Could those early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise enduring for a 25 years, even after absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This longevity is partly attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while dispensing 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 weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the best contemporary American animation, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.
The Adventure for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's quest to secure the fabled pirate license that will prove 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 grander scope, the film's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting pleasing, properly animated effects.
Whether its freewheeling humor will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the series – and perhaps the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original fans will probably be snickering all over again.
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.
