The Muppets (2011)-A Film with a Genuine Love For the Muppets

What makes 2011's The Muppets such an excellent film after nearly a decade and a half is that it shows, in every way, shape, and form, a genuine love and reverence for the Muppet characters. More than any other Muppet film, the Muppet characters aren't entirely written as goofy characters; there's a soft, human touch to the way the Muppets are written in this movie, even when they're acting in their classic chaotic and goofy natures.

It's all viewed through the eyes of Walter, who, throughout the film, details what makes the Muppets and each Muppet character so special. Walter also feels like the character that most represents the writers' deep understanding of the Muppets. Walter feels like a literal embodiment of Henson's philosophy towards the Muppets, as Walter is an outsider who, through his immense heart and passion, finds a sense of community in the Muppets. 

Plus, Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segal's script is as razor-sharp as any other Muppet production. Immense the deeply heartfelt story, there's a rapid-fire delivery of gags that always seem to land. The film's use of meta-comedy is so well done, with jokes playing with musical and movie tropes that are so clever yet never draw too much attention on themselves. 

In retrospect, there's also a bittersweet touch to the film. With what I consider Disney's mishandling of the Muppets, it feels so good to see a movie about these characters learning that there's still a large audience that loves and adores them, made by people who share that love and admiration for them. It all feels so nice, especially considering that Disney would go on to do very little with these characters.

The story as a whole feels solid up until the ending credits sequence. That credit sequence feels like a cop-out in that it slightly weakens the lesson these characters learned. The Muppets learn that they don't need the theater or an audience as long as they have each other, only for the film to backpedal and give them back the theater. It's a small thing, but it's always been the aspect of the film that most bothered me.

Despite that, though, 2011's The Muppets is such a fantastic film, filled with all the wit and heart you want out of a Muppet movie. It's a film that, in every way it can, shows a pure love for these characters. The film also holds a special place in my heart, as it was my introduction to the Muppets, and I'm sure it was for many others as well.

Now Streaming on Disney+ in the U.S