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Muppets from Space
Despite the futuristic setting, Muppets From Space is a resolutely old-fashioned affair, harking back to the Muppet adventures of the '70s and '80s. Overfamiliarity with Jim Henson's creature creations is both the film's strongest asset and its chief weakness: for every life-long fan who gladly revels in the big musical numbers and slapstick routines, there will be another who silently yearns for a dash of originality or an iota of character development. The plot centres on Gonzo who has never felt that he belonged on Earth let alone in the Muppet universe. Desperate to learn about his past and his future, he looks to the heavens for answers and is a tad surprised when he is contacted by aliens via his breakfast cereal (any excuse for cute talking food). With the help of Kermit, Miss Piggy and co, Gonzo makes plans for a trip into space to find the source of the message, but a deranged government agent (Jeffrey Tambor) has other ideas and kidnaps the blue-nosed loner for use in important scientific experiments. The inspiration for Muppets From Space is glaringly obvious (the 'Xmas Files' subtitle is a bit of a giveaway) but screenwriters Jerry Juhl and Joey Mazzarino try intermittently to inject a little life into the film using verbal and visual references to other sci-fi flicks (Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Men In Black, Independence Day et al). Presumably, this is a concession to the parents in the audience.
