The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – An Adventurous Dose of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Could those early viewers who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series persisting for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? This staying power is in part due to its wide-ranging appeal, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. While it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon settles into a recognizably goofy groove. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that excites him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American animation, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing pleasing, authentically animated visuals.
Whether its freewheeling humor will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Notable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow squarer than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those original students will likely be chuckling anew.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on December 19th in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
