The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Helping of Giggle-Provoking Silliness
Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? This staying power is partly due to its broad appeal, amusing the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Vibe
Starting with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a recognizably silly rhythm. 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 measures 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it at last allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-crafted components, forever highlighting satisfying, authentically animated visuals.
Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to resonate with the younger audience: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the series – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those original fans will probably be snickering anew.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
