The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – An Adventurous Helping of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is partly attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Groove
Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon finds a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that excites him as it finally qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the best contemporary American animation, the true rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.
The Adventure for Swashbuckling Credentials
SpongeBob's quest to secure the fabled pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly cartoonish visuals.
Whether its spitballing humor will resonate after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the younger crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the series – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a robust Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those original fans will probably be snickering all over again.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
