SpongeBob's Latest: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Helping of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Would the early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have predicted the series enduring for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is partly attributed to its broad charm, amusing the funny bones of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. While it can't claim anything as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Vibe
Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into 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 stands a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.
The Quest for Pirate 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 suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-crafted components, consistently showcasing satisfying, properly animated effects.
If its spitballing silliness will linger after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and emerging somehow more rectangular 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 forced into endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants is a reliable addition to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early students will probably be chuckling anew.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
