Bad, bad, bad idea

Rating: 5/10 (1 September 2007)

(warning, may contain minor spoilers)
I am quite a Simpsons fan. I've always loved the series on telly, and over the past years I have faithfully bought all 'complete series' DVD box sets. I know the series take a dive after series nine, and I'm still doubting whether to buy series 10 when it comes out next month. Better quit while you're ahead, is my motto.
If only the creators of The Simpsons had had that same motto. 20 years in the making, they finally got round to putting the yellow family to the big screen. And while all the buzz was very positive (old producers coming back, the complete writers team of series 2-7 collaborating on the script, etc etc) the movie ultimately fails to deliver. There are some really funny jokes, but the story itself is just downright stupid. Furthermore most of the side-characters are reduced to screenfiller for most of the movie. With the exception of Flanders, Grampa Simpson and (oddly enough) Comic Book Guy and Cletus, none of the supporting characters have anything to do in the movie. Ms Krabapple, Barney, Selma & Patty, Apu and even Moe barely have talking parts? What a waste!
Instead we get a strange Native American lady, an unfunny secret agent and "President Schwarzenegger" (whatever happened to The Simpsons' own Schwarzenegger spoof Rainer Wolfcastle?).
Bad, bad, bad idea.