The following article was written by ToughPigs’ friend Rachel Herrick. Thanks for all your hard work, Rachel!
When I wrote my last article about Muppets Most Wanted’s deleted scenes, it made me realize something: This movie has A LOT of plot holes. And I really do love Muppets Most Wanted, but if you’ve watched it twelve or more times, like me, then there’s no denying that you’ve noticed a couple of these plot holes here and there too.
Now to be fair, plot holes existing in a Muppet movie are to be expected. Quite a few of the Muppet films (and most movies in general, for that matter) have plot holes, but they’re easy to overlook because we know we don’t need to take them too seriously. I mean, it is a Muppet film in the end.
Sure, there are lots of things that don’t need to be explained, because they end up being self explanatory or are already observed in the film (where DID Dominic keep all those suitcases?), but there are also just a few plot holes that go beyond the boundaries of comprehension. These are the plot holes that are never addressed and still end up creating a bit of a void for some of us viewers.
So not to sound like an internet troll, but to give myself some reassurance while watching this film in the future (and the sake of a fun discussion), I’ve devised the following list of the many plot holes from the theatrical cut of Muppets Most Wanted, as well as explaining the possible reasons as to why they exist. Get ready to have your viewing experience ever so slightly tainted.
If there was an explanation from a deleted scene, be assured that it’s also included in this list. And there are spoilers ahead, so you’ve been warned!
Plot Hole: Tex Richman’s Non-Existent Prologue
What happened?: As soon as the movie begins, the Muppets immediately gather and ask what they should do next, but during the credits in the last film, we saw Tex Richman giving them the studio back. Now he’s nowhere to be seen.
Possible Film Explanation: I suppose he got hit by that bowling ball before Rob Corddry officially called cut.
Plot Hole: Constantine Escapes Prison with a Bang
What happened?: Even though Constantine is an explosives expert, it’s unlikely he was able to smuggle in dynamite to help him escape the gulag.
Possible Film Explanation: Constantine secretly promised Nadya that he would frame and send Kermit back in his place so she could have Kermit for herself, and she’s the one who provided the explosives. Or at least the materials needed for MacGyver inspired explosives.
Plot Hole: Dominic’s Second Phone Call
What happened?: Dominic’s phone rings a second time, even though Constantine just blew up the closest phone.
Possible Film Explanation: Dominic set an alarm on his phone with a normal phone ringtone so that when it went off, he could make himself sound important, as he did. It just happened to go off at just the right time.
Plot Hole: The Magical Floating Train
What happened?: The tour train was able to travel across the ocean from Los Angeles to Europe.
Possible Film Explanation: Trains can travel by map in this universe apparently too. And above water for that matter.
Plot Hole: More Than Two Paintings are Stolen
What happened?: We only see Dominic steal two paintings, but when Jean and Sam are investigating, three are missing. Jean also mentions that three total are stolen.
Possible Film Explanation: A lone security guard decided to steal the other one before the police arrived, as he figured it was a good opportunity to finally own the priceless painting he always wanted.
Plot Hole: Sam’s Giant CIA Badge
What happened?: Sam has a massively large badge delivered to him even though he didn’t call for it.
Possible Film Explanation: He has a secret call button in his briefcase for someone to deliver it immediately whenever he just needs to comically size anyone up. Don’t say you wouldn’t do the same if you were a proud, American CIA agent being partnered with a laid-back French Interpol agent.
Plot Hole: Kermit’s Prison Poster
What Happened?: Kermit has a Rita Hayworth-inspired poster of Miss Piggy, which he must have smuggled into the gulag later on because he came into the prison with literally nothing, not even clothes. Not surprising, but it’s still true.
Possible Film Explanation: Morgan Freeman must have also made a cameo and helped smuggle it in, but he didn’t make it to final cut of the film.
Plot Hole: No Security Cameras In the Museums
What Happened?: None of the museums, or the Tower of London, have security cameras, making it incredibly easy for Dominic and Constantine to steal everything they need. The Tower of London has the “most sophisticated security system on the planet”, and there’s no security cameras! Something’s wrong here…
Possible Film Explanation: In this universe, Western Europe doesn’t believe in security cameras. That’s the only thing I can logically think of.
Plot Hole: Le Maximum Doesn’t Travel by Map
What Happened?: Jean doesn’t use “Travel By Map” even though in the last film they’ve established that it exists in this universe. Instead he took the long way and took 37 hours to drive there.
Possible Film Explanation: Travel By Map is only available on Rolls-Royces and touring trains. Either that or it only works for Muppets who truly believe. Sam thinks they’re all weirdos, and therefor does not believe.
Plot Hole: Nadya Can’t Sing.
What happened?: Tina Fey is able to sing in her “Big House” song, but later in the film she can’t sing at all.
Possible Film Explanation: Characters can only sing on key when an actual musical number occurs. I mean when you think about it, were the prisoners really singing on key in “I Hope I Get It”? Not really. So that wasn’t a real musical number.
Plot Hole: Fozzie, Animal, and Walter Sneak into the Gulag.
What happened?: The three Muppets get into the gulag without a problem, and can’t leave with Kermit the same way?
Possible Film Explanation: Stanley Tucci’s cameo was only looking in one direction and didn’t see the three enter, but was able to see Kermit try to escape. He must be really dedicated to looking in that one direction because he didn’t even notice the truck leaving a few minutes later.
Plot Hole: The Gulag gets a regular, late-night newspaper delivery
What Happened?: Not only is the newspaper being delivered late at night, but within the walls of the Gulag. That’s awfully convenient for Kermit, or whoever happens to be within barking distance from the Newsie.
