Fresh, Ambitious & Really Funny, The Simpsons Score On The Big Screen

Rating: 8/10 (4 August 2007)

Homer dumps some 'waste' into a nearby lake in Springfield, causing the EPA to take dramatic matters. The decision is made to enclose the city in a dome, thus making Homer public enemy number one.
From 180ft paintings in the grass next to sacred images, to 7/11 turning itself into a Kwik-E-Marts and numerous TV spots on the fox network, it was no surprise that almost everyone on earth knew there about The Simpsons Movie. The longest running show on television, 18 years later is finally hitting the big screen. To say it was hyped would be an understatement. Can a show that has been falling down the ladder in quality and viewers make the jump to the big screen? Well, with 11 writers, all from the good days of The Simpsons, it's safe to say that they hit this one out of the park.
While they tried their best to keep the plot of the film under wraps before its release, the basic plot of the film was known to be before I saw the film. It did ruin a few surprises and jokes, but not the overall experience. Like Homer says in the opening bit of the film, why pay for something when you can see it for free on the television. Well, this movie is the answer to that. It pushes the envelope further, which is a luxury the creators have in the film world that they do not have in TV land. Where shows like Family guy appeared on TV and garnered big success, it seemed The Simpsons was losing a battle it was always winning. Now after it's big screen debut, The Simpsons, I'm hoping, is back on track to being the show it once was. What Family Guy failed to do with it's "film", which felt like 3 episodes edited together, The Simpsons does wonderfully.
The animation is crisp and up-to-date. Seeing this film did not make me miss the flowing hair on certain chef rats or big green ogres. While we have seen Homer in "3-D" it simply would not have worked here and I'm glad they stuck with the traditional animation.
For fans of the show, it's always fun finding those inside jokes scattered throughout the film, such as Homer finally making the jump over the gorge, a feat he failed to do in 'Bart The Daredevil' and the ambulance that is still crashed at the edge of the gorge. Aside from show references, there are hundreds upon hundreds of film references, which include: Titanic, Star Wars, Spider-man, An Inconvenient Truth and many, many more.
The film is definitely for all ages, both adults and kids, who are fans of the show, will find this film entertaining. While in the theatre the laughter was unison with young and old. The good thing is, you don't really have to be a fan of the show to get the jokes. There is enough comedy in this film for both parties. It does help if you know the history of some of the characters, such as Millhouse's lust for Lisa, and the cold heart of Mr. Burns. There are also some new characters introduced, whether or not we see them recurring in the show is another story.
The voice acting is on the spot here, which is what would be expected from the people who've been these characters for almost two decades. As with many episodes, there are celebrity guest voices, but I can't really say who lends their voice without giving away the joke/surprise that it's meant to be.
Yes, this does feel like a Simpsons episode stretch to 90 minutes, but that is a good thing. Crafting a film from a series that has been on the air for nearly two decades is a risky thing, but they pulled it off. The film is oozing of the first few seasons of the show, which are the best, but it's also fresh and ambitious. Those 11 writers for the show, show us that they care about these characters and prove to us that they are still in good hands. Will the success of the film, spread back to the show? I hope so. And to answer Homer's question. Why pay for something when you can get it for free on TV. Well, because it's funny, that's why.