The Film
Why don't you get things started?
Welcome back, Muppets. It's been a while -- 12 years, to be exact. That's when the last theatrical Muppet outing, the flop Muppets in Space, sent our sometimes-furry friends scurrying from the box office. Thankfully, the magic of Jason Segel was able to lure them back.
Apparently, The Muppets was just what the film world needed. Not only did the movie generate the first and only Muppet Oscar (Bret McKenzie's "Man or Muppet" scored Best Original Song), but it's also the highest grossing Muppet film to date. So, absence does make the heart grow fonder. Well, that and a good story line.
Segel wrote the movie along with Nicholas Stoller (Get Him to the Greek). It finds Muppet Studios all shut down (and kind of creepy), with its stars moving on -- some to greener pastures than others. However, half-man, half-Muppet Walter (performed by Peter Linz) finds out that evil billionaire Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) wants to rip up the studio for its oil underneath. So he teams up with his all-man brother Gary (Jason Segal) and his girlfriend Mary (Amy Adams) to get the gang back together for one more money-making show in an effort to buy back the building.
Forget for a minute that Segal has a Muppet brother because The Muppets is a very welcome comeback. It's a great flashback to the '70s/'80s TV series, but should garner a few new fans. It also has more celebrities than an entire season of the TV show, with cameos from Alan Arkin, Dave Grohl, Kristin Shaal, Jack Black, Emly Blunt, Rashida Jones, Ken Jeong, Donald Glover, Sarah Silverman, Jim Parsons, Zach Galifinakis, Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopie Goldberg, James Carville, and John Krasinski -- just to name a few.
Kudos to Segel and Stoller for creating a good movie. There seemed to be a fear that the duo would add a little Apatow into the franchise. Not to worry, fans. The two let the Muppets be Muppets, and just pumped some much-needed life into the franchise.
Want to get a glimpse of the movie from a true puppetmaster? Check out Beth McCabe's theatrical review of The Muppets.
The Picture
With The Muppets being under the Disney umbrella, you'd expect this to be a stellar Blu-ray release. Well, you would be right. The 1.78:1 transfer is absolutely as sensational and Muppetational as you'd hope -- and as it should be. There is a ton of color going on here, and every darn bit of it is bold and beautiful, from Walter and Gary's matching blue suits to all of the wonderful characters. It's also sharp, with visible peach fuzz and detailed hair exuding from a variety of Muppets. It's not surprising that Disney knows how to handle its characters, but the film's many humans do look just as good here.
The Sound
Disney wants you to meet The Muppets with a proper introduction, so the studio has wisely given this release a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. Every piece of dialogue is crystal clear, even amongst this extremely lively track. It's busting with songs and ambient noises from all angles. There are birds and barking dogs, thunder, explosions, and pratfalls aplenty; it's a complete frenzy and it's absolutely wonderful. Even when those noises pop up during the songs, it all flows insanely well.
The Extras
Disney is releasing two versions of this Blu-ray. There is a two-disc package with the Blu-ray and a standard-def DVD. However, if you're going to buy The Muppets on Blu-ray (and you're going to want to do that), opt for "The Wocka Wocka Value Pack." For a few bucks more (about $7), this version includes a Digital Copy and a download that will score you the entire soundtrack.
Besides all of the freebies, the extras section is slightly thin. That's not to say that there isn't anything here. It just seems like there could have been a lot more, given the history, the franchise and the artistry behind The Muppets. Aside from the commentary, however, everything is a bit on the short side, both in length and actual useful information. That said, the extras are fairly Muppetational -- aside from Chris Cooper's full song (and a better peek at the method to his madness), that is. Otherwise, expect eight deleted scenes, a gag reel, a Muppet "read-through," and most of the spoof trailers that were previously released.
Another interesting extra is the Disney Intermission function, which is available during movie playback. Need to grab a drink during the movie? This feature delivers a nice dose of Muppetry anytime you press the pause button.
Final Thoughts
The return of The Muppets has us giddy on many levels. The movie is good -- like really good. It should please both new fans and provide a nice dose of nostalgia to an older set. And although many of those fans probably pooh-poohed the day that Disney took over, there's no denying that the House of Mouse knows how to deliver a Blu-ray. This one is a must-have for Muppet fans of all ages.
Product Details
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