The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)

Absolutely Fantastic

It is so daring, it is so ambitious, it is so thrilling and weird and pointed and powerful. I never knew where it was going.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Having had success with previous literary adaptations, it was not a surprise to see The Muppets trying to repeat the trick with their fame on the decline, with this re-imagining of 'The Wizard of Oz'.The problem is that from the off it faces competition and comparison to the beloved original film starring Judy Garland, and at every point you are expecting an iconic song/line...and it doesn't come.The character of Pepe is annoying, the favourite characters underused, and although Ashanti does her best, this film sadly doesn't reach the heights of other Muppet outings.

This is a fun Muppet take on the classic story. In this movie The Muppets take on The Wizard of Oz in a great parody that is both charming and smart. Ashanti plays Dorothy Gale a farm girl who dreams of becoming a singer. One day she is swept away to the magical land of Oz. Toto is here replaced by prawn played by Pepe the King Prawn. Rizzo the Rat plays the Mayor of Munchkinland and all the Munchkins are played by his rat family. Kermit the Frog plays the Scarecrow and he is great as Always (You can't help but like Kermit the Frog). The Great Gonzo is the Tin Man and Fozzie Bear is Cowardly Lion/Bear.This movie is closer to the book than the 1939 movie including elements like the wizard telling Dorothy to get the wicked witch of the west's magical eye rather than her broom and and there being four witches instead of three. Miss Piggy plays all the witches and she is one of the best parts of the movie.This is high-quality family entertainment.But what else can you expect from Disney.The film is full of clever jokes and lovable characters. This is a film that both young and old will like and can be rewatched many times. This movie comes highly recommended ! and look out for a surprise cameo.

I hate this movie. It sucks. Let's go.Dorothy works at her diner in Kansas and dreams of being a star. She gives the Muppets her demo CD after missing the opportunity of auditioning for them, but still worries about leaving Kansas. She wants to become a sensation and sing. However, she and her neighborhood find themselves in danger when a tornado hits, and it blows her, her pet shrimp, and her trailer home away. They find themselves in the magical land of Oz where they find rats in hats, magical wizards, a scarecrow, a T.I.N. thing, and a lion.Let's start with the good things. First of all, Queen Latifah's here. To be fair, that's not saying much because she really doesn't bring much. But have you ever had that actor/actress that's so awesome, their presence makes the production a bit more awesome? That's Queen Latifah. Secondly, the scene with Kermit and Quentin Tarantino...Yeah, that scene is hilarious! Third, there's a joke Statler and Waldorf make about Fozzie in this film. It's not at all the funniest thing they've said, but this movie is so bad that it stands out as a highlight! Also, OK, David Alan Grier can be entertaining half the time he's here, but I'm mostly rooting when I see the closing credits. So I guess there's four and a half good things about this movie.So what sucks about this movie? EVERYTHING ELSE! I'll try to be brief: Let's start with the 2 bozos who ruin this movie: Ashanti & Pepe! First of all, Ashanti: WHO GAVE HER PERMISSION TO ACT?!? I guess it works in a film like "Coach Carter" because she played an urban teenager, and she has an urban style already. Here in a what's supposed to be family movie (it's not at all a family movie), it doesn't work! Half the time she's on screen, I just hear her saying "I'm trying to act, please excuse me." My younger brother and I laugh and overdub her lines by making references to her poor acting in this film (try it, it's hilarious). Secondly, Pepe. You've read in my last review of "Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie" that I hate Pepe. For as annoying as he was in that movie, I can tolerate him so much more in that film than in this film! This is the film that really makes me hate him! He's not charming, he's not cute, he's not lovable, he's not anything you'd love in another Muppet! When he's not making inappropriate adult jokes, he's making awkward moments by delivering what the writers and producers wanted to be a funny line, but is actually just stupid and annoying! AND WHY IS HE TOTO?!? You really had to put him in the movie, so you gave Dorothy a pet shrimp instead of a dog?!? (I know he's a king prawn; I'm choosing to disrespect him by calling him a shrimp!)The choice to make Dorothy a superficial, star gazed teenager is stupid! It takes away from the original story; why change her motivation? The original Dorothy was a lot more innocent, likable, and relatable. The choice to make Toto a shrimp...whatever, I talked about that already. The ending is stupid! Aunt Em says to her (and I'm paraphrasing), "After our house blew away, I realized that it doesn't matter where you sing because you're always home in our hearts."...So, after your niece flies away in a tornado, an instance in which most people would die, you say it's alright if she sings because she's in your heart? YOU JUST LOST YOUR CHILD AND YOUR HOME; WHY IS HER SINGING CAREER ON YOUR MIND?!?!And, just like Pepe and his connection to the last Muppet production, there are even more uncomfortable adult jokes here. They reference a pornographic company, Pepe plays with Gonzo's nipples, and Gonzo gets aroused by a poorly animated chicken. Not only is this film full of bad acting by Ashanti, annoying lines from Pepe, pointless adaptations of the original "Wizard of Oz" story, and painful adult jokes, but a lot of these scenes are distasteful! The scene where Kermit and Gonzo are literally destroyed is scary!! And they try to make up for it by forcing a "likable" scene right after that - and it doesn't work!! That seems to be the pattern of this movie: distasteful scene/moment, followed by a forced tasteful scene/moment that really isn't all that tasteful!This is my second least favorite movie EVER (my first being "The Cat in the Hat" - THAT'S RIGHT! This is up there with Mike Myers as The Cat in the Hat!)! The music is annoying, the animation and graphics are terrible, and it's not charming or entertaining or likable! It's a slap in the face to the original "Wizard of Oz" story, and it's a slap in the face to Jim Henson's Muppets. This was the first production the Muppets released after they were bought by the Walt Disney Company; the fact that they're owned by Disney still burns my hind, but the knowing that they produced this is just punishment and sickening! This movie sucks, and if you have any sense whatsoever, you'd avoid it at all costs! BOOYIKA!

I don't have children and I didn't watch this as a family thing, so I'll get that clear first, and I can see why some people might find this an unusual offering for their kids. But to be honest, I thought it was absolutely hilarious and I don't see what the big fuss is about. Kids aren't all that sensitive, jeez, this movie was funny! I think it had something for everyone to enjoy, but maybe even more so for teens and grown ups than for kids.I didn't watch it expecting amazing acting so the whole Ashanti thing didn't bug me and anyway the star of this show had to be Pepe the PRAWN (not shrimp!) That bit with the nipples? that stuff is gold and had me in stitches. and the whole 'poppyfields' (blatantly an opium den) was handled in a way that's hilarious to adults. It's not the most amazing Muppet film ever made but it kept me entertained on a Sunday afternoon. I'm 19, my partner mid 20's, we both agree this film was surprisingly awesome for a stumbled across channel hop.