just off the golden years of the series

Rating: 8/10 (27 July 2007)

If there was every more of a parent and teacher of a generation, it would have to be The Simpsons. The zeitgeist of topical and social commentary, The Simpsons were more than just the average run of the mill cartoon show. Though like all great things, they all must come to an end, maybe not the end of the show, but the time of their grasp upon that zeitgeist has been severed, and losing that sharp edge which made The Simpsons so special; slap stick, Homer antics now the norm. With writers from the golden years of the show on board for the belated release of The Simpsons Movie, redemption seems promising, striking back into that zeitgeist. Yet a more pressing question is what can the movie tackle, as just through every day living, it’s hard not to say, “Remember when {insert Simpson character} did {insert act}”. Over 400 episodes, everything has been said and done, as South Park pointed out, “Simpsons did it”. So it’s not surprising that environmental themes are the main point of focus, with global warming such a hot topic. Luckily, this environmental theme isn’t jammed down your throat, and good old shenanigans are back. The first half runs with rapid fire jokes and satire, it’s hard not to think, this is what The Simpsons were all about, with pure gold coming out of every scene with Homer and his adopted pig. Once Springfield is encased within the Dome, due to Homer dropping pig excrement in Springfield Lake and is labelled a biohazard by the Environmental Protection Authority, the pacing slightly drops, as some jokes miss than hit, yet the humour still sits on a level to call this the funniest film of the year. Maybe a draw back to the humour is the broad range the writers have aimed for, incorporating the maximum audience. Fans will still be appeased, as in jokes are placed throughout, the ambulance at Springfield Gorge a prime example, and genuine emotional drama and even pathos in Homer’s redemption. In an attempt to bring a big Simpsons adventure to the big screen, there is a lack of surprise, as times arise of haven’t we seen this in another episode, and this really is just a super extended episode, but it’s one of the best to come out of the Simpsons in a very long time.