The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – A Swashbuckling Helping of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series enduring for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is partly attributed to its broad appeal, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon settles into a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a fact that thrills him as it finally allows him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the best contemporary American animation, the real rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting pleasing, authentically animated visuals.
If its freewheeling humor will resonate when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes include SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the franchise – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will likely be chuckling anew.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
