There has a been a lot of hype surrounding Universal Picture’s crime comedy The Happytime Murders. I’m often leery of movies who have a ton of buzz, more often than not I get disappointed. Luckily, that’s not the case with The Happytime Murders.
From director Brian Henson comes this side-splitting thrill ride that puts human detective Connie Edwards (Melissa McCarthy) and puppet P.I. Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta) on the case of murdered cast members of the Happytime show. The pair, once partners, have a tension-filled relationship and the two are constantly at each other’s throats and slinging insults which makes for a hilarious viewing experience.
The star-studded human cast for this flick also includes Maya Rudolph, Elizabeth Banks, Joel McHale, and Leslie David Baker.
One thing you should know, while puppets are cute, this movie is NOT for kids. In fact, it’s the most vulgar movie I’ve seen in a long time and I enjoyed the hell out of it. In the trailer, we got a taste of just how obscene a puppet movie can be when we see Phillips hose down his office with “biological material” after a sexual encounter. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. The movie gets raunchy in the best comedic way.
There’s a lot more to the movie than just nasty puppets, there’s a ton of action as the duo of Edwards and Phillips strikeout to solve the string of murders. It’s also about family, friendship, coming to terms with the past, overcoming prejudices, and a whole lot of love (including a new spin on tentacle porn).
The effects, which were a mix of practical and CGI, were fantastic. Half of the scenes were of actual puppets and the others are digital. They fit together seamlessly. If you find sfx interesting you have to watch the bonus features which take you behind the scenes. There is also a bonus feature with outtakes that is hilarious.
There’s nothing bad I can say about The Happytime Murders. It’s a fun film for adults that will leave you in stitches. It’s getting a perfect 5 out 5 score from me. You can watch it now on Digital. Be sure to pick up your copy on Blu-rayTM Combo Pack, DVD and watch On Demand on December 4, 2018.
BONUS FEATURES ON BLU-RAYTM, DVD, AND DIGITAL
- Deleted Scenes
- Gag Reel
- Line-O-Rama
- Virtual Environments: Go behind the scenes to see the transformation of the film’s virtual environments including visual effects through backdrops, action scenes, and the movements of the puppets themselves.
- Avatars Demo: VFX supervisors discuss how The Happytime Murders created a new realm of puppet movies by using avatars to make the puppets come to life.
- VFX Breakdown: An overview of the impact of visual special effects in the film.
- Theatrical Trailers
- Feature Commentary with Director Brian Henson and voice actor Bill Barretta
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