Film review: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992), directed by Brian Henson

Based on the Charles Dickens story, this is the Muppets having a go at telling their version of A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) is the grumpy old man with no Christmas spirit in his heart. He’s mean to his employees and mean to just about everyone. However, three spirits of Christmas come to visit him, and perhaps they can make him change his mind?

Full of song and Christmas cheer, this is all the Christmas spirit you’ll need this season!

Starring the Muppet voices: Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz and David Rudman; with real-life actors Steven Mackintosh as Scrooge’s nephew, Meredith Braun as Belle, Robin Weaver as Clara and Raymond Coulthard as Young Scrooge.

Michael Caine is fantastic, as always. The Muppets are great, as always. The combination is truly magical. What more can you want? Victorian London, cheerful singing, families that come together to celebrate the season even if they don’t have more than a penny to their name, and it’s all just so goshdarn magical.

It’s a film for the whole family, and I can’t really see why someone wouldn’t enjoy it. The story is there, the acting is there, the comedy, the character redemption, and that wonderful feeling you get from seeing a film that’s just terrifically nice.

With Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, I mean, how can you not find it ever so slightly adorable? Well worth setting aside a little time to watch, regardless of age or company. I dare say you’ll enjoy it.

4 out of 5 rats.