Plot Outline
When Homer mistakenly pollutes the river with toxic waste from the power plant, he loses his job and forces evacuation from Springfield, possibly forever.Review Summary
Homer Simpson's got some splainin' to do. Just when the authorities managed to save the local lake from reaching its environmental tipping point, Homer plunges in a silo of pig crap (seriously) - sending the lake into the point of no return. The government quarantines Springfield indefinitely, and Homer must save the town, and his family, before it's too late.The Review
Now on its 19th season on the air, The Simpsons has definitely lost its bite. Yet from its groundbreaking beginnings to its present day mediocrity, it still stands as on of the definitive television programs of our time.
It seems logical that they would have tried to cash in on a full-length feature by now, right? Well, according to interviews with creator Matt Groening, the team wanted to wait past the shows peak, with hopes of reviving it (probably total bullshit). That said, Groening teamed up with the original writers of the show to create the July 27 release - and long awaited - "The Simpsons Movie."
The premise is simple, but opens enough for classic Simpsons at its best. Just when the authorities managed to save the local lake from reaching its environmental tipping point, Homer plunges in a silo of pig crap (seriously) sending the lake into the point of no return. The government quarantines Springfield indefinitely, and Homer must save the town before it's too late. And when the family finds out Homer was responsible for the debacle, he must fight for his family as well.
Classic sequences with Itchy and Scratchy, Krusty and, of course, Bart are plenty to whet the biggest fans appetite for destruction - or at least dysfunction. The addition of great running jokes, such as Spider Pig, carry the movie and show that these guys weren't just reusing old gags. Believe or not, they may actually still be funny. When Homer finally tells his family that he's "really coming to like" them, it's pretty classic - as is when Homer admits he wouldn't pay money for something he could watch on TV for free.
The jokes on us, I suppose, but I think that's the charm of the Simpsons. "The Simpsons Movie" may not live up to the hype of the cross-promotions, but at its worst, its as good as any of the classic episodes. At its best, its on par with the most clever comedies on the air. Where Bart's character has lost much of his bite - my guess is how desensitized we are compared to the early 90s - Homer's antics in bad parenting carry the movie entirely.
