For many - myself included - "The Simpsons" is the TV equivalent of comfort food, so it figures the big-screen version would be the ultimate banquet. Oddly enough, although it tastes great, it’s not very filling.

Truth be told, nothing as eagerly awaited as "The Simpsons Movie" could ever live up to the expectations of the series’ rabid fans, which I’d hazard to guess are among the most devoted of any series in television history.

The series has seen its creative peaks and valleys over its 18-year prime-time run, but that’s only natural. Devoted fans can cite their favorite seasons and argue at length who is the best writer: John Swartzwelder, Jon Vitti, Mike Scully or Al Jean. They’re all here, along with 11 other contributing writers, including series creator Matt Groening and producer James L. Brooks.

It’s been fascinating to watch the series evolve, from the early years of crudely drawn, off-model animation to characters finding both their voices and their true personalities. There’s certainly no denying "The Simpsons" boasts the most versatile cast of vocal talent ever assembled, with three members responsible for at least 80 percent of the character voices.

Dan Castellaneta stars as Homer, world’s greatest bumbling dad, as well as Grandpa Simpson, Barney Gumble, Krusty the Clown, Mayor Quimby, the Squeaky-Voiced Teen and more than a dozen others. The equally talented Hank Azaria plays such popular characters as Moe, Chief Wiggum, Comic Book Guy, Professor Frink and Cletus, among many others. Harry Shearer rounds out this amazing trio, contributing the voices for Ned Flanders, Montgomery Burns, Waylon Smithers, Principal Skinner, Lenny and many more.

More voices for the Simpson family include Julie Kavner as Marge, Nancy Cartwright as Bart and Maggie, and Yeardley Smith as Lisa.

The bottom line is the series boasts TV’s largest collection of recurring supporting characters, each unique and equally popular. It’s just one of many cool things about this groundbreaking show.

Unleashed from the confines of its 30-minute TV format, you would think the writers would cut loose with more complex plot lines, daring character development and A-list gags from start to finish. Sadly, what we get feels safe and comfortable, but not ambitious or even special. It’s a disappointment, to be sure, but worth every minute nonetheless. Though far from the brilliance we’ve come to expect, there’s enough here to warrant repeated viewings.

The movie’s hand-drawn animation differs little from its small-screen version, beyond some minor CGI flourishes. The biggest disappointment is the music. For some reason, they replaced the series’ longtime composer Alf Clausen with feature-friendly Hans Zimmer. This little change makes a huge difference in the overall feel of the film. Of course, Danny Elfman’s famous theme song appears in several incarnations.

The main story line features a loose parody of Al Gore’s "An Inconvenient Truth," in which the toxicity levels of Lake Springfield go off the charts, resulting in an environmental catastrophe, all because Homer dumped a silo full of pig crap. Longtime "Simpsons" guest star Albert Brooks plays Russ Cargill, the evil head of the EPA who convinces dimwitted President Schwarzenegger - aka Rainier Wolfcastle - that the best way of not dealing with Springfield’s continuing problem is to simply isolate it from rest of the world. The government’s response turns the entire town against Homer, forcing the family to relocate to Alaska. When Homer catches wind of Cargill’s ultimate solution for his troublesome hometown, he risks all to save the day and win back the town’s love.

There are the usual subplots for each of the other family members, but none are inspired or memorable. The movie opens strong but soon settles into some serious script padding, drawing out scenes that would be cut much tighter on TV. There are plenty of zingers and visual surprises, like full-frontal Bart riding naked on a skateboard, Marge pushed to profanity and Homer’s hilarious pet pig.

Good but not great, it’s still "The Simpsons" on the big screen, at long last, and that in itself is enough. Can you say "sequel"? Maggie can.

the simpsons movie

Cast: Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Harry Shearer, Hank Azaria

Director: David Silverman

Rating: PG-13 for irreverent humor throughout

Theaters: Stadium 14, Forum 8

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