Love it, but I would've appreciated a warning about the use of guns. The gang of frog-hunters point their shotguns at Kermit and shoot a frog-cutout as target practice. Also, the "frog killer" character quite violently demonstrates his skill by throwing a sharpened fork at an image of a frog. This film was made before the current sensitivity about gun violence was a big issue, I guess.
The Muppet Movie
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
First Muppet movie is a classic.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 5 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence & scariness:
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Sexy stuff:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of The Muppet Movie was written by Charles Cassady Jr.
Parents need to know this was the first big-screen Muppet movie, and its simple plot and whimsical humor seems more geared for a younger audience than the later films (or the Muppets' pre-existing syndicated TV show) that functioned as more busy and sophisticated movie-genre satire. Kids raised in churchgoing environments may be jarred to see the Muppets here playing loud rock music in an abandoned house of worship.
Families Can Talk About
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- Families can talk about the way Kermit the Frog, though self-doubting and frequently uncertain, nonetheless perseveres, gets things done, and surrounds himself with loyal friends who come through for him. Kermit really is one of pop culture's great Everyman heroes. Here's hoping Angelina Jolie or Paris Hilton never comes between him and Miss Piggy.
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More on The Muppet Movie
What’s the Story?
In a classic opening, Kermit the Frog is in the swamp singing "The Rainbow Connection" wistfully to himself when he's overheard by a passing showbiz agent (Dom DeLuise), who compliments the amphibian on his talents. Fired up by the thought of performing in Hollywood, Kermit hits the road on a bicycle, heading westward and gathering along the way a menagerie of equally-ambitious Muppet animals. There's the painfully-unfunny standup comic Fozzie Bear, the unclassifiable Great Gonzo, the rock band Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and the feisty, narcissistic diva Miss Piggy, who immediately becomes infatuated with the go-getter frog. But upon seeing charismatic Kermit, Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) decides he's the perfect spokes-frog for his chain of frog-leg restaurants. The bad guy's cross-country pursuit sidetracks the Muppets, but eventually they arrive in Hollywood and get signed to the standard "rich and famous" contract.
Is It Any Good?
Jim Henson's debut Muppet film was a technological breakthrough, because it was the first time his beloved Muppet Show characters were shown in full, from head to toe. In one of the most impressive scenes, Kermit pedals a bicycle. The beauty of the movie is that the relatively low-tech magic, innocence, and sweetness of Jim Henson's characters still hold up. It's wondrous how alive and likeable a piece of felt like Kermit can be with just a smirk or tilt of his fabric head.
Grownups and kids will have no trouble accepting the Muppets' interactions with humans or each other, even if the Kermit-crazed villain seems a weak afterthought. If anything's gone stale it's the jokes and puns, seemingly pitched at the younger scale of the Muppets' global fandom. Still, adults will have more than one occasion to smile, especially at the parade of celebrity appearances, including Steve Martin, Richard Pryor, Orson Welles, and Mel Brooks.
Movie Details
Studio: Disney, Director: James Frawley
Run time: 94 minutes
Theatrical release: 05/31/1979, DVD release: 06/05/2001
MPAA Rating: G for general audiences
Run time: 94 minutes
Theatrical release: 05/31/1979, DVD release: 06/05/2001
MPAA Rating: G for general audiences
Our Members Say
See all 3 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 3 and give it
- My concerns are:
- Excessive violence
Great, but be warned about gun use
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I rate this title on for age 2 and give it
I cry at the Rainbow Connection song!
This is the most sweetest and clever Muppet movie. I always cry at The Rainbow Connection song. Kermit is so sweet!
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
hilarious, a great family movie
In The Muppet Movie, Kermit the Frog sets off for Hollywood to become a star and make millions of people happy. Along the way he runs into Fozzie the Bear, The Great Gonzo and his chicken, Miss Piggy, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, and lots of celebrities that parents will recognize. This is a great family movie complete with loveable characters, great music, and an interesting plot. Sure to be a hit with all ages!
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Ratings at a Glance
| 100% | of parents say it's too violent |
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