Film: The Simpsons Movie

Director: David Silverman

Voice Over: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nnacy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria, Harry Shearer, Tom Hanks, Harry Shearer, Pamela Hayden, Tress MacNeille, Albert Brooks.

Rating: 4/5

For any self proclaimed Simpsons fan this movie is ‘it’ and even if you aren’t one, this movie is ‘it’. Its hilarious, has an interesting plot and the characters, well looney but with a whole lot of attitude. Everything is so well held together that the one and half hour’s whiz by, having you long for more.

Simpsons without Homer managing to screw things up is unimaginable. Thus it’s only fair that in his big screen debut, he screws up big. In the film Homer finds himself a new obsession, a pet pig. With all the eating the pig manages, it dumps an equal lot, all of which is put into a silo kept in the Simpsons backyard. Armed with a whole lot of dump, Homer triggers off a disaster unlike anything Springfield has ever seen before. This irreparable damage has Springfield cordoned off and now it’s up to Homer to straighten things he screwed up, before Springfield ceases to exist.

What makes this film a compulsion is the fact that after eighteen years the Simpson family make to the Silver screen. This film with all its vulgar jokes and jabs at other films and famous personalities actually has an underlying story that is of great relevance with the current times. The issues of pollution, redemption and familial values are all driven at on a subconscious level and what is better that all of is absorbed without it actually being a sermon.

The characters seem similar to the ones in the episodes, but that’s just in the beginning. Soon you see different shades and sides to them. There’s a lot more depth to them in this hour and half long flick, simply because the film is centered around them. To many it may seem as nothing more than a regular half hour episode stretched to go on for an hour longer, sadly that is the case. But then the hour extra means additional gags and a more detailed story and movements.

This satire filled film is a brilliant example of a movie that is well chalked out. With an opening building up to the story and then the end, the experience is complete with no tangents or thoughts lingering around. The lines are witty, satirical and actually manage to tell a story, rather than just being for the heck of generating laughs.

With great animation and DI work the characters look better and more interesting. Even the tons of new characters that are welcomed in this film seem to fit right in. The editing is crisp, however initially the pace does seem a tad slow, but soon picks up. Indeed the coloring and scene compiling is remarkable. This one makes for a great stand alone film, simply because of all these elements and a hilarious plot.  

If you do consider it to be a stretched episode, then this film fails to involve the characters the episodes normally do. Fun loving characters like Krusty the clown, Grampa Simpson, Moe et al are all reduced to fillers rather than having an active part as they do in the episodes. Additionally the jabs at various characters, though funny crosses over to the offensive side. Especially the ‘Boob’ jokes and Bart’s penis chronicles.

The Simpsons movie is out to break all Box Office records in the US with its collection rampage, in India the case will be unlikely. The film will have all the Simpsons patrons and their friends catching it in the theatre, but that would not account for much. Also with over 5 other releases, chances are that this one will not get the kind of attention it rightfully deserves.

It is only fair to say that The Simpsons movie is a laugh riot and watching this should be made mandatory.