SpongeBob's Latest: Search for SquarePants Review – An Adventurous Dose of Giggle-Provoking Silliness
Could those original fans who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is partly due to its broad charm, amusing the funny bones of adults – perhaps even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything as unexpected as the legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Goofy Vibe
Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film quickly settles into a recognizably goofy groove. Its script acts as a family-friendly treatise on the pros and cons of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it at last qualifies him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American animation, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.
The Quest for Pirate Credentials
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary swashbuckler certificate 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 ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly animated effects.
Whether its freewheeling humor will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.
Notable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the younger crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
Final Thoughts
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable entry to the franchise – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those early fans will likely be snickering anew.
Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
