Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series persisting for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? This longevity is partly attributed to its broad appeal, amusing the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while dispensing payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Vibe
Starting with a holiday short starring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best contemporary American cartoons, the real rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.
The Quest for Pirate Proof
SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly animated effects.
If its spitballing humor will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the series – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those original fans will likely be snickering anew.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
