The Simpsons Movie (2007) - User Reviews

Disclaimer: Sorry guys but someone had to do this.

The Simpsons movie. As an avid fan of the Simpsons over the last 15 or so years, I was really really looking forward to this. And...... it was ok. I'm sorry, but it just really wasn't particularly great either.
The first half an hour of the film was an absolute winner; Spider Pig had me rolling in the isle. Then it was as if suddenly a different writing team took over, and this film suddenly lost the plot. It just stopped being funny, and was way too serious. Homer and Marge having ACTUAL marriage difficulties isn't funny. If I want to watch drama in Alaska I will put on some re-runs of Northern Exposure.
Changing the setting of the film from Springfield was just an absolute disaster. The writers obviously missed the fact that part of what made the Simpsons so great is all the minor characters. Where was Burns? Smithers? Skinner? Flanders? Barney? Selma and Patty? Comic book guy? Linoel Hutz? These minor characters are absolutely hillarious and are a fundamental part of what makes the show so much fun to watch. The Simpsons are only the Simpsons in Springfield. Take them out of Springfield, and they are just like every other insane family that just isn't amusing. Even minors that got a bit of a run like Moe just weren't in it enough. Now I am aware that just about every character made a token appearance. But it just wasn't enough, and in terms of giving the plot all the random twists and turns that the population of Springfield give to Simpson adventures, they just were not involved in the outcome of the story.
Police chief Wigum? Just not enough!! Instead we get this new random and quite boring EPA guy. The only minor character that got a decent run was Reiner Wolfcastle, and every one knows he's a one line joke.
The movie did pick up again a little bit towards the end, but interestingly enough, this conincided with a return to Springfield!
Ok so this film wasn't totally awful, and so I don't want to completely trash it. Its just that I love the show so much, I wanted to love the movie just as much. The Simpsons is about way more than just the five Simpson family members, and I think this film just did not quite become a 'Simpson'.

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