The Muppets

Like many remakes, The Muppets appears to have a dual role – to be a nostalgic treat for those who remember the original 1970s television series, and to introduce a new generation to the material.

It certainly succeeds better at the former than the latter, which isn’t all bad. The generation that remembers being charmed by Jim Henson’s puppets when they carved out their own niche on network TV in 1976 (and later spawned a series of movies) will find plenty to like in this new big-screen adventure.

The lovably irreverent but extremely hit-or-miss remake is the brainchild of actor Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), whose adoration of everything Muppets shows in every frame. That’s not to say he doesn’t add his own touches, including a self-reflexive element that tries to poke fun at the franchise without descending into mean-spirited mockery.

Segel stars as Gary, whose brother Walter (a Muppet voiced by Peter Linz) likes nothing more than to watch tapes of old episodes of “The Muppet Show” in the hopes of joining them one day. When the two take a Hollywood vacation with Gary’s fiancée Mary (Amy Adams), Walter is disappointed to find the old Muppet studio dilapidated and abandoned. He overhears a conversation in which a deceitful oil baron (Chris Cooper) reveals plans to buy the land for drilling, and decides to seek out Kermit the Frog in a last-ditch attempt to save it.

The plan? Walter convinces Kermit to stage “The Muppet Show” one last time, as a telethon to raise money to buy back the theater and preserve its heritage. But such a goal isn’t as easy as it sounds in today’s cash-strapped world.

There’s a surprising poignancy in Kermit’s subsequent bittersweet attempts to reunite the gang, and in his contemplation about the Muppets’ place in contemporary pop culture. Such devices are an example of the film’s constant shifting between fantasy and reality.

All of the Muppets are back, so pick your favorite (hello, Beaker!) and wait to giggle when it appears. Likewise, there are numerous real-life celebrity cameo appearances.

Director James Bobin (TV’s “Flight of the Conchords”) keeps the pace lively, and musical numbers both original and reimagined are amusing (save for an awkward rap by Cooper). Both “The Muppet Show” theme song and “The Rainbow Connection” are well staged, and a new song-and-dance number called “Life’s a Happy Song” is terrific. Be sure to stay through the closing credits for a musical bonus.

The Muppet characters don’t feel dated, even though the voices behind the microphones have changed considerably during the past 35 years. The only slight annoyance is Walter, whose presence is meant to bridge the potential generation gap but makes an awkward fit.

Still, the film is a delightful reminder that despite some shifts in the pop-culture landscape, the Muppets continue to stand the test of time.

Rated PG, 98 minutes.