The Simpsons Movie - 2007

Directed By: David Silverman

It’s hard to write an objective unbiased review of The Simpsons Movie, being such a fan and having waited so long for it to reach the screen. Yet even the most cynical audience member can not help but be won over by the sheer comedic genius at work in the Simpsons. With a handful of writers, and some left over, you could be slightly forgiven for thinking that it might not work. Rarely do films with multiple writers work, especially comedy. But with The Simpsons, were talking about writing royalty. For 18 consecutive years the writers have managed to turn out a comedy show which casts a long shadow over anything else ever written. Nothing comes close to touching the show in terms of sheer consistent brilliance. And it’s a pleasure to bask in this genius for 80 minutes on a big screen. Not only have to writers set themselves the task of bringing a much larger story the screen, they have managed to do so while maintaining and focusing on the smaller more intimate excellence of the show. They have also embraced the cinematic medium like no other cartoon crossover. Scenes sprawl across the widescreen with greater colour, depth and style. The animators, who deserve as much credit as the writers make as much use narratively of the space as they do for comedic effect. Notable standout scenes include a naked Bart riding a skateboard through town, and Homer straddling a Motorcycle. In fact if The Simpsons is commended for one thing it’s that 2D animation isn’t dead and buried. The creators may have flirted with the idea of a CG Simpsons movie, but as they have proven time and again on the small screen, what’s missing from 2D animation on the big screen, is a great story, well developed characters and a heartfelt attempt to bring the story to life. Something which only Studio Ghibli currently manages in 2D.

If there is one area of fault in this film it has to be with the story. Although it is well developed and has great narrative arc, it does feel somewhat repetitious of the series. This, unfortunately, is always going to be a problem for a TV show which has covered pretty much every idea ever invented. This film decides to go down the age old tried and tested route of the struggling marriage of Marge and Homer, and also developing a subplot involving Bart disillusionment with his father, and Lisa meeting a boy who represents and believes everything she does. Something which as been done before by the Simpsons. But then what hasn’t, and it also makes sense for the writers to focus their story on an area they feel well versed and experienced in. And the fact that despite having done this narrative arcs before, the writers still manage to find fresh new ways of exploiting humour. The film also has some great moments for the silent member of the family; proving that Maggie is as much a Simpson as anyone else. On a side note, one of the main differences between the small and big screen Simpsons in the complete lack of cinematic allusions. While the Simpsons have created the best film homage’s and in jokes in television history, the film had absolutely no glaring film references and it worked to the advantage of the film bar a Titanic reference early on.

The supporting characters are also all great, although notably, classic characters Krusty, Mr Burns and Moe are criminally underused for the sake of the story. That’s not to say they aren’t given some of The Simpsons greatest lines. In fact it’s incredible that the show’s writers are able to capture their characters so perfectly with such little screen time. Naysayers would argue that these characters are only stereotypes but that precisely the point. The Simpsons is your stereotypical town in America, and its characters are representations of that. The show has developed them into loveable fully formed characters, and the movie highlights what makes them such loveable creations.

As for the jokes, the writers have pulled no punches in making sure that the quality equals that of the TV show, and manages at the same time to generate enough “favourite jokes” for any Simpsons fan to come out reassessing their best Simpsons gags. What’s so admirable is that the Simpsons seem to handle all forms of comedy from slapstick, to satire, to irony to childish jokes with equal relish and creativity.

The cleverest, smartest and funniest TV show of all time becomes one of the smartest, cleverest and funniest films of all time, fully embracing its cinematic art form without ever losing sight of its TV origins. If the cynics are write and the show has past its best then one can only imagine how brilliant this film would have been had it been made in the shows “supposed” prime. If you’re in doubt then there are two words which will silence any critic: Spider-Pig.