'Muppet Haunted Mansion' (2021)
Opening thoughts: Am a great fan of the Muppets and an admirer of Jim Henson in general. 'The Muppet Show' and 'Muppets Christmas Carol' were major childhood favourites (the latter still a Christmas tradition). Really like to love most of the films, 'The Muppet Movie' and 'Great Muppet Caper' particularly with 'Treasure Island' being the last great one, with only 'Muppet Wizard of Oz' doing nothing for me. Also love Halloween, the Haunted Mansion is one of my favourite Disney rides (despite scaring me hugely first time) and the concept sounded great.
While not hating it, 'Muppet Haunted Mansion' disappointed a lot on a number of levels. A few things are done nicely, but so much is wrong (badly so) and most of what made the Muppets so great is absent here. As far as Muppet films etc go, 'Muppet Haunted Mansion' is one of the weaker endeavours easily and really does not live up to one of the on paper more interesting concepts given less than interesting execution. Marginally better than 'Muppet Wizard of Oz' but not by much.
Good things: Sure there are good things. The sets have a good amount of atmosphere and are appropriately Halloween-ish. Did enjoy some of the nods to the Muppets and the Haunted Mansion as well as the haunting and spookily staged "Grim Grinning Ghosts" number.
Gonzo, the only Muppet to make a positive impression, is a joy, suitably amusing and likeable as well as in character. A couple of the human cast are fun, with Taraji P Henson enjoyably hamming it up as the only interesting non-Muppet character in terms of development. Will Arnett amuses, despite being a bit random.
Bad things: It is sad however that the Muppets on the whole are very underused and/or confusingly utilised, with only Gonzo and Pepe having anything more substantial than fleeting come and go appearances. Pepe himself is on the bland side and doesn't have enough chemistry with Gonzo. The voice acting is mostly distractingly bad to put it mildly, especially the very bad head cold-like one for Kermit.
Other than Henson and Arnett, the human cameos are easily forgettable at best and are too random and contrived. Being lost amidst the overuse of cheap CGI, the direct to video look of the photography and editing and the very unhummable and pre-school level songs. The script is on the whole witless and too heavy on corny puns and low on charm. The plot is very thin and dragged out, as well as having too little mystery or creepiness. With a story as thin as it was, it did mean that the pace was dull. Did appreciate the moral and how well intended it was but it was too trite and shoehorned in delivery and felt out of place.
Closing thoughts: Concluding, lacklustre and not spooktacular enough.
4/10.
Opening thoughts: Am a great fan of the Muppets and an admirer of Jim Henson in general. 'The Muppet Show' and 'Muppets Christmas Carol' were major childhood favourites (the latter still a Christmas tradition). Really like to love most of the films, 'The Muppet Movie' and 'Great Muppet Caper' particularly with 'Treasure Island' being the last great one, with only 'Muppet Wizard of Oz' doing nothing for me. Also love Halloween, the Haunted Mansion is one of my favourite Disney rides (despite scaring me hugely first time) and the concept sounded great.
While not hating it, 'Muppet Haunted Mansion' disappointed a lot on a number of levels. A few things are done nicely, but so much is wrong (badly so) and most of what made the Muppets so great is absent here. As far as Muppet films etc go, 'Muppet Haunted Mansion' is one of the weaker endeavours easily and really does not live up to one of the on paper more interesting concepts given less than interesting execution. Marginally better than 'Muppet Wizard of Oz' but not by much.
Good things: Sure there are good things. The sets have a good amount of atmosphere and are appropriately Halloween-ish. Did enjoy some of the nods to the Muppets and the Haunted Mansion as well as the haunting and spookily staged "Grim Grinning Ghosts" number.
Gonzo, the only Muppet to make a positive impression, is a joy, suitably amusing and likeable as well as in character. A couple of the human cast are fun, with Taraji P Henson enjoyably hamming it up as the only interesting non-Muppet character in terms of development. Will Arnett amuses, despite being a bit random.
Bad things: It is sad however that the Muppets on the whole are very underused and/or confusingly utilised, with only Gonzo and Pepe having anything more substantial than fleeting come and go appearances. Pepe himself is on the bland side and doesn't have enough chemistry with Gonzo. The voice acting is mostly distractingly bad to put it mildly, especially the very bad head cold-like one for Kermit.
Other than Henson and Arnett, the human cameos are easily forgettable at best and are too random and contrived. Being lost amidst the overuse of cheap CGI, the direct to video look of the photography and editing and the very unhummable and pre-school level songs. The script is on the whole witless and too heavy on corny puns and low on charm. The plot is very thin and dragged out, as well as having too little mystery or creepiness. With a story as thin as it was, it did mean that the pace was dull. Did appreciate the moral and how well intended it was but it was too trite and shoehorned in delivery and felt out of place.
Closing thoughts: Concluding, lacklustre and not spooktacular enough.
4/10.