Muppet Treasure Island Parent Guide

Over 400 Muppets and more humans than any other Muppet movie are gathered together for Muppet Treasure Island, the latest Henson offering. As usual, the Muppets cash in on their enviable marketing ability, appealing to adults as much as children, with corny puns and tongue-in-cheek humor woven into the serious themes presented in Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel.

Like any other self-respecting pirate yarn, this movie tells a tale of hidden pirate treasure, a priceless map, dangerous murdering buccaneers, cannibals, treachery, and a beachfront battle. But young Jim Hawkins (Kevin Bishop) has no idea that he’s heading into a world of peril until he meets a sailor (Billy Connolly) who dies of terror after he sees the “black spot”. When Jim is given the treasure map, he heads for London to hire a ship, helmed by the redoubtable Captain Smollett a.k.a. Kermit the Frog (Frank Oz). The ship’s crew are a shady bunch, but Jim is soon befriended by the cook, the one-legged Long John Silver, played with irresistible verve by Jim Curry. Sadly, it’s not plain sailing, and when a faction in the crew attempts to seize the map, mutiny breaks out.

Given the story line, it’s not surprising that there are several threatening scenes, including some where men try to kill Jim and others which depict mass murder and torture, albeit without any gory detail. The Muppets do their best to help you laugh your way through the bad guys with the frogs, rats, and pigs obscuring the more serious content; however younger children may be frightened as they won’t understand some of the humor.

For the big kids (including the parents), there are enough sight gags and asides to always keep the story interesting. One favorite of mine was the ongoing Pirate Cruise, featuring the Muppet rodents in full tacky touristy outfits and miniature cameras. “We put the RAT in Pirate,” announces the cruise director as they pile onto the ship. As usual, a place has been found for all the Muppet regulars, including the Swedish chef making cannibal soup, with the introductory line of, “How else could we fit him into this movie?” Like other Muppet movies, this soundtrack ranges from the fun “Shiver My Timbers” and “A Professional Pirate” to the horrendously corny “Love Led Us Here”. And its version of “Boom Shakalaka” is so bizare, so over the top that it’s unforgettable.

The beauty of Muppets is they don’t have egos. Even Miss Piggy can’t bite the hand that moves her, as she only plays a small part at the end of the movie. On the other hand, their human counterparts seem to be having a near-criminal amount of fun. Tim Curry in particular stands out, throwing himself into the role of avuncular pirate with wild abandon. Whether or not you like the Muppets, this movie is worth watching for Tim Curry alone. For all its strangeness, this movie really is buried treasure.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.