Movie Review: Muppet Treasure Island
One of the more unique muppet movies in that it is seemingly more of a live action movie, with muppets interspersed throughout. Maybe that's just perception, maybe because I haven't seen the prior movies (save for the classic original) a bazillion times. I mean heck, the original was pretty full of humans, but once Fozzie & Kermit landed at the church and ran into the muppet band, it had its moments of total muppets.
Right off the bat, the first thing that I really can't understand ... or at least prefer NOT to understand, is that when the scene cuts to a group of men on the ship, they're gathered below deck ... not sure exactly what they're doing. But there's a muppet cow in the scene ... WTF??? Is this movie not for kids?
Gonzo and that friggin rat, Rizzo get way too much play in the early going, and that boy needs to never sing again. Its horrifying. It doesn't get any better until we get to Fozzie with the treasure map. Beaker & Bunsen offer the perfect comedic relief. You simply cannot get enough Fozzie in a muppet movie. Statler & Waldorf, my personal heros are seen shortly thereafter ... I'm set now.
Sadly, though ... we also get to Tim Curry performing Long John Silver once they board Fozzie's ship. I keep expecting a Time Warp dance ... or Drew Barrymore to do some stupid Matrix ripoff. The lack of either comes as a severe disappointment. The appearance of a talking crustacean on Curry's shoulder only serves as sheer folly.
One of the few really well done things here is Kermit's entrance. Playing off of Sam the Eagle's demeanor is a nice contrast and offers enough timeless comedy to fill a lifetime ... or at least another hour or so.
Anyways, after viewing this movie, its perhaps a little understandable why the muppet genre has taken such a downward spiral after the brilliant original movie. Pretty much the only other really positive I can note on this movie is that Statler & Waldorf save the pig & frog, but in their words, it was still too late to save the movie.
Still, its worth watching for pure diehard muppet freaks such as myself. The things they can do with felt nowadays ... I tell ya!