REVIEW: Muppets Most Wanted Blu-ray

Ryan Dosier - Muppets Most Wanted will be released on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow, and the release is absolutely worth your money. For those who don't know, the release of the latest Muppet feature film is packaged as "The Unnecessarily Extended Edition" and comes packaged with a cut of the film that is 15 minutes longer than the theatrical version. The extended edition alone makes the Blu-ray worth your time and money, but it's hard not to be disappointed by the other, incredibly sparse bonus features included.

But first, let's talk about "The Unnecessarily Extended Edition." While 15 minutes may not sound too hefty, the parts that were added into the film are, for the most part, spectacular. For starters, "We're Doing a Sequel," "I'll Get You What You Want," and "Interrogation Song" are completely uncut. These additions are so, so welcome and needed and make each song feel so much more complete--especially "I'll Get You What You Want," which is over far too quickly in the theatrical cut. The other added-in bits include more cameos, gags, jokes, characters, and Beauregard. Oddly, Dave Goelz's characters receive a lot more attention in the extended edition, with Beau, Bunsen, and Gonzo all getting some hysterical moments that should have been kept in.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to say that the extended edition is better than the theatrical, because not everything put in works perfectly. There are a few gags here and there that were understandably cut, but then the film turns around and delivers a beautiful reference from Kermit and Fozzie, or a hysterical line from Gonzo, or one of my favorite jokes involving Disney Channel stars. I really don't know if I'll ever watch the theatrical cut again, because having so much more wonderful content in the film is much more fun to watch. Having to watch the songs incomplete would be very hard after seeing them in all their glory in the extended edition.

The rest of the bonus features on the Blu-ray disc have already been glimpsed or seen in full online. My favorite of the features is, unsurprisingly, the ridiculously entertaining blooper reel. It runs just a smidge longer than the blooper reel for The Muppets, and they get a lot of mileage out of the joke that it's the "Longer Longest Blooper Reel in Muppets History." The bloopers are delightful, but they just leave me craving more, since I'm sure there are plenty to be found hidden somewhere on the cutting room floor. But it's hard to complain about 10 solid minutes of Muppets and talented folks being silly.

The other bonus features are rather tame. "Rizzo's Biggest Fan" is a short, fun little video featuring Rizzo writing an anonymous letter to James Bobin. It made me laugh multiple times. The "Statler and Waldorf Cut" of the film is less than two minutes long, which is predictable but delightful. Also included is Bret McKenzie's magnificent music video for "I'll Get You What You Want." The bonus features are fine and enjoyable enough, but I can't imagine going back to watch any of them other than the blooper reel. I'm incredibly disappointed to not see some sort of making-of feature included, and it's shocking that no audio commentary for the film is present. A total waste of empty space on what should be a jam-packed Blu-ray disc.

As with all Disney Blu-ray releases, the high-resolution picture is impeccable. Watching the Blu-ray on a high-definition television is stunning. The vibrant colors of the Muppets, the incredible design of the costumes and sets, and everything in between just bursts from the screen on the Blu-ray transfer. Not to mention the spectacular sound, which let me hear every little thing, including quite a few background lines that I missed in my many theatrical viewings.

Overall, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Muppets Most Wanted on Blu-ray this week. Not only do you get one of the best Muppet films on home video to own forever, but you get 15 extra minutes of hilarity added to that film that you can enjoy forever. The other bonus features will provide some enjoyment as well, so really there's no good reason not to pick up this release.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com