Muppets From Space (not to be confused with the original Muppet Show's Pigs in Space) is one terrific movie. The Muppets redefine themselves on the cutting edge of entertainment, put together a film of nonstop action and hilarity, pull off a rather touching ending, impart an important lesson about life to children as well as adults, and really bring their own special magic to the viewing audience. Feature films permit the Muppet universe to expand in altogether new ways. For one thing, you get to see full-body shots of Muppets doing extraordinary things (rather than having to settle for the old above the waist only shots). More significantly, in relation to this movie, there are some pretty good special effects that really make the Muppet world seem more believable than ever. All of the Muppets look great, and some relatively newer characters are nothing short of hilarious (Pepe the Prawn in particular).
Muppets From Space centers around Gonzo, the little guy with the big nose and no real history. He's tired of being a one-of-a-kind creature and yearns to know where he came from. First things first, though. The film opens with the start of a new day in the Muppet house; everyone gets up out of bed and quickly gets down with their bad selves to the funky music of "Brick House." The Muppets have definitely found the funk, and this makes for a really happening, memorable soundtrack. Just when Gonzo is really down about being alone in the world, he receives a communication from outer space (via his alphabet-shaped breakfast cereal). Soon, he is convinced that he is an alien and, what is more, he claims his alien family is on its way to earth. A certain secret agency picks up signs of the aliens and comes after Gonzo, thinking he can tell them what the aliens want and where they will land. The leader of this secret group, played by Jeffrey Tambor, is a little bit out of his mind, and Gonzo falls right into his pending trap by showing up at the local news studio to announce that the aliens are coming. The other Muppets don't really believe Gonzo's claims, but they are eager to help rescue him when he falls into the evil clutches of the Men in Black. The conclusion of the movie is a real hoot indeed, delivering a close encounter of the truly unique kind.
All of the Muppet characters are great; Kermit and Miss Piggy don't get as much screen time as usual, but that may well be a good thing. Gonzo and his roommate Rizzo the Rat (another fantastic, relatively new character) are more than capable of carrying the movie by themselves - of course, they don't have to do it alone because many of the Muppets play important parts. Pepe the Prawn absolutely steals the show, if you ask me; he may be the funniest Muppet yet created. As usual, a number of famous stars make cameo appearances in the film, including Andie MacDowell, Ray Liotta, F. Murray Abraham, Kathy Griffin, Hollywood Hogan (as his NWO self), and an always annoying David Arquette. Kids as well as adults should love this movie. Older viewers will appreciate some of the subtle nods to popular culture; for example, you will find parallels to big movies such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Star Trek, Men in Black, Independence Day, and The Shawshank Redemption.
This is as funny and enjoyable a Muppet movie as you will find. Don't let the kids get all of the enjoyment out of Muppets From Space, though; there are plenty of things incorporated into the plot and script to make adults smile and laugh, as well.
