Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Starting right where the previous movie left off, this film follows the continued exploits of the Muppets, as they embark on a world tour (though it's mostly in Europe).

A mysterious man named Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) volunteers his services to manage the Muppets, promising them he can sell out shows for them all across Europe. Against their better judgment, the Muppets accept his offer.

Meanwhile, at a gulag in Siberia, the world's most dangerous frog named Constantine is escaping from his prison, and returning to his partner-in-crime: Dominic Badguy. Constantine looks exactly like Kermit the Frog, except for a mole on his cheek, and the fact that he speaks with a strong Russian accent.

Constantine is almost identical to Kermit the Frog in appearance.

And in a shocking case of mistaken identity, Kermit is arrested - believed to be Constantine - and Constantine masquerades as Kermit, as he and Dominic execute a series of robberies across Europe (in the locations where the Muppets are performing).

Hot on their tail is Interpol officer Jean Pierre Napoleon (Ty Burrell) and CIA Agent Sam the Eagle.

Kermit constantly protests his innocence to prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey), but she won't listen, believing him to be Constantine.

Meanwhile, Constantine is fooling almost all of the Muppets, despite the fact he is nothing like the real Kermit.

Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais) buddying up to Kermit the Frog.

Only a small group - Fozzie, Animal and newcomer Walter - feel something isn't right, and they embark on a mission to find Kermit, apprehend Constantine, and return everything to normal again.

The screenplay, by director James Bobin & Nicholas Stoller, is quite good, filled of course with all the classic gags audiences have come to love from the Muppets. The characters are all as clearly defined as ever, and the script accurately represents them as we know them. I especially enjoy Constantine's continued efforts to be seen as Kermit, as he watches old videos of Kermit and echoes back the phrases he hears. Of course, he doesn't do them right, but that's where the humour comes from.

The score by Christophe Beck is well suited to the film, using themes and melodic lines from the original songs - written once again by Bret McKenzie - to tie the whole film together beautifully.

The cast performances are fantastic, and it is difficult to pick a standout from among the human performers. All of them embody their characters with great skill, and given they are all from a background primarily in comedy, have great comic timing too.

Prison warden Nadya (Tina Fey) welcoming Kermit to the gulag with, of course,
a song, joined by the prisoners, including the Prison King (Jemaine Clement).

As with the previous film, there are many great cameos, some of them as short as one line of dialogue, or one line of a song. The best of these cameo performances has got to be Jemaine Clement - Bret McKenzie's former partner in New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords - as the Prison King, one of Kermit's fellow gulag inhabitants.

Director James Bobin has made a wonderfully enjoyable family comedy/musical here, one that I'm sure I will enjoy watching many more times. It's not quite as good as the previous film, then again, sequels rarely are. However, it's still a joy to watch, and the songs are brilliant.

7 out of 10.