The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – A Swashbuckling Dose of Giggle-Provoking Fun
Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the series persisting for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such longevity is partly due to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Goofy Groove
Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly finds a comfortably silly groove. Its script serves as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a fact that thrills him as it finally qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best contemporary American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting plotting.
The Adventure for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently showcasing pleasing, authentically cartoonish effects.
Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging inexplicably more rectangular than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the younger audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants is a reliable addition to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including 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 early fans will likely be snickering all over again.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
