The Simpsons Movie (2007)


Director:	David Silverman
Starring:	Dan Castellaneta Julie Kavner Nancy Cartwright Yeardley Smith Hank Azaria
Genres:	Animated Comedy Animated Feature Film Anime / Animation Comedy Domestic Comedy Satire

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Review by 385
Added: August 24, 2007

"The Simpsons" has been around for 20 years and has become one of the most successful and iconic TV shows out there. Indeed, it currently holds the record for the longest running American sitcom as well as the longest-running American cartoon. And now, in this age of unoriginal movies, it has made the inevitable leap to the big screen. Maybe I should start by saying I was never a huge Simpsons fan. Sure, I watched it if it came on and I usually enjoyed it, but I never raced to the TV to catch it. In fact, when the movie was announced my exact thought was "meh." And after watching it, not much changed.

The citizens of Springfield are enjoying a Green Day concert on a stage floating in the lake. The lake is so corrosive due to pollution that it actually eats a hole in the bottom and causes it to sink. After all, the primary means of getting rid of any waste in Springfield was simply to dump it in the lake. Naturally, this is enough to persuade Lisa to go off on a successful campaign trying to get the citizens of Springfield to stop polluting the lake so much. Meanwhile, at Green Day's funeral, Grampa Simpson has a vision of horrible things to come, but only Marge pays attention to him and sets her mind on deciphering the cryptic warning. While she's preoccupied with that, Bart has begun to grow tired of Homer's shitty paternal skills, and finds himself drawn to Ned Flanders' more nurturing style. Oblivious to this, Homer has adopted a pig, building a huge silo to store the pig crap in. The silo is full in no time (Homer helps a little) and Marge forces him to dispose of it. With the lake no longer an option, the line for the town landfill is long as hell. Being the Homer we all know and love, he ignores the town's efforts, dumps the silo in the lake and calls it a day. Being the straw that broke the camel's back, this final pollutant in the lake has disastrous effects, causing hideous mutations in the wildlife. The EPA finds a mutated squirrel, which convinces them it's time to take drastic action. With the approval of President Schwarzenegger, Springfield is quarantined by putting a huge glass dome over the entire town. Now completely sealed off from the world, the newly trapped residents find Homer's silo and realize he is to blame for the quarantine. Forming an angry mob, complete with pitchforks and torches, they storm the Simpson house. And that's just the first half of the movie.

As you can tell, there is a lot going on here. In the first half, all the members of the family have their own thing going on and the story's constantly weaving back and forth between them. Fortunately, it's fairly easy to keep track of what's going on, but the sheer number of things happening at once brings it down a bit. The second half is completely different, having more than one instance where the story gets unbelievably slow. But worst of all, the movie is just not that funny. Sure, it has a few laughs here and there (I thought Bart's naked skateboarding scene was hilarious) but they're just too far and few between. The main problem lies in the fact that they just put way too much padding in to hit that ninety minute mark. In my humble opinion, they should have left out some of the fluff, added a few laughs and turned it into a three or four part season finale, since it's not that bad of a storyline in itself. Instead we're treated to this completely unnecessary movie. After twenty years, this is definitely not the Simpsons' crowning achievement. 4/10

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#1: ThunderStruck5a - added 08/24/2007, 02:32 AM
i was fairly disappointed since i payed ten bucks to basically watch a really long episode of the simpsons. its what i expected though so i was let down gently.

7/10

#2: bluemeanie - added 08/24/2007, 09:46 AM
I saw this opening night and just hadn't gotten around to writing a review for it. The criticisms listed above are...laughable, I guess, is the word. The movie is not funny? Then evidently you don't think the show is funny either because this is, basically, a ninety minute long episode. And, what's wrong with that? Isn't that what everyone was wanting? I know that's what I was wanting. I was gut laughing throughout the entire film. This was probably the most fun I had at a Summer movie all year, and I was nowhere close to disappointed. These writers and producers had this monumental task of making this film as great as it could be, and I think they succeeded beautifully -- from the opening with Homer pointing directly at the audience, to the ending, re-creating the famous Gorge Jump with Homer and Bart from Season One of the show. I can understand your not liking the film if you don't like the show, but to fault the film for being like an extended episode is ridiculous. That's what it is supposed to be. That's what "South Park", the movie was. 9/10.

#3: ThunderStruck5a - added 08/24/2007, 12:47 PM
im not saying it wasnt funny because parts of it were i guess what i am saying though is that i expected better. i think it was just how ridiculous the ending was (but i didnt know there was the thread between that and the episode in season one) and how typical-tv-episode-wrap up it was.

