The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – An Adventurous Dose of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Would the original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? Such staying power is in part attributed to its broad charm, tickling the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. Although it may not feature anything as unexpected as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Groove
Kicking off with a festive short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly finds a recognizably silly rhythm. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a detail that excites him as it finally qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best contemporary American animation, the true rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish visuals.
Whether its spitballing humor will linger after the credits is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the franchise – and arguably the most humorous pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those original fans will probably be snickering all over again.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
