Muppets From Space-A Fun Muppet Film, Even if I’m Mixed on its Premise

I've always been a bit mixed on the concept of Muppets From Space. Gonzo has always been one of my favorite Muppets, so I do like seeing him in a leading role in a Muppet movie. But what I've always found made Gonzo such a compelling character is that he lacked a distinct identity, that he was content just being a "whatever." This particular aspect of his character, to me, made him the character that closest represented Jim Henson's philosophy for the Muppets, that any strange creature can be content being who they are, be successful, and follow their dreams as long they worked hard enough, or in Gonzo's case, shot himself out of enough cannons. 

So, giving Gonzo a distinct backstory and identity does feel slightly antithetical to the point of the character. But, to be fair, the film does somewhat alleviate this issue by having the story be about Gonzo learning that his sense of community lies in the Muppets, which does give the movie the film quite a bit of heart. Although, I felt Gonzo's arc would've been much more impactful had the film revealed that the aliens that come down to Earth weren't the same species as Gonzo making the moment where Gonzo feels content with his community with the rest of the Muppets much more impactful. It feels like that was the ending the film was building up to, so it makes the actual ending feel off. 

What also makes the film feel off is its soundtrack. Unlike previous Muppet movies, Muppets From Space isn't a musical and instead goes for a primarily funk and soul soundtrack. The soundtrack does allow the film to stand out from other Muppet movies, but it also makes the film feel slightly off compared to those other movies. The movie also has moments where it feels like it could go into a musical number, as there are several moments with Gonzo where it feels like the film could've made effective use of a reprieve of "I'm Going Back There Someday" from the original Muppet Movie, only the film never does, which adds to the slightly off-feeling. 

Some elements make Muppets From Space feel slightly off, and I've never been too fond of the concept of the film. But, while I've never entirely liked the idea of Muppets From Space, I do think the film does as much as possible with it. In classic Muppets fashion, most of Muppets From Space consists of gag after gag, most of which are pretty hilarious. Muppets From Space also makes effective use of every Muppet character, as pretty much all of the iconic Muppets you'd want to see onscreen get a chance to shine, be it through a simple gag or two or even a whole subplot, like Rizzo. I do also think Tim Hill is a very effective Muppet director, as he uses long tracking shots and Low angles that not only create the enjoyably zany energy you expect in a Muppet movie but that also effectively blend the Muppets with the human cast. If there's one area where the visuals are a bit rocky, it's in some non-practical effects, with some spotty-looking CGI and green screen effects throughout. 

Muppets From Space has its flaws, and I have my qualms with its overall concept. However, I do think the film gets a bit of a bad wrap, as it's as consistently entertaining and hilarious as any other Muppet movie. It's an enjoyable movie and certainly didn't deserve to be the film that nearly killed the Muppets as a theatrical franchise.

Now Streaming on Prime Video in the U.S