The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Helping of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Could those early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have predicted the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most surreal of plotlines? Such staying power is in part due to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Groove
Kicking off with a festive short featuring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly finds a recognizably goofy groove. Its script serves as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American animation, the real thrill ride is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's visual style remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently showcasing satisfying, authentically animated visuals.
If its freewheeling humor will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging somehow squarer than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original fans will probably be chuckling all over again.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on December 19th in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
