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In a nutshell: A dysfunctional family must cope with the quarantine of their hometown under a huge dome. "I can’t believe we’re paying for something we get for free on TV!" So says Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) near the start of our picture, after watching a typical, wildly over-the-top with violence "Itchy and Scratchy" animated film in his local movie house. This is what many might be saying midway through "The Simpsons Movie" once the firm impression sets in that this film is nothing more, or blessedly nothing less, than a pretty good "Simpsons" episode stretched out to feature length. A feeling that resonates throughout the piece is one of predictability, and this, inevitably, comes from the fact that the show has been on the air for 18 seasons. What the heck else could they possibly do with the characters and concepts inherent to the micro-universe of Springfield spawned in Matt Groening’s head so many moons ago, but supersize the thing to big screen format and add a touch of CG here and there. Everything else of note has already been there and been done like that... To state too much of the plot would, in fact, ruin a number of the jokes that arise from typically skewed "Simpsons" situations, so the following, cursory summation will have to suffice... Homer, after befriending a pig (Spider-Pig, AKA Harry Plopper), dumps a silo full of the animal’s waste into a local lake. This irresponsible act on Mr. Simpson’s part causes the EPA to literally descend on Springfield, sealing the town off from the rest of the world under an immense glass dome. Anarchy ensues (well, more anarchy than usual)... Somehow the Simpson family escapes, and goes north, to Alaska (where you can’t be too fat or too drunk), before returning to save their trapped friends and neighbors. Although it can be said in the case of many, many films, in this particular instance the plot is, in fact, almost completely arbitrary. What the TV show has always been, and the movie now is, is a bed for a series of rapid-fire pop culture references, satirical political statements and general wisenheimer behavior. Where are film veers off course (and with a running time of 87 minutes it scarcely has the chance to) is when the writers (eleven of ’em!) actually attempt to "flesh out" the relationships between cartoon characters, inserting drama where none is needed or desired. This critic’s last wish would have been to see a dejected, cursing Marge Simpson (Julie Kavner) finally decide to tell Homer that she was leaving him, and yet that is just what happens at one point. Bring back Spider-Pig (because he does whatever a Spider-Pig does...)! Please!

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Credits:	Anthiny Ricardi and Steven Samblis
URL:	http://icplaces.com/orlando/fullstory.asp?storyuid=Anthony72731&cat=Movies
Tags:	movie simpsons

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