In a sentenceTim Curry seems relieved to be working with colleagues as theatrical as he is
Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel becomes a musical adventure for Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop), Long John Silver (Tim Curry) and Billy Bones (Billy Connolly), sharing the story with the Muppets. Mrs. Bluveridge (Jennifer Saunders) is also among the human company. Kermit the Frog, Rizzo the Rat and The Great Gonzo join an ensemble that includes Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy, Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. Brian Henson directs this combination of adventure, comedy and romance, with songs alongside the pirate proceedings and a running time of 100 minutes.
Tim Curry fits the Muppets so comfortably that the human-and-puppet divide scarcely matters. This is a funny, amiable musical adventure, though the songs vary and the voyage takes longer than it needs.
Brian Henson’s Muppet Treasure Island is good family entertainment, with slack stretches and a particularly well-chosen human pirate. Adapting Robert Louis Stevenson gives the Muppets an adventure sturdy enough to accommodate songs, interruptions and a large cast without much explanation. The film respects that adventure, sometimes more than a comedy needs to. We recommend it for its performers and its comic numbers, with some patience required between them.
Tim Curry plays Long John Silver as though appearing alongside puppets were the most natural professional arrangement imaginable. There is no apologetic distance in the performance, and no sense that the actor needs to reassure adults that he knows this is silly. Kevin Bishop, as Jim Hawkins, gives the proceedings an earnest centre, though earnestness is a less rewarding job in this company. Billy Connolly as Billy Bones and Jennifer Saunders as Mrs. Bluveridge are more naturally suited to the broad comedy.
That difference points to a limitation in the screenplay by James V. Hart, Jerry Juhl and Kirk Thatcher. The human adventure gets more room than its comic possibilities warrant, and the Muppets are not always allowed to be as disruptive as we would like. The film is genial about its source when a little more irreverence might help. For a family swashbuckler, that gentleness is no grave fault, but we kept waiting for the Muppets to make more trouble.
The elaborate ‘Cabin Fever’ sequence supplies the disorder we have been waiting for. We laughed because the number lets musical silliness take over without asking it to advance anyone’s respectable adventure. John Fenner’s cinematography helps the crowded company read as an ensemble, giving the humans and puppets equal standing in the picture. That matters in a film whose comedy depends on everyone seeming equally entitled to be there.
Hans Zimmer’s score takes the adventure seriously enough to give the comedy something to push against. The songs are less consistent: ‘Professional Pirate’ has the energy the film needs, but some numbers are more enjoyable in performance than memorable afterwards. The enthusiasm of the performers helps, although it cannot make every tune stick. Several musical pauses would be easier to forgive if there were more to hum when they finished.
Michael Jablow’s editing has an awkward job, moving between the demands of an adventure and a company inclined to interrupt it. Individual comic passages have a welcome bustle, but the connecting action wanders, and the film’s 100 minutes feel longer than they should. A little unhurried foolishness suits these performers. We wanted the next stretch of adventure to arrive with the same purpose as the next joke, instead of feeling like the business required to reach it.
For a family evening, the main consideration is how much straight adventure everyone needs between the interruptions. Children content with songs and broad comedy have plenty to enjoy, while adults hoping for sharper Muppet mischief may find the journey slow. Tim Curry is a good reason to stay aboard. Choose it when everyone is happy to let the pirates take their time.
Jones calls it a rollicking, hilarious musical that children will love, though adults may find the voyage a long haul. He praises the celebrity cameos and rousing songs.
Read the full review →Westbrook finds the film breezily entertaining but old-fashioned, with the Muppets’ satirical edge missing. She praises Tim Curry’s performance and singles out the elaborate “Cabin Fever” set-piece as especially memorable.
Read the full review →The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be verified. The review’s specific praise or criticism is likewise unavailable.
Read the full review →The critic finds the film a slight disappointment after The Muppet Christmas Carol, though still an enjoyable treat. The page’s description singles out its overall appeal despite that letdown.
Read the full review →Klady finds the film entertaining and inventive but not quite up to the Muppets’ best. He praises Tim Curry’s performance and the lively “Professional Pirate” number, while faulting the meandering action and forgettable songs.
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The Court Jester · not on Fi1m yetFor swashbuckling comedy whose apparent foolishness depends on exact comic timing.
The Princess BrideFor another adventure that lets comic foolishness coexist with a proper story.
The Muppet Christmas Carol · not on Fi1m yetFor the same human-and-puppet partnership, with firmer pacing and more feeling.
Treasure Planet · not on Fi1m yetFor a more earnest young hero and a less conventional pirate voyage.
A Town Called Panic · not on Fi1m yetFor handmade comic chaos with considerably less interest in behaving itself.
