Muppets Most Wanted

“We’re doing a sequel! That’s what we do in Hollywood. And everyone knows the sequel is never as good!”

Well, at least they own it. From the opening refrains of Muppets Most Wanted writers James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller don’t shy away from the fact that their last offering, the outrageously funny The Muppets, was going to be a tough act to follow. With its theme of nostalgia, rekindled friendship and stunning tributes to Jim Henson in tearjerker songs like ‘Man Or Muppet’, The Muppets was about reminding audiences about the warmth and love that makes The Muppets an irresistible ensemble.

This time, though, it’s all about the mischief. Self-aware, silly, song-filled and eh, Siberian, Muppets Most Wanted sees Kermit replaced by evil doppelganger Constantine (our favourite frog finds himself imprisoned in a gulag). As Kermit tries to endear himself to hardened criminals like Ray Liotta, Danny Trejo and Josh Groban, The Muppets embark on a world tour, unaware that a froggy fiend and his sleazy sidekick (Ricky Gervais) are using them as part of an international heist.

There’s an irrepressible sense of fun, as the film pays homage to classic comedy crime films such as The Pink Panther, with Modern Family’s Ty Burrell a brilliantly clichéd French detective. There are biting satirical digs at Hollywood and the British press as well as an absurd number of celebrity cameos that make the film witty and current enough for adults as well as kids.

Though lacking the emotional resonance of its predecessor, Muppets Most Wanted takes a classic caper structure and satirises, sings and savours the hell out of it. Try and resist.