The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – A Swashbuckling Dose of Snicker-Inducing Silliness
Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such longevity is in part attributed to its wide-ranging charm, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything as unexpected as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while dispensing payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Goofy Vibe
Starting with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a detail that thrills him as it finally allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest modern American animation, the real thrill ride is the corkscrew plotting.
The Adventure for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned components, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish effects.
Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Notable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early fans will likely be snickering anew.
Coming to Theaters: 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.