--- title: "The Muppets" year: 2011 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-muppets" fi1m_id: "the-muppets" imdb_id: "tt1204342" tmdb_id: 64328 wikidata_id: "Q550558" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 23 published: "2026-10-01T22:16:49.860388+00:00" updated: "2026-10-01T22:16:50.439644+00:00" region: "PL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Muppets (2011) Directed by James Bobin · 1h 43m · Comedy, Family, Adventure ## Identity The Muppets - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-muppets - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** the-muppets - **IMDb ID:** tt1204342 - **TMDB ID:** 64328 - **Wikidata ID:** Q550558 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1204342/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/64328, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q550558 **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 78 from 23 reviews *In a sentence:* The Muppets put on a show with more enthusiasm than competence, which is exactly the right ratio > James Bobin’s Muppet reunion is funny, warm and properly silly, with songs that justify the sentiment. The humans are thinly written, and nostalgia occasionally slows the jokes, but the returning performers earn our affection. ## Synopsis The Muppets reunite to perform again, with Kermit (voiced by Steve Whitmire) at the centre of the returning company. Gary (Jason Segel), Mary (Amy Adams) and Walter (voiced by Peter Linz) become involved in the reunion, which brings familiar performers back to their show format. Miss Piggy (voiced by Eric Jacobson) and Gonzo (voiced by Dave Goelz) are among them. Songs and stage acts accompany the effort to perform together, while romantic complications and jokes about being in a film interrupt proceedings. ## Review James Bobin approaches *The Muppets* as though reviving a comedy troupe requires more than reminding us that we once liked it. There are songs to sing, bad acts to get through and performers who need a reason to stand together again. The result is a funny, generous musical comedy, held back chiefly by a script that gives the humans less personality than the puppets. Its fondness for the old show occasionally becomes a request for our fondness, but most of the time James Bobin gets on with earning it. Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller’s script understands that a joke about being in a film can be welcoming rather than smug. The interruptions and winks include an audience that knows the conventions, without requiring everyone else to sit through an explanation. The inept stage performances work because the timing is exact, with the performers giving each other’s failures time to register. James Thomas’s editing keeps the comedy moving briskly, although the sentimental stretches are allowed rather more time than they need. Don Burgess’s cinematography gives human and puppet performers equal weight, a sensible choice that lets the comedy proceed without gawping at its own cast. Steve Saklad’s production design provides a welcoming home for the troupe’s disorder; nothing looks too precious to accommodate a bad act. Christophe Beck’s score supports the warmth without pressing every joke, while the songs provide the more memorable musical pleasures. Musical comedy needs this ease, especially when its performers vary so much in size and material. Steve Whitmire’s Kermit gives the reunion someone to worry about. We were unexpectedly moved by the expressiveness of that face, which makes performing again seem a considerable emotional risk. Eric Jacobson’s Miss Piggy and Dave Goelz’s Gonzo help keep the company from becoming too reverential about itself. James Bobin generally keeps these scenes funny enough to prevent the affection becoming overbearing. The weakness is the attention paid to characters who have less to do. Jason Segel’s Gary has an earnest awkwardness that fits the film, but Amy Adams’s Mary is underwritten, leaving an appealing performer to supply interest the script has neglected. Walter, voiced by Peter Linz, is similarly short of comic personality beside the established Muppets. The problem becomes noticeable when the nostalgia grows solemn: these stretches need sharper jokes, and the human relationships do not have enough detail to hold our attention instead. As a family musical, *The Muppets* is strongest when it trusts that children can enjoy nonsense and adults can enjoy it without an apologetic wink. There are fourth-wall jokes, certainly, but the humour seldom depends on feeling cleverer than the characters. Its affection for the old show may mean more to returning viewers than to newcomers, a small cost of all that looking back. At 103 minutes, it has room to indulge that fondness a little more than we would like. Watch it with someone who laughs at a performance going wrong. *Fi1m score 80, published 1 October 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics welcome The Muppets as an affectionate, funny revival that recaptures the characters’ warmth without losing their taste for absurdity. Praise clusters around the musical numbers, knowing jokes and ensemble comedy, with the puppets’ timing and cheerfully inept performances drawing particular approval. The reviews generally find room for both childhood nostalgia and grown-up wit, and several see the film as welcoming to newcomers as well as longtime fans. The differences concern how much sentiment the comedy can bear. The AV Club finds that nostalgia too often overwhelms the humour, while The Hollywood Reporter faults the thinly written human characters, particularly Amy Adams’s sidelined role. Other reservations concern uneven pacing, weak romantic subplots and Walter’s blandness. The spread runs from enthusiastic approval to qualified enjoyment rather than outright rejection: even the more cautious reviews tend to find charm and worthwhile jokes amid the sentiment. ## Straight answers **Is The Muppets worth watching?