SpongeBob's Latest: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Helping of Snicker-Inducing Silliness
Would the early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have predicted the series persisting for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is in part attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature thinks nothing of making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Zany Groove
Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon settles into a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a detail that thrills him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best modern American animation, the true thrill ride is the corkscrew plotting.
The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof
SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted components, forever showcasing pleasing, properly animated effects.
Whether its freewheeling silliness will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow more rectangular than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.
The Verdict
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original students will probably be chuckling anew.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and 26 December in Australia and the UK.
