‘Muppets From Space’ Is For Adults

One of the hills I will die on in this life is that the Muppets deserve more appreciation. They are hilarious, heartwarming friends that brighten the screen. They are the only puppets that I’m cool with.

So many people do not see the Muppets in this way. They think they’re just for kids; they’re just the creatures you see on Sesame Street and nothing more. That way of thinking is so wrong it hurts me.

The Muppets are for everyone! They teach lessons in how to be nice to others, they’re hilarious, they’re musical, and they have iconic voices. Muppets From Space is the perfect example of this.

Not Just For Kids

Muppets From Space is marketed as a family film that you watch with little kids. The plot is simple enough to understand and it moves fast enough that it keeps children’s attention. However, it’s not just for kids. After rewatching the film, I realized how much I missed when I used to watch the film as a kid.

One of my favorite moments is when Miss Piggy beats up a government agent and then revels in the fact that she is going to be a star reporter for the information she gained. She looks directly into the camera and says, “Oh, come on, please, you think Ted Koppel never gets excited?”

I never caught that line as a kid but when I watched it recently, I was in stitches. It’s such a random throwaway line but it made that entire scene so much funnier. Something about a puppet pig referencing a famous journalist that kids definitely don’t care about is hilarious. It shows the passion behind the Muppets and why they continue to be successful years after their invention.

Trademark Dry Humor

The Muppets have a very dry sense of humor. This was evident in the short-lived TV show The Muppets in 2015. Some of the jokes are delivered just as dialogue rather than in a joking manner. It’s this type of humor that makes Muppets From Space so funny.

Kermit especially has a dry humor that makes him the beloved frog he is. His cool-headed leadership of the Muppets makes him such a great character. He plays the role of exasperated caretaker beautifully and his frustration always makes me laugh. I love the small side plot of Kermit trying to hire house painters for the chaotic Muppet house. He gets so frustrated that he ends up doing the job himself; the exasperation and resignation are so relatable.

I don’t like to encourage the millennial generation to think that they’re special, but I do think in this case that the Muppets shaped the humor of the generation. It’s a lot of sarcasm and it’s what makes the Muppets the Muppets. Muppets From Space is a culmination of that sarcasm and dry humor.

Celebrity Cameos

One thing about Muppet movies is that they are going to have celebrity cameos. While kids may not care about these very much, they make the movie a lot of fun for adults. The best cameo in Muppets From Space is Hulk Hogan. I completely forgot that he had a small role and when he came on screen and I was delightfully surprised. I love how he immediately goes into a WWE monologue; even kids could recognize what he is doing and it’s a fun cameo for all audiences.

Muppets From Space stars Jeffrey Tambor as an evil government agent trying to prove the existence of aliens. Most kids don’t really care about Tambor because he isn’t an immediately recognizable face. If they squint, they may notice that he is the Mayor of Whoville in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, but that’s about the most they may see.

Yet, Tambor’s performance is great. He shows why he is an amazing actor. One thing about working with Muppets is that you have to 100% commit. Like Michael Caine playing it straight as Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol, one has to pretend like the Muppets are actual human actors. That’s the only way it will work.

Never Too Old to Have Fun

People often think of adult movies as either crass comedies or sober dramas. Films for adults don’t have to be like that. They can still be funny without innuendos and vulgar language. They don’t need to be violent thrillers or dramas that drag out forever. Films like Muppets From Space can be adult films too!

The cinematic world takes itself too seriously sometimes. Films like Citizen Kane get rave reviews from every critic out there but you don’t see the same kind of love for more lighthearted movies like School of Rock. They’re both fantastic films; their difference is just the amount of drama the two incorporate in their movie. Yet, they can both be considered adult films. I wouldn’t show School of Rock to younger kids due to some language and innuendos. I wouldn’t show Citizen Kane to younger kids either because it wouldn’t keep their attention.

I feel the same way about Muppets From Space. It has a child-like innocence to it but it’s still a great movie for adults. The plot is simple yet heartwarming. Found family is the main trope holding the film up. Just because it’s a basic film doesn’t mean that it can’t be for adults too. Marvel movies are considered adult films and those are all about superheroes and other juvenile things. Because they’re so much fun and so engaging, adults flock to them just like they do to any other adult films.

Follow MovieBabble on Twitter @MovieBabble_ and Kali Tuttle @tuttle_kali2.

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