The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review – A Swashbuckling Helping of Snicker-Inducing Silliness
Would the original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise enduring for a 25 years, even after absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is in part attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. While it can't claim anything as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Vibe
Kicking off with a festive short featuring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a comfortably goofy groove. Its script serves as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that excites him as it at last allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the best modern American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.
The Adventure for Pirate Credentials
SpongeBob's mission to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a delightful mix of digimation and hand-turned elements, consistently showcasing satisfying, properly cartoonish effects.
If its spitballing humor will linger when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable addition to the franchise – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a robust 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 probably be chuckling all over again.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
