Review of 'Muppets from Space'

Ever since first seeing the Muppet Show on television I have been a fan. Sure, it is slapstick, silly humour but it is gentle and fun to watch with it's quirky and imaginative characters that somehow capture the human spirit so well.

In “Muppets from Space” Gonzo receives a message from space in his breakfast cereal leading him to think about where he came from, bothered by continually being referred to as a “whatever”. Hit by a lightening bolt two cosmic “fish” inform him that he is an alien. Gonzo is lured to the top secret national security facility C.O.V.N.E.T., responsible for investigation of extra-terrestrial attacks, where the facility head, obsessive K. Edgar Singer (played the familiar comedic actor Jeffrey Tambor) is constantly under threat for his beliefs. Singer hopes Gonzo will provide him with proof of extra-terrestrial life and is willing to go to any length to extract the information from him…

Of course all of this silliness and quite simple story (big bad government organization against fun loving Gonza just trying to find his family) is simply an excuse for a lot of jokes and amusing side plots though with only one big song and dance number contrary to the previous films with their frequent musical sequences. The effects look great and the Muppets are wonderfully brought to life with Frank Oz returning as the voice of several of the characters (Muppet creator Jim Henson had passed away 9 years previously). All of our favourite characters are here though they take second stage to one of the biggest misfit and under-appreciated, Gonzo with his incredibly amusing side-kick “Pepe the Prawn” (voiced by Bill Barretta) – No, there are no references to his obsession with chickens here perhaps to avoid any potentially uncomfortable questions about Gonzo's relationship with them. The ending is a bit of a let down but ultimately satisfying.

Silly, fun and highly entertaining. Very Muppets.

Rating: “Really good but I have some issues”

Review Date: 2022-07-24

Directed by: Tim Hill

Studio: Jim Henson Pictures

Year: 1999

Length: 87 minutes

Genre: Comedy

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0158811/