The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) ***

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) was the first post-Jim Henson Muppet movie made after their creator’s death two years earlier (regular Muppet performer Richard Hunt also passed away earlier the year that MCC was released). The film, directed by Henson's son Brian and adapted from Charles Dickens's timeless 1843 novella, arrived eight years after the previous theatrical Muppet movie, 1984's The Muppets Take Manhattan.

It’s great that all of the remaining living Muppet performers were involved in this production and the artistry shows. I love the puppets, the sets, and a good deal about the film. But this film hit at an age where Muppets weren't really my thing (I loved them when I was younger and then picked them back up in my twenties), so I didn't first see it until only six years ago. Meaning I don't have the same sense of attachment to it that I know many people do.

Steve Whitmire does a commendable job of performing Kermit The Frog’s voice but anytime anyone other than Henson has performed him it’s always been obvious and a bit jarring to me. I don’t really love some of the songs in the film (the Martina McBride song that plays over the end credits is particularly bland). Too much of the humor calls attention to itself in a way that feels pandering—I never noticed that in the three Jim Henson-made Muppet films or on the The Muppet Show (1978–1981).

My biggest complaint about MCC though is that I’ve never been the biggest Rizzo The Rat fan. I can take him in small doses and the character has so much screen time here. But Michael Caine is very good as Scrooge, able to convincingly portray the nastiness and the charm after his reformation. And the film is heartwarming and a loving tribute from a son to his genius father, I’ll give it that. 

You can find my Muppet Movies Ranked list here.