Even Fun Is Relative in the 'Space Age'

"It's a kids movie!" my teenage brother suddenly realized as we walked into a theater full of moms with their three-year-olds. Oops, I guess I forgot to mention that part, but I thought he would have figured it out from the title.

Unlike my teenage brother, I'm not against kids' movies. Some, like The Little Mermaid, are entertaining and truly meaningful. Just because a movie is made for young children doesn't mean it has to be boring or too shallow for adults. I even said to my brother, "Who knows? Maybe you'll end up liking it." He smirched, "I doubt it."

I hate it when I'm wrong and my brother is right, but by the time I came out of Muppets From Space, I was in total agreement with my brother: this movie is for kids, only.

It had its moments, of course. I love Kermit, and there were times when both my brother and I were laughing out loud. Numerous cameos by the likes of Hulk Hogan and "Dawson's Creek's" Joey (Katie Holmes) and Pacey (Joshua Jackson) were a nice touch. But, throughout most of the film I caught myself thinking, "Why is this going so slow? I wish something would happen!" The plot was a little too mundane and the lines were a little too predictable, though the message was certainly noble. Ideas like loyalty, a sense of belonging, and a family's love certainly speak to both kids and adults. The problem was that the presentation was too simple, and the impact of the message just did not sink in.

Still, I must applaud the craft that obviously went into the film. The agility and movements of the muppets were smooth, and the voices were wonderfully done, especially Pep the Prawn's Spanich accent: He almost made the show worthwhile. The muppets' costumes were realistic to the point of being almost comical. For example, Ms. Piggy's news-anchor suit seemed to come directly out of Connie Chung's wardrobe. But that wasn't enough to keep me from checking my watch every few minutes.

Maybe I've been watching too many like movies like The Matrix. Perhaps you are looking for a more laid-back, easy-to-understand (too easy, if you ask me), fun, relaxing movie. Well then, maybe your search can stop with Muppets From Space. Though, I believe, you can do better.

Rating: 6 out of 10