MUPPETS FROM SPACE
Muppets From Space, written by Jerry Juhl and Joey Mazzarino,
and directed by Tim Hill, fully upholds the late Henson's tradition
of family entertainment, featuring not only a fun story for the
kids, but tons of subtle humor aimed at Mom and Dad. The characterizations
of the various creatures, performed by a handful of regular muppet
actors, are paired hilariously with numerious cameo appearances
by celebrities such as F. Murray Abraham, Andie MacDowell, and
Ray Liotta.
Depressed about his unknown heritage and recovering from a
disturbing dream in which Noah refuses him passage on the ark
because there's only one of him, Gonzo sees a message in his Cap'n
Alphabet breakfast cereal. Obeying the cereal's suggestion to
"watch the sky," he decides to facilitate the search
by making his presence known. He mows the lawn into the message
"I AM HERE." Unfortunately, this message is seen via
satellite by COVNET, an extra-terrestrial watchdog agency headed
by a power-crazy paranoid named K. Edgar Singer (Jeffrey Tambor).
Two agents (bearing a striking resemblance to the Men In Black)
kidnap Gonzo and bring him to COVNET headquarters so that he may
be probed for information about an impending alien visit. But
when he pleads ignorance, Singer's methods turn ugly, so our muppet
friends must embark on a mission to save him.
Headed as usual by Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire), the small
group of cloth-eared commandos include Gonzo's roommate Rizzo
the Rat (also Whitmire), Fozzie Bear (Frank Oz), Pepe the Prawn
(Bill Barretta), Animal (Oz), and Miss Piggy (also Oz), who is
really just in it for the story, to further her career as a respected
journalist. Aided by several quasi-magical potions concocted by
scientist-in-residence Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (Goelz), the group
finds its way into the agency and mayhem, as usual, ensues.
Like all of its predecessors, the basis for the appeal of Muppets
From Space may depend on whom you ask. The kids will like
the silly plot and slapstick comedy, but the diverse characterizations
are what won me over. Barretta's speech patterns for Pepe the
Prawn, who I can only assume is a Cajun crustacean, are priceless;
Pepe's use of the word "okay" at the end of every sentence
is hysterical. Also a treat is the halting delivery of Clifford
(Kevin Clash), a friendly bear who serves as Singer's assistant
but whose heart really isn't into the whole evil domination thing.
The final sequence, featuring a full-scale alien visitation not
unlike the one in Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, is
spectacular, and the all-funk soundtrack is an interesting (and
excellent) choice, implying the hipness of Gonzo's ancestral roots.
Now only one question remains: What is Animal? ****½
Copyright 1999 by John R. McEwen and The Republican