Very Entertaining...Not Classic Simpsons, but Great first outing on the big screen!

Rating: 8/10 (26 July 2007)

I think a lot of fans of the TV series have been somewhat apprehensive about this movie, myself included, worrying that it might strike a nail in the Simpsons coffin, and perhaps signal the beginning of the end for the series, but I believe it's the exact opposite, this movie has the opportunity to breathe new life into the much loved franchise, and in my opinion it succeeds, emphasising exactly why I love the show so much, and have done for the best part of 20 years.
A constant bombardment of pleasing gags coming at you for an entire 90 minutes, with obviously more breathing space in it's pace than the regular 22 minute episodes. It's crammed full of gags, including many sight gags, that may be missed first time around. It really is the best of the best for true Simpsons fans. It plays out like an extended episode with bigger thrills & bigger laughs, often pushing the boundaries of what they can get away with in the Simpsons World, with more risqué humour in places. Visually it's a treat, and a welcome contrast to the string of CGI animated movies of recent years. The Simpsons first venture into cinema has a much slicker look to the animation, a lot smoother around the edges to really make it feel like a cinematic outing.
My only criticism, which I think will be echoed by most is how little some of the well loved supporting characters are used, Mr Burns & Smithers particularly, and did Groundskeeper Willy even say anything at all throughout this entire movie, I don't think so. Clearly there are far too many characters in the Simpsons Universe to be able to showcase them all in just one movie, so the main focus here is on the title characters themselves, particularly Homer, however this movie still manages to introduce a few new characters, which i'm sure will appear in future seasons of the show.
If you're a fan of the series, which of course you are, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this, then this film is a must, I certainly can't wait to see it again. I think there'll be a lot of mixed opinions about this movie, many will say if it ain't broke, don't try to fix it, but this film takes the Simpsons to a whole new level, and certainly does nothing to tarnish the legacy of what is without a doubt the best cartoon series or TV show for that matter, of our generation, and no doubt many generations to come.