You may find me comparing it a lot to the previous movie, because it really set the standard for me, but here goes. Most Wanted has a very strong first act. I enjoyed the opening sequence, as it picks up literally right where the last movie left off, and it goes straight into a musical number about sequels.The first 30-40 minutes are filled with fantastic jokes for both kids and parents, but about halfway through the movie, the older audience members might start to get a little bored. The movie plays off its predictable nature and makes it fun for everyone, but it's hard to maintain the steady stream of jokes in the first half hour for the entire 106 minutes.
The Muppets should definitely consider putting more spotlight on some of its smaller characters. Kermit seems to be the primary focus, which makes sense with him being the leader and all. Walter and Fozzie have their moments, and Ms. Piggy is practically a step below Kermit. But there needs to be more involvement, because they just feel like minor characters, when they're supposed to all be equals in the same group. Gonzo's lines mostly consist of suggesting dangerous ideas, and I'm not even sure if most of the others have names.
Ty Burrell and Sam Eagle have a fun relationship to watch as CIA and Interpol agents working together, if only their best jokes weren't shown in the trailer. Nothing entertains American audiences like jokes about Europe, and nothing entertains European audiences like a stereotypical American in Europe in the form of an eagle puppet.
While I did enjoy Ricky Gervais, he just seemed uncomfortable during a lot of this film, but not enough for him to hate making it. Jason Segel and Amy Adams were a big part of what made the last movie great, and I was left with a bit of disappointment when neither made an appearance. Tina Fey, however, almost steals the show. I'm not a huge Fey fan, but her Russian accent was amusing to say the least.
As far as the musical aspect of it goes, I enjoyed the first few songs, and then it seemed like they were just having musical numbers for the sake of having musical numbers. One by Ms. Piggy really forced an appearance by Celine Dion on to the audience. By the end of it, I was a little tired out. Some were there to progress the plot, while others were there to simply extend the runtime.
The prison story arc was just okay. I expected more to happen. Plenty of things I expected to happen do, but what surprised me didn't entertain much. I found myself wanting to just move the plot along on both sides of the story, but the jokes along the way were enough to keep me interested. I find it hilarious that no matter where you get arrested in Europe, you're going to Siberia no matter what. An abundance of celebrity cameos made this part of the story work.
As much as I love ripping on movies for having massive plot holes, I can't do it to a family film like this. Muppets Most Wanted is well aware of its shortcomings, and it succeeds in covering for them with self-referential humor. It's trying to keep its younger audience's attention while still making things fun for the whole family, which is incredibly hard to do in an age where the humor is becoming increasingly crude. I'll say Muppets Most Wanted isn't necessarily as entertaining as its predecessor, but it makes for an enjoyable time.
Rating: B
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