SpongeBob's Latest: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Dose of Giggle-Provoking Fun
Could those early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the series enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such longevity is partly attributed to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Goofy Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon settles into a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a detail that thrills him as it finally qualifies him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the corkscrew narrative.
The Adventure for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-crafted elements, forever showcasing pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.
If its spitballing humor will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to resonate with the younger audience: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the franchise – and perhaps the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those early fans will likely be chuckling all over again.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
