Cinema Swapshop: Muppets

Ash Walker • 20 Mar 2025 Features

Our writers exchange films starring everyone’s felt-covered favourites.

Welcome to Cinema Swapshop, where every month our esteemed writers assign each other a movie to watch - preferably something they haven’t seen before - then regroup to share their thoughts.

This month, in celebration of World Puppetry Day, the theme is the Muppets!

Ash: Muppets From Space (1999)

Credit: Muppets From Space (1999) Trailer #1 (Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers, YouTube)

Plot

Gonzo is in the midst of a crisis - he doesn’t know where he comes from, or even what species he is, and he’s feeling pretty lonely. But all that changes when he starts receiving messages from a mysterious alien species.

Thoughts

I’m not sure I ever really questioned where Gonzo came from, or what he’s supposed to be. Some kind of bird maybe? Or just another of the weird monsters that populate the cast of the Muppets?

In a world where frogs play the banjo and pigs can talk (and serve), it seems weirdly unnecessary to devote a whole movie to explaining why Gonzo looks so weird. And that’s pretty much Muppets From Space in a nutshell - unnecessary.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still charming and funny, and there are a few puppeteering tricks that’ll make you question your reality. It’s a Muppet movie, after all. But the whole thing feels a bit throwaway and forgettable.

Although I have to shout out Bobo, the grizzled bear henchman with a heart of gold, for completely running away with the film. I would have watched an entire two-hour movie of him and Jeffrey Tambor just hanging out.

So yeah… It’s not bad by any stretch, but there are much better Muppet movies out there.

Best Bit

It’s either the retinal scanner gag, where poor Bobo nearly gets blinded, or the bit where Kermit and Pepe, standing on Piggy and Fozzie’s shoulders, try to pass themselves off as normal doctors. Stupid jokes, but utterly hilarious.

Worst Bit

It’s a Muppet film, so it’s all good. But I guess the bit where Animal lustily chases a female security guard while yelling ‘WOMAN’ hasn’t aged particularly well…

Favourite Line

Ed Singer: [puts on glove] May I?

Rizzo: I think before you answer that question you'd better be real clear on the final destination of that finger.

Fun Fact

The original script was titled Muppets in Space, and featured a much different story - Kermit is abducted by aliens because they believe him to be their leader, leaving the rest of the Muppets to band together to save him.

Verdict

It’s not top tier Muppets, but it’s still the Muppets. Just as charming, funny and inventive as you might expect, if not quite as memorable as some other outings.

Johnnie: Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Credit: Official Trailer | Muppets Most Wanted | The Muppets (The Muppets, YouTube)

Plot

The Muppets, wondering what to do next, are approached by an agent who wants to take them on a world tour - although he has more sinister plans behind his ideas.

Thoughts

It’s been a while since I had watched a Muppets film so I actually forgot just how ridiculous they are - and I mean that in the best way possible!

Silly humour is my cup of tea and I think that stems from growing up watching the Muppets. While a continuation from 2011s The Muppets, I thought it was actually a better film than the one before and did more for the beloved puppets and their adventures, even if it didn’t quite reach as many people.

The host of celebrity cameos were brilliant, too. Danny Trejo and Ray Liotta as part of the Gulag theatre troupe was sublime, but WWE legend Hornswoggle really brought them all together in my opinion (definitely not biased as a lover of pro wrestling).

I didn’t expect my much older self to still like the Muppets as much as I did back when I was younger, but I found myself entertained in a way that some of the supposed biggest and most popular TV shows and movies on today can’t achieve.

Best Bit

Evil Kermit is amongst my favourite meme formats so I was thoroughly entertained when I finally got to see where it came from firsthand. Also, the puppet slap Evil Kermit (Constantine) gave to good Kermit (just Kermit) during that scene made me laugh way more than I think it should have.

Also, in keeping with my love of silly humour, Ty Burrell’s Interpol agent Jean Pierre Napoleon and Sam Eagle with the CIA meeting for the first time and one-upping each other with a bigger badge than the last really tickled me.

Worst Bit

I REFUSE to name one.

Favourite Line

There are far too many to choose from, so I’m going with my top three:

Line 1

Constantine: My name will go down as the greatest thief of all time!

Dominic Badguy: You mean our names, right?

Constantine: Of course. My name first, then spacebar, spacebar, spacebar... your name.

Line 2

Walter: Do you guys think that Kermit's been acting a little weird lately?

Miss Piggy: That's ridiculous! He's never been so caring and devoted to me!

Rizzo: Yeah, that's what we are saying!

Line 3

Constantine, to Fozzie Bear: You have wocka-ed your last wocka, bear.

Fun Fact

This was actually Ray Liotta’s second appearance in a Muppets film, with his first coincidentally coming in Muppets From Space as a gate guard.

Verdict

A truly splendid watch. I won’t go out and say it’s the very best Muppets film, but in terms of the ones I can remember, this is certainly up there with the best and a certified must-see.