Review - Muppet Treasure Island (1996)

           Hey guys, Chuck here. As a kid, I really enjoyed stories about pirates, and I also enjoyed the Muppets, So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’d just so happen to enjoy a movie that combined the two: Muppet Treasure Island. Directed by Brian Henson, this film marked the second feature film collaboration between Disney and the Jim Henson Company after The Muppet Christmas Carol a few years before. And, yes, I’ll be getting to that one as well. Part of this collaboration was due to Jim Henson’s initial plan to sell the Muppet characters to Disney, and the plan fell through due to Henson’s passing. So, when his family took over the Jim Henson Company, they signed a two film deal with Disney. Now, Disney would eventually acquire ownership of the Muppets in 2004. So, let’s get into Muppet Treasure Island.

           The movie starts with Billy Bones, played by Billy Connolly, telling the story of Captain Flint, a pirate who buried a large treasure on an uncharted island in the Caribbean. Jim Hawkins, played by Kevin Bishop, is fascinated by Billy’s stories about pirates and high seas adventures, while working for room and board at the Admiral Benbow Inn, along with his friends Rizzo and Gonzo. That night, a blind pirate named Blind Pew arrives and gives Billy the black spot, which is a pirate’s death sentence. Making plans to escape, Billy suffers a heart attack. Before dying, he asks Jim, Rizzo, and Gonzo to take Flint’s treasure map. Shortly after Billy’s death, Blind Pew returns with a band of other pirates, all of whom want Flint’s map. With help from the innkeeper Mrs. Bluveridge, played by Jennifer Saunders, Jim escapes with Rizzo and Gonzo, and the three head to the city to find a shipbuilder to take a voyage to dig up the treasure.

           Meeting with Squire Trelawney, played by Fozzie Bear, Jim, Rizzo, and Gonzo secure one of the Squire’s father’s ships for a voyage to the island. They are joined by Dr. David Livesey, played by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, and his assistant Beaker. The next day, Jim, Rizzo, and Gonzo meet with the Squire at the Hispaniola, which is crewed by a rowdy bunch of pirates, all hand-picked by the Squire, or rather the man in the Squire’s finger (which is an incredibly stupid running gag in the movie). One of the hired crew is the ship’s cook, Long John Silver, played by Tim Curry. Silver is easily the most memorable character of this movie, and Tim Curry’s performance is a major part of that. The first mate Mr. Arrow, played by Sam the Eagle, introduces Captain Abraham Smollett, played by Kermit the Frog, and the ship’s voyage begins. As the weeks go on, three crew members named Mad Monty, Clueless Morgan, and Polly Lobster (who happens to be Silver’s pet lobster, by the way), attempt to torture Rizzo and Gonzo for the map’s location, and are locked in the brig. Captain Smollett has the map taken from Jim and locked up for safekeeping. In response, Silver tricks Mr. Arrow into rowing away in one of the jollyboats, taking his hat and keys for “safekeeping.” While the crew holds a memorial for Mr. Arrow, who is believed to have died, Polly, Monty, and Clueless get free and steal the map.

           Sometime later, Jim, Rizzo, and Gonzo overhear a conversation between Silver, Polly, Monty, and Clueless. It is during this conversation that they realize that Silver isn’t on the up and up, despite the bond that had been growing between Jim and Silver. The ship arrives at the island, and Captain Smollett has all of the pirates go ashore, planning to leave them there until all of their rowdiness has died down. Unfortunately, Jim is taken by Silver and the pirates, who need him for his compass, which is the only thing Jim has left of his father. Smollett, Rizzo, and Gonzo head to the island, only to be captured by a tribe of native boars, led by Benjamina Gunn (this film’s version of Benjamin Gunn, played by Miss Piggy). It turns out that Benjamina, an ex-girlfriend of both Smollett and Silver, was marooned on the island by Captain Flint, with whom she was also involved romantically. Meanwhile, Silver and the pirates find the treasure chests where Flint had them buried, only for the chests to be empty already. Silver lets Jim escape, while the pirates briefly mutiny against Silver, even to giving him the black spot. Jim rescues Rizzo and Gonzo, and the three head back to the beach, where they see Mr. Arrow arrive. The four of them then rescue the Squire and the others, and re-take the ship from the remaining pirates. Meanwhile, the pirates on the island track down Smollett and Benjamina, who reveals to the pirates that she has the treasure, telling them where it is. Shortly after, Benjamina and Smollett to be tied upside down over a cliff, with a fire burning the ropes. Jim and co. rescue the two of them, and make landfall on the beach, leading to a fight with the pirates. After a lengthy battle, Silver surrenders to Jim, and the pirates are all locked up. Silver escapes his cell, and takes the treasure aboard a jollyboat, returning Jim’s father’s compass to Jim, who lets Silver go. Smollett is impressed with Jim’s decision, stating that Jim’s father would have been proud. Mr. Arrow arrives, stating that the jollyboat Silver took is unsafe, which is proven true when Silver is sinking to the bottom of the ocean, swimming to the island. On the Hispaniola, Jim and co. travel to “wherever the wind may take us.”

           Muppet Treasure Island is the first major version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island I ever watched, and I still find myself coming back to it as often as I can. The idea of a swashbuckling adventure story being told with major characters being played by the Muppets was really cool. Heck, even some of the Muppet characters exclusively created for this movie like Mad Monty, Polly Lobster, and Clueless Morgan, are a lot of fun. The human actors, like Kevin Bishop, were all terrific. But to me, the real stand-outs are Tim Curry as Long John Silver, who gives literally 120% into his performance here, and Billy Connolly, who holds the record for the only on-screen death in a Muppet movie. Another major stand-out with this movie is the music. The score, composed by Hans Zimmer, and the songs, written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, are fantastic, and my two favorite songs in the movie are “Shiver My Timbers” and “Professional Pirate.” The cinematography and set design are also fantastic, and director Brian Henson did a terrific job putting this one together. Still a favorite of mine from my childhood, Muppet Treasure Island is my favorite adaptation of Treasure Island, and I’m giving it a 5/5. It is currently on Disney+, so be sure to give it a watch.