Sunday, September 16, 2012

Muppets from Space, Part 4: And Now, We Wait

At the clutches of Dr. Phil van Neuter, Gonzo prepares to have his brains sucked out or scrambled or whatever.  Fortunately, he manages to stall the good doctor, allowing Rizzo enough time to sneak in and chew through Gonzo's straps.  Oh yeah, Rizzo and the rats escaped somehow.  This happens to be the moment that the rest of the Muppets burst in and with Muppets, rats, and neuralyzers altogether, things are bound to be chaotic.

Of course, this is the moment that Singer shows his army general boss that he has captured a real live alien.  He draws back the curtain and we get a clever shout-out to Ridley Scott's Alien in the process.  Or maybe it was Independence Day.  Whatever movie where the alien escapes in the foggy medical bay.

And a doctor is slammed up against the glass.

Now, rather than being rational about it, the army man decides that this is a bunch of nonsense and fires  Singer even though CLEARLY AN ALIEN OR SOME CREATURE HAS GOTTEN LOOSE IN THE BUILDING.

The gang catches up with Animal who is now trying to escape the clutches of a love-starved Kathy Griffin.  Normally I wouldn't bother with these minute plot points, but for all the action, not a lot of stuff is happening storywise.

At least this plot point is wrapped up.

The Muppets manage to escape using their "Door in a Jar."  Well, Pepe escapes through it anyway, since it's only a foot high.  But he gets the others out as well.

This was supposed to be the door to 123 Sesame Street, as a shout out to 1999's other Muppet film.

Back on the Electric Mayhem's bus, Gonzo tells Fozzie to drive him to Cape Doom to meet the spaceship.  The Muppets still think he's crazy (despite the government kidnapping him for being an alien) but Kermit decides they should support their friend anyway.  Piggy alerts the news crew so all the hopeful people hoping to see the alien show up to the beach as well.

Singer, back in his office, laments that he'll never have the proof he needs, but Bobo Rentro tells him that the gang are probably at Cape Doom, and Singer gets out his BFG.

So, now he's going to just kill Gonzo?  Is that the plan?

At Cape Cod, everyone is caught up in spaceship fever.  Scooter breaks his vow of silence after Richard Hunt's death to hock Gonzo T-Shirts, the rats and Dr. van Neuter roast marshmallows, Bunsen and Beaker get a ride with hippies, and Pacey and Joey from Dawson's Creek are also there because it's 1999.  Too bad they couldn't get James Van Der Beek because they wouldn't have to awkwardly mention that they wish Dawson were there just in case the kids in the audience didn't catch the reference.

Some things you just can't make up.

Andie MacDowell finally shows up to fight with Piggy over the coverage of the story and Piggy uses her Mind Mist to steal her job from her.  Piggy!  Why didn't you just use that earlier during all the chase scenes?  So selfish!

And that's the end of that subplot.

Hours pass and the crowd's spirits slowly diminish.  Gonzo remains firmly planted at the water's side, but even he begins to lose faith and decides to call the whole operation off.  He accepts that he has caused mass hysteria based on his own delusions and decides to go out with some dignity at least.

It's refreshing when the movie has good, poignant scenes like this one.

Kermit tells him he has to keep his faith and as if on cue, a spaceship finally appears.  Well, an egg appears.  And it sends out a beam of light in order to direct the actual giant spaceship.  And the suspense builds...

...and builds...

...and builds...

I can't tell if this moment is epic or just obvious padding.

...and we're out of time for today!

Tomorrow, the ship lands, Gonzo meets whoever or whatever is inside, and we find out if the movie can be redeemed in the closing minutes!

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