When Hollywood first started expanding past the nickelodeon, in an attempt to seem respectable, they would adapt classic plays and novels to the screen. As the years have gone by, they have revisited those classic plays and novels several times, not only to seem respectable, but also to save money (you don't need to buy rights to a Shakespeare play), to have a name recognition to get people in the theaters, and occasionally, take a new perspective on an old tale. Of course, not every adaptation has to do this; Brian Henson's MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL and Gary Sinise's OF MICE AND MEN are pretty straightforward versions of the classic tales by Charles Dickens and John Steinbeck, respectively.
Of course, there is one difference in the Muppet movie, and that is that many of the roles are filled by Muppets. So, for example, Kermit (who's now voiced by Steven Whitmire, as Jim Henson has passed on) is Bob Crachit, Miss Piggy is Mrs. Crachit (and for those who are wondering, the boys are all frogs, and the girls are all pigs), Jacob Marley is now the Marley twins, played by Statler and Waldorf, Fezziwig is now Fozziwig, and Gonzo narrates the tale as "Charles Dickens," with Rizzo the Rat as his sidekick (when Gonzo says he's here to tell the story, Rizzo cracks, "And I am here for the food"). There are even small appeareances from Lew Zealand, Sam the Eagle (who proclaims business as the American way, until Gonzo reminds him it's a British tale), Dr. Bunson Honeydew and Beeker, and the Electric - er, Acoustic Mayhem.
The main human in the story, of course, is Ebenezer Scrooge, played here by Michael Caine. Caine has learned the lesson countless other human actors have learned while playing opposite the Muppets, and that is to treat them as humans, rather than puppets. His is not a particularly imaginative reading of the role (to be fair, it's not really a role you can offer much variety to), but he does a nice job at it. The problem, suprisingly, comes from the Muppet end. The film does have some nice little jokes, a couple of them even throwaway (a store is called Micklewhite, which is Caine's real last name), but in general, this movie, like all the other Muppet movies except the first one, misses the anarchic spirit of the TV show. It also doesn't help that the songs are generally lame and not up to the standard of the first Muppet movie. Finally, Henson the son does a fine job, but is missing the spark of the father.
