The Muppets make their successful return to the big screen with this new adventure, this time to save their studio from a rick oil magnate who wants to tear down the Muppet homebase to dig for oil and gain profit.

The plot revolves around brothers Walter and Gary, who both grew up in a place called Smalltown. Gary is very normal while Walter is a bit different (he looks like a puppet) so even as the brothers remain as close as can be, Walter can’t help feeling that he doesn’t belong anywhere. To escape his loneliness, he watches the muppets on video and television and through their antics, he finds inspiration and joy. For their anniversary, Gary asks his girlfriend Mary to go on a trip to Los Angeles, and asks his brother to tag along so that he may fulfill his dream of visiting the Muppet Studios. When they accidentally discover a plot to tear down the Muppet legacy by the villanous Tex Richman, the trio help Kermit and the gang stage one final show to raise the money to buy back the studio and save their home.

What I loved about this movie was its old school approach to the Muppets. Kids of my generation will surely find the return of Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and Fozzie Bear a riot in its own right, especially when they break out into elaborate production numbers reminiscent of their old routines. The movie is a great way to reintroduce the Muppets to this generation and revive the art of puppetry in entertainment. And for sure, the young ones of today will love the same things about the Muppets that their parents loved about the crazy gang.

The comedy is quite straightforward. I got a hoot out of their repeated statement of the obvious and the classic gags that shouldn’t really be funny but just are. The actors were also a good choice. Jason Segel is a whiz at any type of comedy and Amy Adams is an alum of Disney movie Enchanted so there was really no question what she could bring to the table. The movie was also not short of great guest stars (Jack Black, Whoopi Goldberg, Jim Parsons) and a great moral lesson about believing in oneself and loyalty to one’s family.

All in all, The Muppets are great entertainment, whether in the small or big screen, they remind me of my childhood and happy, carefree days. I’m super glad I saw this movie.