Jake Crystal is the nephew of "Doc" (the old lighthouse keeper from the original series). His mother died giving birth to him, his father left to embark on a "secret mission" (and never returned), he lost his home (he was still too young to pay the bills), his only friends at high school are three students who don't seem to fit in, and he had to learn to do everything by himself. Then one day, he meets a Fraggle, named Red, from a hole in the wall of his classroom, and learns he has to complete the secret mission his father started; stop powerful businessman Derek Frith from successfully recreating the Black Death and exterminating the U.S. population. Their journey lands them in Las Vegas, Toronto, Los Angeles, and eventually, New York, where Jake enters a showdown with the man with the fate of America in his hands...
Starring alongside the Fraggles are Adam Driver, Colm Feore, Dylan and Cole Sprouse, Miranda Cosgrove, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Randy Rainbow.
Fraggle Rock: The Movie provides examples of:
- Adaptational Nice Guy: Red Fraggle is certainly nicer in this film than in the original series, only showing hints of her original characterization when she accompanies Jake on his mission to prove to Gobo than she can brave "Outer Space" (the Fraggles' term for the human world).
- Ambiguously Bi: Rederick LaMancha (Red Fraggle disguised as a Robert Goulet-type singer). During "Let the Good Times Roll", she briefly flirts with the lovestruck Mokey, and later kisses Lola on the cheek. Of course, this is likely Red getting a little too deep in the act.
- Bait-and-Switch: When introducing Nate, Jake reveals he has romantic feelings for a fellow student named Charlie, implying that he's homosexual. However, when "Charlie" enters later, wearing a jersey suit and leather pants, it's revealed that Charlie is a nickname for Tomboy Charlotte Stevenson.
- Barefoot Cartoon Animal: The Fraggles, as usual. Red even lampshades this when meeting Jake in a hospital:Jake: The doctor said you looked sorta like a human.
Red: Well, I'm not a silly creature. First of all, I live in a place with lots of caves and tunnels; second, I have a bushy tail; and third, I don't wear shoes. Not that I've ever needed shoes where I live. - Camp Straight: Nate is very flamboyant and sensitive, but is in a relationship with Charlotte Stevenson (nicknamed "Charlie").
- The Casanova: As her Vegas alter-ego, Rederick LaMancha, Red fancies herself as this, with "his" performance of "Let the Good Times Roll" capturing the eye and heart of Mokey and every other lady in the casino.
- Demoted to Extra: Besides Red and Mokey, the Fraggles don't get to say or do all that much in the film.
- Deus ex Machina: The Bubonium gem, the key element to the Black Death recreation, is stored and locked away in an artificially-intelligent Cube. The film's plot involves finding the gem and destroying it.
- Driven to Suicide: When Jake finds out Mr. Frith killed his father and taunts him by saying that his dad never loved him, Jake whips out a pistol and nearly takes his own life. But before he can, he hears the voice of Red Fraggle singing Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" to discourage him from making this decision.
- Even Evil Has Standards: As nasty and cruel as he is, even Mr. Frith thinks that escalating from a school bully to wannabe murderer of your fellow countrymen is a cold-blooded move, as he states to the faces of the bullies from Jake's high school.
- Hate Sink: Mr. Frith, while a bitter, wicked man who wants to infect the American population with a virus created from the DNA of rat fleas, is still an entertaining villain, helped by Colm Feore's performance, and does treat his subordinates with a certain level of respect. The same cannot be said, though, for the posse of bullies at Jake's high school, who seem to go out of their way to make the lives of him and his few friends a living hell. You'd think that the threat of a megalomaniac using his financial power to punish the U.S. would bring forth a more human side to the bullies...but nope. During one scene, the bullies betray all of their fellow students and align themselves with Mr. Frith, thus going from petty bullies who get joy from bringing misery to others to potential murderers to the populace of the United States of America. After Mr. Frith is defeated, the bullies-turned-mass murderers are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and hauled off to federal prison.
- Hidden Depths: During Sal DeLove's number, Red, enjoying the beat of the music, hops onto the stage and tap dances in a fast manner alongside him. Without tap shoes, no less. Never mind that Red tapping her bare feet on the stage's wooden floor sounds like light thumping and drumming, she's actually really good.Nate: Wow! Your friend is a regular Ginger Rogers.
- While the Fraggles hop onto a deserted bus to bait Mr. Frith's forces, Wembley climbs into the driver's seat...and is actually a great driver.
Red: Wembley, when did you learn to drive?!Wembley (off-screen): Easy. I have a habit of driving you all crazy. - Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Jake Crystal. His tragic upbringing has left him quite cynical and isolated, but still, he does care for other people.
- Large Ham: Mr. Frith, very much so.
- Laughably Evil: Sure, Mr. Frith is a bitter, resentful man who wants to kill off the U.S. population with the Black Death, but you can tell that Colm Feore is having a ball with his performance.
- Morality Chain: Red Fraggle to Jake Crystal. Red accompanies Jake on his journey to find and stop Mr. Frith, and it is Red who stops Jake from killing himself, through telekinetic communication.
- The Reveal: Mr. Frith killed Jake's father.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Besides Wembley and Gobo, Nate Shimmelfinney (son of Doc's friend Ned Shimmelfinney) and Jake Crystal share this dynamic.
- Agent Peacock: Push Nate too far and he will beat you to a bloody pulp.
- Real Men Wear Pink: In one scene, Jake cross-dresses in order to fit in alongside Vegas performer Sal DeLove, and actually seems to enjoy it.
- Shoo Out the Clowns: The climactic battle between Jake Crystal and Mr. Frith, featuring no Fraggles.
- Singing Voice Dissonance: When Red sings in the guise of Rederick LaMancha, she sings in a baritone voice (provided by Adam Driver, the actor who plays Jake).
- Tender Tomboyishness, Foul Femininity: Red Fraggle is extremely competitive, brash and stubborn, but compared to the Alpha Bitch leader of the vindictive, cold-blooded and feared bullies who make Jake's life at school a living hell, she's a sweetheart. The lead bully also shares this dynamic with Charlie.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: Besides Red and Mokey, Jake's other two friends: Charlotte "Charlie" Stevenson and Lola Juhl. The former is the sole female member of a rock band who loves sports, while the latter is a Valley Girl fashionista (her last name is pronounced "jewel").
- Tomboy with a Girly Streak: Charlie does show a softer side when she's around cute animals.
- Girly Girl with a Tomboy Streak: Like Nate (and Miss Piggy), Lola is rather tenacious and can kick your ass in a fight. Also, despite being a fashionista, she dislikes long gowns and stereotypically feminine colors, and while she paints her fingernails with only the cleanest polish in town, when it comes to her toenails, she uses organic mud (as long as her toenails are covered in mud, she doesn't move around in any footwear).
- Valley Girl: Lola has the diction down to a T, and usually acts like one as well.