#4: 385 - added 08/24/2007, 02:48 PM
Actually, bringing up South Park enforces where I'm coming from. South Park: BLU was like a long episode taken to the next level of raunchiness. Being its in a movie and not on cable, they had so much more freedom to make it even more extreme. The Simpsons Movie ignored that freedom and did what it had been doing all along with little exception, making Homer's opening monologue extremley accurate in my opinion. I was expecting a long episode, but I think I was expecting a really vulgar episode as well. And since I was never big on the Simpsons' usual shenanigans in twenty minute doses, ninety minutes worth was just too much for me.

#5: Chad - added 08/24/2007, 07:20 PM
I haven't seen this movie yet, so I'm not defending it nor damning it.

With that said... South Park is all about being vulgar and pushing the line, so naturally, making the movie push the envelope even more than usual made sense. The Simpsons has never been about that, so making Homer cuss like a sailor or having a sex scene between him and Marge would have been completely out of place.

#6: bluemeanie - added 08/24/2007, 07:45 PM
But, why would "The Simpsons" take it to the next level. At the end of the day...even with occasional language and adult situations...it's really more of a family show. Of course, it's not going to amp up the raunchiness too much. Even the reveal of the Simpsons genitalia was done in a non-threatening way that was not very shocking at all, I guess because Simpsons knew to expect it in the first film. This is just not a show that should be turned into a vulgar film, and thank God it wasn't. It's really a family show that was turned into, for the most part, a family film. What makes The Simpsons work on a different level than either "South Park" or "Family Guy" -- which is also reason why it has been so much more successful than either -- is that, deep down, these characters have a lot of heart and a lot of redemptive qualities. These characters are usually well-intending, no matter what they can. The Simpsons is satirical and cynical in a more intelligent, more subtle way and that's what makes the movie a good translation -- it sticks with that.

#7: Tristan - added 08/24/2007, 08:29 PM
What garbage. I've never been so unentertained by a movie in my life. I fucking enjoyed The Number 23 more than this, and that movie ate it.

#8: bluemeanie - added 08/25/2007, 01:36 AM
Garbage? Don't see the film if you obviously don't appreciate the series. It's as simple as that. There is NO WAY you can be a fan of the show and think the film is garbage. And that goes beyond opinion to fact. This movie was not trying to convert people who didn't already watch the show -- it's been around too long to have to do that. It appealed to the core audience that watches the show, and it catered to them. It gave them everything they've wanted to see over the years and more. And if you seriously think it's better than "The Number 23", you have about as much taste in film as Jesse, the Dancing Outlaw.

#9: Edd - added 08/25/2007, 01:31 PM
While it WAS neat to hear Marge say god damn, this is the same type of humor from 2001 til now. Not very good. 5/10

#10: bluemeanie - added 08/25/2007, 01:55 PM
I still stick by that NONE of you can be fans of the show. EVERY person I know that has seen the film and has been a fan of the series has enjoyed the film very much, and that's not an exaggeration.

#11: Optimus Prime - added 08/25/2007, 02:08 PM
It seems that the only point of this movie being made is to see who the "true" simpson fans out there. There's no such fucking thing. You either watch the the show and like it, or in my case, think it's stupid and not funny at all. It's possible for someone to have a different opinion than you bluemeanie, just try and grasp that fact.

#12: Dametria - added 08/26/2007, 02:57 AM
Dear lord thank you for the bountiful PENIS!? BWAHAHAHA!!!!

#13: QuietMan - added 08/26/2007, 12:22 PM
I'm with Thunder it had it's moments. It was okay but it wasn't awesome it is just a long episode, I can't really complain though I saw it for free lol

#14: bluemeanie - added 08/26/2007, 02:50 PM
That's not the point, you dullard. The point is -- true Simpsons fans seem to enjoy the film more. Plain and simple. That's the only point being made. If I didn't think people had differing opinions, I wouldn't be representing mine so bluntly. Grow up...and plant a tree...

#15: bluemeanie - added 08/26/2007, 02:51 PM
Previous statement directed at OptimusPrime. Don't want any 'dullard' confusion there... Laughing

#16: Tristan - added 08/26/2007, 03:23 PM
I've seen every episode a dozen times, and like everyone my age, I grew up with The Simpsons. I hated the movie, but I loved the show. So arguing that I'm not a fan because I didn't like the movie is dumb.

#17: bluemeanie - added 08/26/2007, 11:32 PM
No, it is rather logical, considering 99.9% of the people I know (yourself excluded, bringing it down .1 %) who are huge fans of the show absolutely loved the film. I really just think you missed the point.

#18: grain of sand - added 08/27/2007, 10:22 AM
wow. i loved this movie.. i was so happy to spend my hard earned $10 on this opening day :)
i grew up my whole life with the simpsons and matt groenings life in hell comics, and have not missed an episode of the show..
when commotion starts, and homer starts frantically flipping through the bible and exclaims, "there arent any answers in here!" was worth it enough.
to see you people who say youve watched the show from the beginning say you didnt really enjoy this makes me kinda sad ha...
9.5/10

#19: bluemeanie - added 08/27/2007, 10:39 AM
Here, Here!