Possible Film Explanation: Really high subscription fees.
Plot Hole: No One Notices the Broken Mirror Glass
What happened?: Fozzie accidentally breaks the mirror in the dressing room, dropping it to the floor. But when Constantine enters and approaches the mirror, he doesn’t appear to notice any broken glass under his feet.
Possible Film Explanation: Fozzie must have covered most of it up when he pretended to be a bear skin rug. Only that wouldn’t explain why he’s not all bloody and scratched up when he gets up after being flattened by the champagne box.
Plot Hole: Kermit and Fozzie Escape Le Maximum
What happened?: Fozzie and Kermit walk away in the Le Maximum car, but we don’t see them escape the handcuffs or meet up with Walter and Animal.
Deleted Scene Explanation: In the Junior Novelization, Kermit and Fozzie eventually found out the steering wheel was made of marzipan so they broke it open with no problem. Walter also found them and let them in through a basement window. I prefer to see this as the film explanation too.
Plot Hole: A Historical Locket Deactivates the Crown Jewels’ Security System
What happened?: Dominic puts the locket into a fitted slot in the wall and this somehow deactivates the laser security system. I’m sorry, but how does a historical locket, that’s clearly been around since before electricity was discovered, deactivate a high tech laser security system? How would Thomas Blood know that it would help deactivate a future security system? If they had offered a clear explanation or made it open a secret door, it would make sense, but you’ll notice they never explained how the locket would eventually help in the heist.
Possible Film Explanation: I seriously got nothing. This plot hole irritates me to no end. Moving on…
Plot Hole: No More Bobby Bunsen Burglar Babies
What Happened?: Once Dominic reached the Crown Jewels, the babies were nowhere to been seen after. Until the gulag finale, that is.
Possible Film Explanation: Dominic took everything and left them behind.
Deleted Scene Explanation: Actually… that’s exactly what happened in a scene that didn’t make it into either of the final cuts. It was in one of the test screenings I saw last year.
Plot Hole: It’s Suddenly Night Time at the End of the Wedding.
What happened?: The wedding started when it was sunny at 3pm. Wedding ceremonies usually last about half an hour, maybe I can understand it lasting up to an hour. But even then, it was completely night time by 4pm?
Possible Film Explanation: Actually, according to Yahoo! Answers, it can start getting dark in London around 3pm in the early winter. So, assuming that this scene takes place in the early winter, then this could be possible.
Plot Hole: The Slowly Exploding Ring
What Happened?: When we discover the bomb inside Miss Piggy’s ring, it starts a countdown at 0:20 and descends from there. At the rate it was counting down, it should have gone off long before it did in the movie.
Possible Film Explanation: Maybe that was the “preparation” countdown and then there was a separate countdown for the explosion that we didn’t see on screen.
Plot Hole: Miss Piggy is Constantine’s Hostage
What Happened?: Miss Piggy is dragged off by Constantine, only with her hands tied in front. Knowing the strength she has, she should have been able to resist and get away.
Possible Film Explanation: Constantine must have pulled a gun on her and forced her to go with him. It’s a little dark, but that seems like the only plausible explanation.
Plot Hole: Kermit Switches Sides of the Helicopter
What Happened?: WhenKermit grabs onto the helicopter, he’s on Constantine’s side, but then suddenly ends up on the passenger’s side when he jumps into the cockpit.
Possible Film Explanation: He jumped and switched sides under the helicopter while the camera was away. He figured he’d have a better chance of saving Miss Piggy if he was on the opposite side.
Deleted Scene Explanation: In a deleted scene, and outlined in the Junior Novelization, Kermit fell into the river and had to climb the Muppet ladder, which brought him to the other side that he ended up on in the film.
Plot Hole: Kermit Removes the Mole Out of Nowhere
What Happened?: When Kermit gets inside the helicopter, he suddenly has the fake mole in hand, with no explanation as to how he finally got it off.
Possible Film Explanation: While Kermit is dangling from the helicopter with one hand he must have found time to sweat it off in order to make his rescue more dramatic, because it’s gone when he jumps into the cockpit.
Deleted Scene Explanation: Again, in the last mentioned deleted scene, Kermit ended up ripping off the mole out of anger once he resurfaced from the river.
Plot Hole: Nadya is out of her jurisdiction
What Happened?: Is it really the prison warden’s job to go after escaped convicts? And would it really be up to her to decide whether or not to prosecute the criminals? Plus, she got to London, like, really fast.
Possible Film Explanation: It probably would’ve been too jarring to have Jean Pierre Napoleon flip sides and arrest the Muppets, so the responsibility lies in Tina Fey’s capable hands. Also, she travels by map.
Plot Hole: Celebrity Cameo Mashup
What Happened?: All the celebrity cameos are frozen (or horribly green screened) onto the gulag wall, all together in the same place, in the same outfits as before.
Possible Film Explanation: Animal locked them all away individually when they appeared, and they were finally released at the end of the film, only to be tortured some more by appearing the finale. You try to come up with something better.
So I hope that helps clear some things up for you. If you’d like to see more deleted scenes and answers to other small plot holes, you can check out the Unnecessarily Extended Blu-ray Cut (although I assume you already have), and if you’re really desperate, you can also check out the Junior Novelization to read about a few more added details. Don’t worry, you won’t be arrested and sent to a Siberian gulag for reading a children’s book, you’ll just look very, very silly. But we’re Muppet fans, so that’s really nothing new. Happy trolling!
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by Rachel Herrick
