has been feeling lonely in the world, being a "whatever," not knowing where he came from, and has been having nightmares about it. One morning, however, he sees messages in his breakfast cereal, ones which appear to be from aliens from another planet! While Gonzo is on the rooftop, watching the sky (following one of the messages), he is struck by lightning! He then meets two cosmic fish, and learns from them that he is an extraterrestrial! The other Muppets think he has gone crazy when he tells them about this, but he still attempts to contact his relatives. Meanwhile, government agent K. Edgar Singer is searching for extraterrestrial life on Earth, and has detected the messages Gonzo has been seeing! After Gonzo appears on TV, Singer manages to lure him, along with Rizzo, into captivity, and the other Muppets must try and rescue them and see if Gonzo can finally meet his family!
I knew "Muppets from Space" wasn't the most popular Muppet movie, and it didn't surprise me when I found that one problem with this movie is that while I did smile/snicker sometimes, it's not usually that funny. In fact, it's sometimes quite lame, such as the female armed guard played by Kathy Griffin in love with Animal. However, that's not its only problem. Another major problem is that it's a tad too dark for the Muppets! It's often too cruel, especially when Gonzo and Rizzo are in captivity, with the conditions they face there. That building is a rather dreary place, not the kind one would probably want to see the Muppets in. Those scenes, as well as a number of others, including a hoof to the groin, make me wonder why this movie is rated G! Also, the story is a bit bland, and there are no memorable songs. Basically, the magic that made previous Muppet material so good seems so far away in this flick!
I was disappointed by this movie, even with low expectations. There are those who think everything that has been done with the Muppets since Jim Henson's premature death in 1990 is lame, and I'm definitely going to have to disagree with them. However, I'm going to have to agree with those who think this particular movie defiles the Muppets, and I've never been able to describe anything else I've seen featuring the Muppets that way before! When I see the Muppets, I expect good, lighthearted family entertainment, with plenty for kids and adults alike. It seems that some people describe this movie that way, but I honestly don't get it, and sincerely doubt I ever will! That's certainly not what I got with "Muppets from Space"! What happened?! Yes, this movie is rated G, which one would probably expect from a Muppet movie, but unlike the previous ones, I really don't think it should be! The point I'm trying to make with this review is that this is NOT the Muppets!
Lately, Gonzo has been feeling lonely in the world, being a "whatever," not knowing where he came from, and has been having nightmares about it. One morning, however, he sees messages in his breakfast cereal, ones which appear to be from aliens from another planet! While Gonzo is on the rooftop, watching the sky (following one of the messages), he is struck by lightning! He then meets two cosmic fish, and learns from them that he is an extraterrestrial! The other Muppets think he has gone crazy when he tells them about this, but he still attempts to contact his relatives. Meanwhile, government agent K. Edgar Singer is searching for extraterrestrial life on Earth, and has detected the messages Gonzo has been seeing! After Gonzo appears on TV, Singer manages to lure him, along with Rizzo, into captivity, and the other Muppets must try and rescue them and see if Gonzo can finally meet his family!
I knew "Muppets from Space" wasn't the most popular Muppet movie, and it didn't surprise me when I found that one problem with this movie is that while I did smile/snicker sometimes, it's not usually that funny. In fact, it's sometimes quite lame, such as the female armed guard played by Kathy Griffin in love with Animal. However, that's not its only problem. Another major problem is that it's a tad too dark for the Muppets! It's often too cruel, especially when Gonzo and Rizzo are in captivity, with the conditions they face there. That building is a rather dreary place, not the kind one would probably want to see the Muppets in. Those scenes, as well as a number of others, including a hoof to the groin, make me wonder why this movie is rated G! Also, the story is a bit bland, and there are no memorable songs. Basically, the magic that made previous Muppet material so good seems so far away in this flick!
I was disappointed by this movie, even with low expectations. There are those who think everything that has been done with the Muppets since Jim Henson's premature death in 1990 is lame, and I'm definitely going to have to disagree with them. However, I'm going to have to agree with those who think this particular movie defiles the Muppets, and I've never been able to describe anything else I've seen featuring the Muppets that way before! When I see the Muppets, I expect good, lighthearted family entertainment, with plenty for kids and adults alike. It seems that some people describe this movie that way, but I honestly don't get it, and sincerely doubt I ever will! That's certainly not what I got with "Muppets from Space"! What happened?! Yes, this movie is rated G, which one would probably expect from a Muppet movie, but unlike the previous ones, I really don't think it should be! The point I'm trying to make with this review is that this is NOT the Muppets!