** *The Muppets* is worth watching for families and anyone fond of backstage silliness, and we score it 80 out of 100. We recommend it for the precisely timed bad acts, memorable songs and warmth of the returning company, though the humans are thinly written and nostalgia sometimes slows the jokes. **How long is The Muppets, and what is it rated?** *The Muppets* runs 1h 43m. It is a comedy and family film. **Where can I watch The Muppets in Poland?** *The Muppets* is streaming on Disney+ in Poland, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from zł 9.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does The Muppets compare to The Band Wagon?** *The Muppets* offers family-friendly nonsense and reunion warmth, while [*The Band Wagon*](https://film.one/film/the-band-wagon) is our stronger recommendation for dancing and staging. Both backstage musicals make their sentiment welcome through comic self-knowledge, and both have thinly written romance. We favour the Muppets for gleefully inept stage acts, and *The Band Wagon* for the pleasures of accomplished performers doing things well. **What should I watch after The Muppets?** After *The Muppets*, try [*The Band Wagon*](https://film.one/film/the-band-wagon) (1953, Fi1m 84): A backstage musical with enough comic self-knowledge to make its sentiment welcome. Then [*The Young Girls of Rochefort*](https://film.one/film/the-young-girls-of-rochefort) (1967, Fi1m 84): For the pleasure of performers treating song and dance as ordinary behaviour; and [*Paddington*](https://film.one/film/paddington) (2014, Fi1m 84): Another family comedy that earns its kindness through precise jokes and committed performances. ### Reviews we read (23) - **IndieWire**, James Rocchi (A): Rocchi calls the film an unexpectedly brilliant, emotionally resonant work and one of the year’s best. He especially praises its heartfelt characterization and storytelling, while noting that the finale’s key reveal is not set up earlier. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-the-muppets-is-inspirational-celebrational-one-of-the-years-best-films-115055/) - **Empire**, Olly Richards (85/100, inferred): Richards finds the film a joyful, cheering return to the Muppets’ spirit. He especially praises their charmingly inept performances and gleeful surreal humor. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/muppets-review/) - **The New Yorker** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a joyful, nostalgic love letter to childhood. The reunion of the Muppets and its infectious affection for Jim Henson’s creations are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/the-muppets-2) - **Variety**, Justin Chang (85/100, inferred): Chang finds the film a charming, unexpectedly successful revival that balances knowing humor with old-fashioned musical warmth. He especially praises its upbeat songs and the creative team's affectionate, irreverent handling of Muppet tradition. [Read](https://variety.com/2011/film/reviews/the-muppets-1117946604/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (82/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the film a warm, fuzzy musical comedy that is also sharp and subversive, with only a few stumbles. She praises its smart parody and the fresh edge contributed by James Bobin and Bret McKenzie. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2011-nov-23-la-et-the-muppets-20111123-story.html) - **Radio Times**, Terry Staunton (4/5): Staunton praises the film as a laugh-out-loud return to the Muppets’ roots. He singles out its successful revival of the familiar characters, aided by Jason Segel and Amy Adams. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-ufpjug/the-muppets/) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (4/5): The review is strongly positive, calling the film a great comic act. It singles out the Muppets’ impeccable timing as the key to its comedy. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-muppets-1) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (3/4): Ebert finds the film entertaining and warmly affectionate toward the Muppets. He particularly praises its nostalgic spirit and musical comedy. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-muppets-2011) - **Slant Magazine**, Bill Weber (3/4): Weber finds the film ultimately irresistible, though its nostalgia sometimes comes at the expense of its child-friendly elements. He praises the fourth-wall jokes and the Cee Lo Green cover, while criticizing Walter as bland and some cast members as underused. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-muppets/) - **The AV Club**, Keith Phipps (B-): Phipps finds the film fundamentally likable, though its nostalgia and sentiment often overwhelm its humor. He praises the songs and witty gags for capturing the Muppets’ irreverent, warm spirit. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/the-muppets-1798170621) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (70/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the film a breezy, mostly winning return that should entertain longtime fans and attract a new generation. He praises the Muppets’ charm and the film’s good-cheer direction, while faulting the underwritten human characters, especially Amy Adams’s sidelined role. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/muppets-film-review-262541/) - **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (70/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the film uneven as a movie but warmly effective as pop nostalgia. He singles out Jason Segel’s earnest, awkward performance and the affectionate return to the Muppets’ familiar show format. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/2011/11/movie-review-the-touching-pop-nostalgia-of-the-muppets.html) - **The Guardian**, Henry Barnes (65/100, inferred): Barnes finds the reboot charming and entertaining, though its enforced cheerfulness is shadowed by sadness. He praises the chirpy songs and knockabout humour, while noting that Amy Adams is underused. