Disappointing and without laughs

Rating: 3/10 (13 August 2007)

As a longtime fan of the Simpsons, I myself eagerly waited for the movie to come out (as early as the mid-90's when the Itchy and Scratchy Movie episode came out {whose ideals I felt would make their way into an eventual Simpsons movie}). Over the years, it had seemed unfortunate that the quality of the show had been declining. Jokes that lacked luster and a feeling that the show was attempting to compete with a bit lower brow show, Family Guy, at a level that it didn't seem to ever belong. I waited with anticipation hoping that the movie would rise out of the past few seasons and be a laugh riot.
It started out well enough with an Ichy and Scratchy short but failed to even bring out a laugh during the entire movie, few others in the theater were laughing either. A few moments brought about smiles but for a Simpsons movie it seemed promised that a tour de force of the different characters and perhaps a few more guest stars would be involved in the plot. Maybe I was expecting too much but after more than a decade it seemed that the movie was a big letdown. Weak humor, a mediocre plot and a "Spider Pig" that overall brought little to the comedy of the movie (it seemed like it could have been better written into a 30 minute show) made this movie almost a waste of already huge theater prices. It wasn't plotted well enough to provide many inside jokes for the long-time fans (although Springfield Gorge comes up) but it was also difficult to newcomers to really understand the outside characters and their personalities. Wait for the DVD I'd say.
A fan of most more mature-themed animation comedies (Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, The Venture Brothers and Aqua Teen Hunger Force {Whose movie I haven't seen yet}); The Simpsons had been an all and out favorite for many years but after seeing the movie, it clinches a thought that perhaps the end of the series wouldn't be as horrible as it may have seemed a few years ago. As a South Park episode once mentioned "The Simpsons have done everything" and that seems to be the case.
It was a good attempt that was reflective of the past few seasons if you're into that sort of thing but for us fans of the 90's Simpsons it was just a disappointment. Thanks for many years of laughs Simpsons, but you're just too worn out.