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July 29, 2007
The Simpsons Movie
Were you worried that the Simpsons movie would be a disappointment? Have you been concerned that the last few seasons of the show have been like watching a balloon slowly deflate?
Maybe the writers were saving their best stuff for the movie. It sure seems that way, since the movie is hilarious almost from start to finish. It's not all THAT different from a 90-minute episode of the show; there's a little more swearing (from Marge!?), a little more blatant drug use (don't be too surprised that it's Otto) and a little more nudity, but the plot isn't unfamiliar.
The plot? Springfield thinks it's solved its pollution problem, but Homer and Spider-Pig (more on that soon) push Lake Springfield past its ecological tipping point. President Schwarzenegger sends in Russ Cargill of the EPA (voiced by Albert Brooks; think a mean Hank Scorpio) to seal off the town. The Simpsons escape, and Homer has to eventually decide whether he'd rather help save his hometown or be his normal lazy self.
The problem with turning the show into the movie is that they've introduced 1,431 characters over the years, all well developed and all somebody's favorite. Unfortunately, the middle third of the movie takes place far away from Springfield, so we get hardly a peep out of mainstays like Moe, Groundskeeper Willie, or Guy Incognito. Keep your eyes peeled during the crowd scenes, though, as everyone seems to get at least a microsecond of screen time.
Without giving too much away, there are a couple of great moments. Martin finally gets to feel the rush out of beating someone up. Cletus shines in his moment when he's selected to test an idiot-proof fence. And Spider-Pig, which you may already know from the commercials, steals the show in his several scenes. If the Spider-Pig appearance had happened during seasons 5 or 6 of the show, we'd be talking about it as one of the show's classic moments.
It's not a perfect movie, but it's well worth it for anyone who's enjoyed the show over the years. You may have to see it twice, since some of the lines may be drowned out by the crowd laughing and cheering.
Four stars out of five.
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