I watched this tonight. This is what I thought...
I found it reasonably entertaining, but I felt it was really hamstringed by the need to cameo as many characters as possible, leaving little room for a witty script or original storyline.
I think they were also going for a "bigger picture" storyline by giving Springfield some sort of nation-wide relevance and having the family go to Alaska - these over-the-top touches are not what makes the actual episodes appealling.
My biggest moan though is not with the plot, or this or that character's omission, but with the style of humour itself - it seems to be geared more towards a general viewer than to someone who already knows and loves the Simpsons (ironic, as a review I read claimed it would please fans but not convert any new ones).
What I mean by this is that there is a great deal more slapstick comedy than your average episode, which can only be averagely funny at best (unless done absolutely hilariously, which it isn't). Also, Homer just comes across as a dumb bufoon a lot of the time, rather than the likeable, unpredictable guy he is at his funniest moments. There is too much obvious, one line humour and not enough WIT that makes the episodes so classic. The odd great Wiggum line does not really save it.
I am left feeling that it could have been condensed into a single episode's length and been better for it, and should have followed a more down-to-earth yet creative storyline. The main complaint though is that a lot of the things that make the characters such favourites with fans are sacrificed in order to make it more of a slapstick, 'mainstream' experience, and this is most obvious with Homer.
Still a pretty enjoyable film though I guess, and I'd choose to watch it again over Die Hard 4 any time.
So who else has seen it?
I found it reasonably entertaining, but I felt it was really hamstringed by the need to cameo as many characters as possible, leaving little room for a witty script or original storyline.
I think they were also going for a "bigger picture" storyline by giving Springfield some sort of nation-wide relevance and having the family go to Alaska - these over-the-top touches are not what makes the actual episodes appealling.
My biggest moan though is not with the plot, or this or that character's omission, but with the style of humour itself - it seems to be geared more towards a general viewer than to someone who already knows and loves the Simpsons (ironic, as a review I read claimed it would please fans but not convert any new ones).
What I mean by this is that there is a great deal more slapstick comedy than your average episode, which can only be averagely funny at best (unless done absolutely hilariously, which it isn't). Also, Homer just comes across as a dumb bufoon a lot of the time, rather than the likeable, unpredictable guy he is at his funniest moments. There is too much obvious, one line humour and not enough WIT that makes the episodes so classic. The odd great Wiggum line does not really save it.
I am left feeling that it could have been condensed into a single episode's length and been better for it, and should have followed a more down-to-earth yet creative storyline. The main complaint though is that a lot of the things that make the characters such favourites with fans are sacrificed in order to make it more of a slapstick, 'mainstream' experience, and this is most obvious with Homer.
Still a pretty enjoyable film though I guess, and I'd choose to watch it again over Die Hard 4 any time.
So who else has seen it?
