The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Helping of Giggle-Provoking Silliness
Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise persisting for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is in part attributed to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything as surprising as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while dispensing payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Goofy Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a family-friendly treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it at last qualifies him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's quest to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” brings 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 digimation and hand-crafted components, forever showcasing satisfying, authentically animated effects.
If its freewheeling silliness will linger when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out somehow more rectangular than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those original students will likely be snickering anew.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
