The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – An Adventurous Helping of Giggle-Provoking Silliness
Would the original fans who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? This longevity is in part attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie thinks nothing of making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while dispensing payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Goofy Groove
Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon settles into a recognizably goofy groove. Its storyline serves as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it at last allows him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the finest contemporary American animation, the true thrill ride is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-crafted components, forever highlighting pleasing, authentically animated visuals.
If its spitballing silliness will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the younger audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those original fans will probably be chuckling anew.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
