Review from a disturbingly loyal fan

Rating: 9/10 (31 July 2007)

Well Ladies and Gentlemen the moment you've been waiting for The Simpsons Movie! This is most important movie of the year, and probably the best. Those more devoted fans of the series, such as myself, have seen it take a turn for the worst starting around series 10 or 12. The movie doesn't quite match up to the standards of the first 200 or so episodes but does go some way to redeem the more recent and shoddy ones.
The Simpsons Movie is truly an epic and mocks issues of great variety and sensitivity. In fact the movies' plot line wouldn't exist if the ideas of environmentalism, political incompetence and sanctified family relationships (namely those of Homer & Marge and Homer & Bart) were not mercilessly taunted. The Simpsons even takes on religion in the forms of Homer's Epiphany, the Church member's faith (or lack thereof) and Marge's conviction that Grandpa is predicting the Apocalypse (in a trance he uses words not dissimilar to that wacky Revelation ending from the Bible).
Most of your favourite characters will get a line, but in most cases that's all they get. I was disappointed to find that my personal favourite, Robert Underdunk Terwilliger (Side Show Bob) was without a plot line or even an appearance. There are few celebrities considering the magnitude of the film. Tom Hanks shows up, as do Green Day and you would think they could do better for the big screen. Governor Arnie is now President Arnold Schwarzenegger although the voice is done by Harry Shearer (the voice of Rainier Wolfcastle or McBain).
The original plot for the movie was going to be that of Kamp Krusty from season 4, which I think would have made a much better movie. The writers of the Simpsons have shot themselves in the foot by making such a great TV show and have had trouble living up to it on the big screen. I would advise any Simpsons fans, and there are a lot of you, to go and see this ASAP. Had this movie come out before the series it would have been an instant classic, it is however, dwarfed by the expectations of many wide eyed fans. I give The Simpsons Movie 9 (Annoyed Grunt)s out of 10.