Would the early viewers who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series persisting for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is in part attributed to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything as unexpected as the legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of making a veteran voice actor 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.
A Familiar Zany Groove
Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline serves as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the best modern American animation, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew plotting.
The Adventure for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the film's visual style remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently showcasing pleasing, authentically animated visuals.
If its spitballing humor will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Memorable scenes 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 resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable entry to the series – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will probably be snickering all over again.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