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jan/26/the-muppets-film-review) - **Screen Daily**, Tim Grierson (64/100, inferred): The page identifies this as a Screen review, but the review text is behind a registration prompt. Its verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be determined from the available text. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/the-muppets/5034683.article) - **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The URL identifies a New York Times review of the 2011 film, but the page content is blocked. The critic’s verdict and any specific praise or complaint cannot be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/23/movies/the-muppets-with-jason-segel-and-amy-adams-review.html) - **NME**, Owen Nicholls (95/100, inferred): The critic calls the film an exceptionally fun, joyous return for the Muppets. They praise the affection behind its musical numbers and the blend of silly jokes with clever humor. [Read](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/the-muppets-film-review-779208) - **The Playlist** (95/100, inferred): The headline gives the film a strongly favorable verdict, calling it one of the year's best. The accessible page provides no further detail about what the reviewer praises. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-the-muppets-is-inspirational-celebrational-one-of-the-years-best-films-20111118/) - **Collider**, Matt Goldberg (A-): The critic praises the film as a warm, intelligent, and consistently funny return that works for both children and longtime fans. He singles out its clever balance of silliness and wit, while noting that Mary is underwritten and her song is the weakest. [Read](https://collider.com/the-muppets-review/) - **The Wrap**, Alonso Duralde (90/100, inferred): The review calls the film a glorious, faithful return to the Muppets’ anarchic spirit, despite a few slow moments. It especially praises Kermit’s expressive performance and the film’s absurd humor, songs, and ensemble comedy. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/muppets-return-inspirational-celebrational-comedy-32995/) - **Eye for Film**, Anton Bitel (80/100, inferred): Bitel finds the film charming and relevant, with its idealism and self-parody still entertaining. He particularly praises the fast pacing, improbably great songs, and clever cinematic deconstructions. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-muppets-film-review-by-anton-bitel) - **Digital Spy**, Simon Reynolds (78/100, inferred): The critic finds this an affectionate, poignant revival that should please longtime fans and newcomers. The musical numbers and the puppets’ old-school charm stand out, though the human story and villain occasionally disappoint. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a354323/the-muppets-review/) - **/Film**, Angie Han (75/100, inferred): Han finds the film a solid return to form that can please newcomers and longtime fans alike. She praises its balance of childlike innocence and grown-up wit, while criticizing the romantic subplots involving Mary and Miss Piggy. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/518622/the-muppets-review/) - **The Skinny**, Thom Atkinson (★★★): Atkinson finds the film a hoot, though not quite as sensational as its Muppet-inspired exuberance promises. He praises Segel and Stoller's meta-movie humor and the film's lively parade of celebrity cameos. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-muppets) ## Details - **Director:** James Bobin - **Director:** James Bobin - **Writer:** Jason Segel, Nicholas Stoller - **Cinematography:** Don Burgess - **Editor:** James Thomas - **Music:** Christophe Beck - **Production design:** Steve Saklad - **Costume design:** Rahel Afiley - **Producer:** David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman - **Cast:** Jason Segel as Gary; Amy Adams as Mary; Chris Cooper as Tex Richman; Rashida Jones as CDE Executive; Steve Whitmire as Kermit / Beaker / Statler / Rizzo / Link / Newsman (voice); Peter Linz as Walter (voice); Eric Jacobson as Miss Piggy / Fozzie / Animal / Sam Eagle / Marvin Suggs (voice); Dave Goelz as Gonzo / Honeydew / Zoot / Beauregard / Waldorf (voice) - **Runtime:** 1h 43m - **Release (Poland):** 20 January 2012 - **Genres:** Comedy, Family, Adventure - **Budget:** $45 million - **Box office:** $165 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq5LfuvRBVM ## Where to watch in Poland - Disney+: streaming, hd - Amazon Prime Video: rent zł 9.99, hd - Apple TV: rent zł 9.99, hd - Apple TV: buy zł 49.99, sd - Amazon Prime Video: buy zł 49.99, sd *Checked 2026-10-01.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - BAFTA Film Awards 2012: BAFTA's Children & Young People Award - Feature Film (nominated) - Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2012: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (nominated) ## If you liked this - *The Band Wagon* (1953), Fi1m 84: A backstage musical with enough comic self-knowledge to make its sentiment welcome. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-band-wagon.md) - *The Young Girls of Rochefort* (1967), Fi1m 84: For the pleasure of performers treating song and dance as ordinary behaviour. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-young-girls-of-rochefort.md) - *A Town Called Panic* (2009): Small figures cause large problems, with an admirably low regard for sensible behaviour. - *Paddington* (2014), Fi1m 84: Another family comedy that earns its kindness through precise jokes and committed performances. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paddington.md) - *Kiki's Delivery Service* (1989), Fi1m 86: A gentle account of finding confidence and somewhere to belong, with room for setbacks. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-muppets