Would the original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the series enduring for a 25 years, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? This longevity is in part attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best modern American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the twisting plotting.
The Adventure for Pirate Credentials
SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-turned elements, forever highlighting satisfying, properly cartoonish visuals.
Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes include 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 penalty sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.
The Verdict
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early fans will probably be chuckling anew.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on December 19th in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
