While it would take a hard-hearted person to dislike a Muppet movie, it's fair to say that this most familiar and comforting of all movie franchises has been a tad lacklustre of late. So it's a relief to discover that Muppets From Space is the best Muppet movie for some time, adding film references a-plenty, dark, edgy comedy and even a touch of post-modernism to the usual all-singing, all-dancing ridiculousness.
This time around, the wafer-thin plot sticks Gonzo in the limelight, our blue hero troubled by his strange dreams and even stranger lack of past. When he starts getting mysterious messages from random food items, he becomes convinced that he is not of this earth.
Muppets From Space cheerily acknowledges that at least part of its audience will be made up of people who grew up watching the show two decades ago, as opposed to merely their children, and in that respect delivers on both levels.
There's a lot to keep the kids quiet, too - the opening musical number is a masterpiece of comic timing and the one-liners are frequently funny.