Muppets Most Wanted (2014)

Director: James Bobin. Cast: Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey, Steve Whitmire, Eric Jacobson, Tony Bennett, Hugh Bonneville, Sean Combs, Rob Corddry, Céline Dion, Lady Gaga,  Zach Galifianakis, Josh Groban, Salma Hayek, Tom Hiddleston, Toby Jones, Frank Langella, Ray Liotta, James McAvoy, Chloë Grace Moretz, Usher Raymond, Miranda Richardson, Saoirse Ronan, Danny Trejo, Stanley Tucci, Christoph Waltz. 107 min. Rated PG. Adventure/Comedy.

Another Muppets movie, trying to build on the success of the predecessor that rejuvenated the franchise, suddenly feels so ... dark. A master-criminal Muppet masquerades as Kermit, and the live performers who were the main reasons I saw the movie, are either conspiring with the villain (Gervaise), or acting as a Gulag prison guard with an annoying accent (Fey). Pixar animations have created a culture of making movies addressed to both kids and adults; in the case of the Muppets, the pendulum has swung slightly too far in favor of the adults. I would tell pre-schoolers to avoid this one.

Mo says: