The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – A Swashbuckling Dose of Snicker-Inducing Silliness
Would the early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the series persisting for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? This staying power is in part attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about 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 zany world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Goofy Vibe
Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. 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 ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.
The Adventure for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish visuals.
If its spitballing humor will linger after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and emerging somehow squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early fans will likely be snickering all over again.
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.
