It has been a long time coming but now 'The Simpsons' movie has finally arrived.
A film version of the longest running, and most popular sitcom in history, has been mooted for many years but it was only last year that it was confirmed that Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie were to get their debut on the big screen.
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the first ever appearance of the yellow family on US television when, as an animated short, the family created by Matt Groening appeared as part of the 'Tracy Ullman Show'.
Two years later the show was commissioned and had its Fox network debut and the rest, as they say, is history.
The publicity surrounding the release of 'The Simpsons Movie' has been pretty intense with the result that many trailers and audio clips have given away some of the film's best jokes before people get to see the film for themselves.
Luckily, there are plenty more jokes in the film that the viewer will only see when they actually go along to the cinema to see the movie.
It was always going to be interesting to see how an animated sit-com, like 'The Simpsons', would transfer from the small to the big screen and to find out would the producers / director have to compromise on the look of the show to make it fill the screen.
Well, the answer would appear to be that no compromise was either made, or was needed, and the movie (aside from a few wide angle shots) looks every bit the same as the television show loved by millions across the world.
In actual fact you have to remind yourself that you're at the cinema and not at home because, lets face it, every other time you've watched Homer and family that's exactly where you've all been - on the sofa.
Not surprisingly, as with the television show, Homer is the principle character in the film and the story revolves around him being his usual, thoughtless self.
There is little doubt that anyone who is a fan of 'The Simpsons' will not need a reason to go and see this film.
And while the film is good, and very funny, I don't think it is good enough to turn someone who doesn't like the show into a fan in the space of ninety minutes.
As has often been the case throughout the years of the TV series the relationship between Homer and Bart, and Homer and Marge, are to the fore here with Homer managing, early on in the movie, to alienate both son and wife by his own stupidity and thoughtlessness.
The story goes that the inhabitants of Springfield, including Homer, have been illegally dumping all kinds of waste into Springfield Lake.
And the situation has got so bad that the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) have stepped in to deal with the problem.
When drastic sanctions are taken against the town everyone blames Homer and so he decides to move the family to Alaska.
But when the town need him most, Homer returns to try and save the day.
Despite being called 'The Simpsons Movie' watching this feels like you've just watched a extended episode of the TV series, albeit a very good, hugely entertaining episode with more good ideas and more jokes than you might normally hope for in a whole series of half-hour shows.
In actual fact the whole thing felt, to me anyway, like a bit of a let down.
It felt so unlike a movie that it wasn't the 'big event' that it has been so hyped up to be.
It really is just an extended episode of the TV show. And, surely, the proof of this will be when it comes out on DVD and (I believe) it will look exactly like the TV show.
So why make it at all? A very good question.
One thing is for sure, 'The Simpsons Movie' is going to be one of the biggest things at the cinema this summer - probably this year - and with good reason too.
'The Simpsons Movie' is an hour and a half of well drawn, well voiced and incredibly well scripted family entertainment that will be as enjoyable at the tenth viewing as it was on first viewing.
It just didn't feel like a movie to me.
