It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie

Dir: Kirk R. Thatcher

2002

***

Fifteen years after the classic A Muppet Family Christmas, the people at Muppet labs concocted It's A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, a very loose adaptation of Frank Capra's Christmas classic, It's a Wonderful Life. They'd adapted A Christmas Carol already, so what else was left? It's a bit odd, given the subject matter but Kermit doesn't go as far as attempt suicide I'm glad to say, he is merely careless in his language when stating that it would have been easier if he had never been born. Shame on Kermy but you have to sympathize with him somewhat, as for the hundredth time in Muppet history, the Muppet Theatre faces closure once more. Say what you will about the Muppets but they certainly know how to recycle, although disproving their message that it's not that easy being green. I digress. David Arquette (attaboy boy....David) plays the angel given the task of showing Kermit what life would be if he'd never been born, ultimately showing him his worth. It's all a bit convoluted, strange and a little bit too serious but basically had it not been for Kermit, the Muppet Theatre would be a club with many of the Muppets being cage dancers, Gonzo would be homeless, Fozzie would be a thief and Miss Piggy would be a cat lady and part-time Jamaican phone psychic. I love Kermit to bits but I think they give him way more credit than he deserves, although things really could be worse. The real truth is that if Kermit or indeed any of the Muppets hadn't ever existed the effects would be far, far worse. This isn't a terrible Christmas special but it's not their best. I'll take them anyway I can get them to be honest as they can do no wrong in my mind (apart from Lady Gaga and the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular that is).