Muppet’s Treasure Island

The Muppets are back in their fifth adventure, this time setting sail on the high seas in search of Captain Flint’s long lost treasure. Loosely based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel, Muppet’s Treasure Island brings humans Tim Curry and Kevin Bishop together with countless rascally Muppets in what turns out to be a delightful detour into the Henson universe. Bishop plays Jim Hawkins, an orphan with a treasure map and a yen for adventure, and Curry turns in a wonderfully over-the-top performance as Long John Silver, a one-legged pirate masquerading as a cook to get his hands on the same bounty. But the real star billing is saved for those irreverent bits of fabric and glue led by Kermit the Frog and Gonzo the…whatever. The one-liners are abundant – some are hysterical – but the most enjoyable part is watching how every Muppet appears in the film in one capacity or another. At one point, the Swedish Chef shows up as the cook for a group of island natives while a talking tomato cracks “Well, how else did you think we were going to get him in the movie?” The film bogs down a bit in the middle – especially during the numerous musical numbers – and at just under two hours, it’s about one doubloon too long. But for all of us who remember spending Saturday nights on the living room floor in front of the TV watching Kermy, Fozzi, Piggy, and the rest, Muppet’s Treasure Island is sure to entertain.

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