SpongeBob's Latest: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – A Swashbuckling Helping of Snicker-Inducing Fun
Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such longevity is in part attributed to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
A Familiar Zany Groove
Kicking off with a festive short starring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film quickly settles into a comfortably silly groove. Its script serves as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.
The Adventure for Pirate Credentials
SpongeBob's quest to obtain the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown 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-crafted components, forever showcasing pleasing, authentically cartoonish visuals.
Whether its spitballing humor will linger when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Memorable moments feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and coming out somehow more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
The Verdict
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those original fans will probably be chuckling all over again.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
