Review of The Simpsons Movie (2007) by Royp. — 19 Dec 2007

I wish I had the time to do a video side by side of how many past episodes this movie shamelessly ripped off. Homer getting a Pig (Homer goes to college), Bart idolizing Flanders (Boy Scoutz 'n the Hood), Lisa crusading for the environment (The Old Man and Lisa), Springfield destroyed by pollution (Trash of the Titans), Homer goes on a hallucinogenic quest (El Viaje Misterioso de Nuestro Homer, and probably a few others), Marge and Homer having marital problems (every 6th episode), and that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

Except none of it is as clever or smart or endearing as the show was for the first 10 seasons (more or less). Right about now, the shows creators would trot out the Comic Book Guy and have him point to me and say "Worst Reviewer Ever!", something they seemed to do a few seasons ago, for nearly every episode to deflect all the criticism the show had been receiving, rather than come to their senses.

The sad reality is, The Simpsons has long faded from its intelligent, witty, and social relevance years ago. It has sadly devolved into a clichéd, mishmash of recycling old episodes and tired jokes.

What's worse is that newer episodes are typically stapled together with potty humor, drug jokes, and chronically arduous slapstick. Something, the series used to sparring incorporate, and mostly for irony.

This movie practically drowns in exhaustive slapstick, and includes at least 2 blows to the... "family jewels". Word of mouth and positive reviews gave me hope that years of development time and rewrites could've signaled a return to its brilliant form.

It didn't even come close.