#20: Strait Killa - added 08/27/2007, 08:25 PM
i loved the show. loved, as in past tense. recent seasons have been pretty subpar. with that said, i think this film does do the entire series justice and one ups the past 5 or so seasons of the show. I would also like to give props to the writers for making Homer the centerpiece of the movie, he's definiely the funniest thing about the show. eh, i'd say a solid 7/10.

#21: Nirrad - added 09/27/2007, 09:10 PM
I've been a fan of The Simpsons since they first got their own show. I have all their seasons on DVD so far, and I've gotta say.............this movie was great. I never really laugh out loud with the new episodes, but this one had me laughing numerous times. I never go to the theater in my home town because it's dirty and crummy, but this was a special occasion. I give this a 9/10, I didn't give it a 10 because I wanted to see more side characters, and I didn't really like how Bart was in the movie.

#22: Chad - added 12/30/2007, 09:26 AM
Yeah, I'm going to have to go with meanie on this one - I thought the movie was great. It was a feature-length episode, and that's exactly what it needed to be; had they changed anything major, you'd have "fans" coming out and griping about how they changed everything and ruined it. You can't win with some people, but this one won with me. 9/10.

#23: Ginose - added 01/20/2008, 02:03 AM
I'm a fan of the show. A big fan. Fan since I was a lad who'd watch the shorts. Always found the showign refreshing, original and almost alwas witty. Certainly one of the smartest shows on television.
I got none of that out of this movie. I was very disappointing after chatting with my btrother. He had nothing but good things to say about, he saw it twice in theatres. I finally rented it from Blockbuster with free rental and, wow... talk about broken promises. The jokes were so cold and far between and, altogether, it didn't have the hillarious atmosphere that the show has. Maybe their comedy is only truly funny in small doses, but I only found myself laughing at about 6 points in this film, only one of those was a hard laugh, not a chuckle, and two of the six were during the credits.

2.7/10 for a hollow movie that promised soooo much more...
...and fuck them for killing Dr. Nick... that's right, no spoiler warning, Dr. Nick dies.

#24: bluemeanie - added 01/20/2008, 04:44 AM
How can you be such a fan of the show and dislike it as much as you did? Impossible. I repeat -- impossible.

#25: Ginose - added 01/20/2008, 08:04 AM
Not at all, sir. Unlike this movie, the show is funny. Not ALL of the time, but it does always have a familiar pacing about it. Not 20 minutes of pig jokes (because, honestly, wasn't the Spider-Pig one all they needed? Sure. They could've squeezed 5 or 6 in, but know... basically the entire 20 minutes after Bart's nude skateboarding, we have to listen to them non-stop... it got boring real fast). Then they keep that trend throughout the movie, they'll be stuck on ONE idea for a joke for a solid 8 or 9 minutes without giving any time for the actual comedy to sink in on anyone. Yeah, I get it, they were in Alaska. They're adapting to a different society... can we move on? Sure there's the odd exception to the rule, but even those, for the most part, weren't funny (Reference: Tristan's theatre out burst of the rock and A Hard Place joke as well as the Bono reference... not clever, and sure-as-shit not funny).
It's possible that the length of the movie made them think that this was a good idea, but that would imply that their primary mistake was making a movie in the first place. You may fix my score up or down maybe .5 points or so to your liking, but a 9 is just ridiculous, man. I guess it's all a matter of what you were expecting before going in. Maybe my expectations set by the show's good-natured comedy and my sibling's admiration for the film just let me down... I don't know.

Oh... and Homer calling us stupid for paying to see the movie... it was just too true (and poorly delivered) to be funny. When the credits finished rolling, I felt stupid as hell.

#26: Nirrad - added 06/11/2008, 02:08 AM
Just watched this for the third time this year. Like the quote on the box "I could easily watch this 20 or 30 more times".

#27: Shakes - added 01/22/2009, 10:52 AM
Um, I waited years for this movie. like, ten years or something (way too long basically). the final result was a letdown. sorry folks. but its true. had its funny moments, but the nostalgia was gone. being generous with a 6/10

#28: Shakes - added 01/22/2009, 10:54 AM
bluemeanie - it's not impossible. at all. that response was ludicrous. i was a big fan of the simpsons growing up and the movie sucked major ass compared to the shows before '01... don't get me wrong i love your reviews, but if that doesn't register with you, then fugeddaboudit.

#29: Lucid Dreams - added 02/26/2010, 12:02 AM
Love it, so fuck everyone else. 9/10

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