The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – An Adventurous Dose of Giggle-Provoking Fun
Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series persisting for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? This staying power is in part due to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a comfortably silly rhythm. Its storyline serves as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American animation, the true thrill ride is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically animated visuals.
Whether its spitballing humor will linger when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow more rectangular than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the series – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those original fans will likely be snickering all over again.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
