The Simpsons Movie (2007)

Overall rating from 1 to 100: 83

O Masterpiece (95-100)
X Excellent (75-94)
O Good video rental (60-74)
O Merely OK (50-59)
O Pure mediocrity (30-49)
O Medusa: don't watch (1-29)

Review by Jason Pyles / July 28, 2007

The best thing I can tell you is probably exactly what you wanted to hear: “The Simpsons Movie” is like a really funny, 87-minute episode on the big screen. If you’re a fan of “The Simpsons,” then you’ll have an unconditional love for this movie.

Springfield Lake has become excessively polluted. Lisa Simpson (Yeardley Smith) is gravely concerned; and through her incessant activism, she persuades the mayor to outlaw any further pollutants and “idiot-proof” the lake with barricades.

Naturally, Homer (Dan Castellaneta) manages to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back by disposing of his “pig crap silo.” The entire city becomes a biohazard, so the U.S. government seals all of Springfield and its inhabitants inside of a gigantic, see-through dome. This development spells doom for Springfield, and it’s residents target the Simpson family accordingly.

That’s the premise of the movie, but you know how the cartoon is ... the plot doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the jokes. Naturally, there are several stabs at modern-day pop culture and politics. And of course, many other movie references, too.

Let me just tell you these three final things before you leave your computer to go see the movie: Each of the main characters seems to be in his or her prime, all at the same time. Even Bart Simpson (Nancy Cartwright) is cool again, just as he once was long ago when I was 13.

I feared that since this movie was going to be in the theater (and not on TV), that the writers would really push the limits. And they do, but it’s a very mild PG-13. If you permitted your family to watch “The Simpsons” at home on TV, then this movie isn’t that much farther of a stretch.

Lastly, this is one of the movies with encores at the end, during and after the credits. There are three, to be exact. The first two encores are worth sticking around to see.

Directed by David Silverman
Dan Castellaneta / Julie Kavner / Nancy Cartwright
87 min. Animation / Comedy
MPAA: PG-13 (for irreverent humor throughout)

Copyright 2007.
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