It's been a long time since a proper Muppets special was released, and with the last few Muppets works not performing all that well there is some pressure on Muppets Haunted Mansion to be good and to do well. Ultimately, it's very much what anyone would expect just from hearing the title. It's good Disney Halloween fun with everyone's favorite Muppets and lots of celebrity guests.

The story starts with Gonzo and Pepe the King Prawn heading to the famous Haunted Mansion in hopes of spending an entire night there. Gonzo is of course a daredevil who has done tons of death-defying tricks, and this is his scariest act yet. It's vaguely similar to House on Haunted Hill in the general plot, but they're not similar at all in execution or how the story plays out. Really for most of the movie, the storyline of Muppets Haunted Mansion isn't all that relevant at all. It's mostly just a few silly and spooky scenarios playing out one after the other, with celebrity cameos.

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Overall the special is a very solid Halloween watch. It's very fun, and people who like the Muppets and Disney, especially those familiar with the Haunted Mansion ride, will be pleased with the movie. Yes, the jokes are corny and some of the visuals are lacking. The story is very simple and at times not very important. But it's the Muppets doing what the Muppets do, and there's not really more that audiences could ask for or expect to get.

Muppets Haunted Mansion Disney Plus Trailer

Fans of Disney Parks who know the Haunted Mansion ride will especially get a kick out of this Muppets special. The amount of little references and likenesses to the ride they've been able to pack in here is pretty impressive, and one of the strengths of the special. Though relying on Easter eggs and nostalgia to make audiences smile can be a little cheap sometimes, it is still really effective and none of what was included in the special felt forced or unnatural. It all made sense, and there was a mix of both really obvious references as well as super subtle ones which are always fun to point out.

What the Muppets always do well, and it's no different here, is having a really wide target audience that they can effectively cater to. Adults will enjoy this special but so will kids, and it's completely age-appropriate. There's also a bit of a message that comes out towards the end of the movie, and it's an important message that doesn't feel forced because it makes sense with the subject matter and doesn't take away from the fun. That being said, there are plenty of jokes that adults will find funny and the spooky elements are very much present in a very Halloween-y and Disney-appropriate way.

The spooky elements are actually done in a very nice way. Of course, nothing is going to be super scary or graphic so that it all stays family-friendly. There are a couple of little segments where the implications are pretty violent, but nothing too scary is ever seen at all. So while this isn't a scary Halloween special, it still very much feels spooky and like Halloween. The color palette and set are amazing, and the entire energy just screams Halloween and Disney and ghosts and good spooky times. This is a great way to keep the works long-lasting and relevant for longer than the day it premieres, and maybe even turn it into a classic that families watch together every year.

darren criss muppets haunted mansion

Though Muppets Haunted Mansion is a very solid Muppets holiday special and is a lot of fun, there are a few flaws. The biggest one is how disjointed it is. There is an overarching plot and story, but it's only half there. The special feels overall much more like a variety show or anthology because there are a lot of small segments that are very disjointed and don't seem to have much to do with each other. It almost feels like the general story shouldn't have been there or was an afterthought in some way. The segments are fun and spooky and great, but they just don't really connect even though it seems like they tried to.

One thing that was also slightly disappointing was the music and the overall effectiveness of the songs. The Muppets have made some incredible songs, even winning an Oscar for "Man Or Muppet" from the movie The Muppets in 2011. None of the songs in Muppets Haunted Mansion really have that hook or catchiness that'll stick with the viewers and get stuck in their heads. It's pretty abnormal for there to not even be one song in a Muppets TV show or movie that stands out, but Muppets Haunted Mansion just doesn't have it.

Muppets Haunted Mansion won't be for everyone, but those who are excited about it will not be disappointed. It's a really solid watch that will be easy to throw on for kids or adults at Halloween time. Those looking for an amazing cinematic experience with a lot of tight writing and perfect flow should probably look elsewhere. That being said, with this special being so much fun it's hard to see anyone hating it.

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