Muppets Haunted Mansion - Review

The Muppets have been in a bit of a rough spot recently. After having one killer comeback with 2011’s “The Muppets,” the Jason Segel lead vehicle that catapulted the handheld stars back into the spotlight, that brief magic has proven hard to recapture. “Muppets Most Wanted” was a misfire, even despite maintaining much of the 2011 film’s creative team, ABC’s “The Muppets” had moments of whimsy drowned out in a “Modern Family” style formula, and don’t even talk about the lead balloon of laughter that was Disney+'s “Muppets Now.”

Yet, somehow, out of all of that comes “Muppets Haunted Mansion,” the group’s first Halloween special and yet another Disney+ original project for the Muppets. It's easy to be cynical about a project that seems to have been birthed out of “what Disney property can the Muppets wreak havoc in?” but in reality it's a bastion of the kind of sweet, bizarre, teetering into non-kid-friendliness stuff that the Muppets made their name in.

The special follows Gonzo and Pepe as they venture to a haunted mansion where Gonzo’s hero, a magician known as The Great MacGuffin, disappeared years ago. They decide to accept the local challenge of trying to stay in the mansion for one whole night, and are quickly met with all manner of spooky happenings and ghostly guests.

First and foremost, this special understands the delicate balance the Muppets play with their human co-stars. An actor can play themselves on “The Muppet Show” because it's a variety show, half of the fun is watching them act like they’re working on an actual variety show. Yet, in a film or project with a narrative, seeing actors just playing themselves feels a bit cheaper. Luckily, director Kirk Thatcher (“It’s a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie,” “Muppets Tonight”) and writers Bill Barretta (“The Happytime Murders,” “Muppets Now”), Kelly Younger (“Muppets Now”), Jim Lewis (“Muppets Tonight,” “Kermit’s Swamp Years”), and Thatcher know and play this to their advantage.

Only one actor plays themselves, a very short cameo by John Stamos, and everyone else gets in on the spooky fun, hamming it up alongside our felt-covered friends. There’s Will Arnett (“Arrested Development,” “Bojack Horseman”) as the “Ghost Host” who leads Gonzo and Pepe through the mansion, Darren Criss (“Glee,” “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”) as the grave caretaker, Taraji P. Henson (“Hustle & Flow,” “Empire”) as Haunted Mansion legend Constance Hatchaway,  and many many more in various forms. They’re getting in on the fun, constantly playing to the camera and embracing the silly, goofy vibe that the Muppets are known for and that is especially alive and well in this special.

Most impressively, the writers have found a way to blend a “family message” with the sillies and the scares in a way that doesn’t feel intrusive or heavy handed. Because this crew has worked with the Muppets for so long, they have a clear understanding that this material only works when you take them seriously. Therefore, the moments meant to scare do (as much as they can in a Muppets Halloween special), the moments meant to make you laugh do, and the moments meant to impart a message do.

Arguably more impressive than the strengths of the special’s writing is its technical achievements. It's not a leap to say that the Muppets likely aren’t a big cash cow for Disney currently, so the fact that they are able to accomplish some pretty impressive visuals on such a small budget is an accomplishment.

There are moments of practical effects work, CGI monsters, blending and transforming between different creatures and shapes, and entire digital and green screen sets that somehow never feel cheap. It all adds to the silly whimsy of it all, and there are some shockingly great moments, such as a third act action moment for Gonzo and a moment in the John Stamos cameo, that are made all the more impressive given the relatively low-fi origins of these puppeteered pals.

Surprisingly, and one aspect not communicated in the special’s marketing, this “Haunted Mansion” adventure is also a musical. While it doesn’t feature as many songs as in Muppet projects of the past, and they reuse some Haunted Mansion music elements sometimes, these handful of new works are all excellent. Criss and P. Henson get some great musical work done, but nothing can hold a candle to the wonderfully weird work being done in “Life Hereafter,” arguably the special’s biggest song. It even features a cover of “Dancing in the Moonlight” for the credits that is a toe-tapping good time.

“Muppets Haunted Mansion” is a short, sweet, and delightful Halloween treat that serves as not only a fun romp but a reminder of how great the Muppets can be for all ages when they’re done right. Delivering just the right amount of scares and silliness, combined with a shockingly impressive amount of technical wizardry, it's a great sign that Disney may finally know how to get the Muppets back on track. 4.5/5