The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – A Swashbuckling Helping of Giggle-Provoking Silliness
Would the early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? This longevity is in part due to its broad appeal, tickling the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a recognizably goofy groove. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.
The Adventure for Swashbuckling Credentials
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted components, forever showcasing satisfying, properly animated visuals.
Whether its freewheeling silliness will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the six-year-old crowd: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the series – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early fans will likely 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.
