Would the early viewers who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This longevity is in part due to its wide-ranging charm, amusing the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Vibe
Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly finds a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it finally qualifies him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American cartoons, the real rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the film's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned elements, forever highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish effects.
Whether its spitballing humor will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the series – and perhaps the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early fans will likely be chuckling 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.
