Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo are reporters investigating a jewel robbery in England, when Miss Piggy finds herself accused of stealing a diamond necklace from her employer, Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg). The second Muppets feature film (and the only one directed by Jim Henson) starts out strong but, as other reviewers before me have pointed out, it doesn't sustain. Part of the problem is too much focus on the jewel thief plot and an especially annoying Charles Grodin. The Muppets are lots of fun here but there's only so much they can do when competing against a ham actor desperately trying to steal a movie about Muppets away from the Muppets. It's not called The Great Grodin Caper, after all. Anyway, the jewel thief plot is dullsville and the movie should not have spent so much time on it, in my opinion. A significant part of the film drags because of this. I appreciate the attempt to pay tribute to movies of the 1930s and 40s but a little goes a long way.
Still, there are some funny moments. Fozzie adding sugar to champagne to make it taste like ginger ale is probably my favorite scene from the movie and it's what many would consider a minor gag. Some of the best jokes are the ones that break the fourth wall, like that clever opening with Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo in a hot air balloon commenting on the opening credits, Diana Rigg pointing out her expository dialogue, Miss Piggy complaining about doing her own stunts, and Kermit chastising Miss Piggy for overacting. The celebrity cameos this time include John Cleese, Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, and Peter Falk. The Cleese and Falk scenes are the funniest. The songs are cute but not as memorable as the ones from The Muppet Movie. Most die-hard Muppets fans will probably love this despite its flaws. I liked it but didn't love it.
Still, there are some funny moments. Fozzie adding sugar to champagne to make it taste like ginger ale is probably my favorite scene from the movie and it's what many would consider a minor gag. Some of the best jokes are the ones that break the fourth wall, like that clever opening with Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo in a hot air balloon commenting on the opening credits, Diana Rigg pointing out her expository dialogue, Miss Piggy complaining about doing her own stunts, and Kermit chastising Miss Piggy for overacting. The celebrity cameos this time include John Cleese, Robert Morley, Peter Ustinov, and Peter Falk. The Cleese and Falk scenes are the funniest. The songs are cute but not as memorable as the ones from The Muppet Movie. Most die-hard Muppets fans will probably love this despite its flaws. I liked it but didn't love it.