Yesterday, Erica and I finally got around to seeing The Simpsons Movie. Having given up on the show in first run long ago, I was still interested to see how they did on the big screen. Overall, I was pleased, but not overjoyed. The movie was funny, coherent and sweet, but still a far cry from the glorious seasons in the mid 90s.

The plot is pretty simple, Homer adopts a pig, throws its waste in Lake Springfield which creates an environmental disaster. The U.S. Government overreacts and encloses Springfield in a giant translucent dome. The Simpsons manage to escape to Alaska and begin a new life. When the family learns of the governments plans to correct the Springfield problem, Marge decides that the family has to undo what Homer has done, but Homer wants no part of it. Eventually, Homer has an epiphany and decides to do his part to save the town and of course succeeds. The family is reunited and the town begins to rebuild.

I was worried that the movie would go the South Park route and just have loads of profanity thrown in just because, but restraint was shown on language. They went for a cheap visual laugh (and missed in the theater I was sitting in) early on, but otherwise they didn’t overdo it. I was also surprised by a lack of guest stars, but not troubled by it. Nothing made me fall out of my seat laughing either, but there were clever lines that made me smile throughout. The animation was also an enjoyable upgrade over the TV show.

Making a Simpsons movie now is really ten years too late. In a more perfect world, an episode like “You Only Move Twice” would have been turned into a 90 minute epic. If I were to script the sequel, I’d probably have a Scorpio and Sideshow Bob team up as villains.

If you haven’t seen it, wait for DVD.