Could those early viewers who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most surreal of plotlines? Such staying power is partly due to its wide-ranging appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.
Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a comfortably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons 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 ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best modern American animation, the real rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.
SpongeBob's quest to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically animated visuals.
Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging somehow squarer than before; 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.
Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the series – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend 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 debuts on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
Elena Vance is a digital strategist and creative director with over a decade of experience in transforming brands through innovative design.