Muppets Most Wanted

Right from the beginning, there’s a self-referential tone to Muppets Most Wanted. It opens with a musical number entitled “We’re Doing a Sequel” that includes among Kermit the Frog’s lyrics: “Everybody knows the sequel’s never quite as good.”

That analysis is spot-on. So is much of the rest of the lively production number, which makes the point that since the 2011 re-boot The Muppets was successful both critically and financially, a follow-up was inevitable.

Those opening minutes make for a clever satire of Hollywood’s fickle nature and its knee-jerk desire to capitalize on what’s hot. Yet just because it’s transparent about those intentions doesn’t justify them, especially with a concept that feels slapdash.

The story picks up with the Muppets experiencing a surge in popularity after reuniting in the previous film. They take the advice of a new manager named Guy (Ricky Gervais), who encourages them to go on a European tour, against the wishes of the more pragmatic Kermit.

But Guy has ulterior motives, since he’s really a henchman for Constantine, a frog criminal mastermind whose resemblance to Kermit is identical, save for a mole on his cheek. Constantine’s goal is to escape from the Gulag prison in Siberia — run by a demanding warden (Tina Fey) — then switch places with Kermit so he can undertake a series of jewel heists without being detected by the rest of the naive Muppets during their performances.

The Muppets movie canon includes eight features during a span of 35 years, and the quality has been hit-and-miss. The most recent film, which tried to introduce the late Jim Henson’s puppet creatures to a new generation of youngsters, retained their charm and spirit without mocking or dumbing down.

However, this lackluster effort is a letdown by comparison. Director James Bobin returns, but the cast is different, along with the obligatory parade of cameo appearances (which won’t be revealed here).

The screenplay by Bobin and Nicholas Stoller (Get Him to the Greek) is darker in tone than the previous film, with a flimsy mistaken identity storyline and songs that aren’t as memorable. On the plus side, there are some scattered clever sight gags and one-liners. Ty Burrell provides some big laughs as a territorial Interpol agent.

Like its predecessors, Muppets Most Wanted is peppered with in-jokes and pop-culture references. Only this time, they feel more familiar than fresh.

Rated PG, 112 minutes.