Cut to the chase: Based on Nickelodeon’s hit television show that is still releasing new episodes some 26 years after it first premiered, “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” is the franchise’s fourth theatrical release following the porous household item and his bumbling starfish sidekick on another affable, albeit inane, adventure at the bottom of the ocean. Great for kids who like the show; not-so-great for adults who enjoy nuance and intellectual stimulation.
(Image courtesy Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon)
Synopsis
SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) has some exciting news: he is finally a verifiable “big guy”! (Cue the accompanying single “Big Guy” by rapper Ice Spice who also has a small role in the film.) Not only is this a personal accomplishment, but now the eternal optimist is tall enough to ride the terrifying “Shipwreck” rollercoaster at a Bikini Bottom amusement park. He may be a “big guy” now, but the overwhelming sight of the rickety ride has SpongeBob rethinking everything, even if Patrick Star (Bill Faberbakke) is fervent on the prospect.
SpongeBob’s boss Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) bails him out, but not before setting his employee on a journey to achieve his “swashbuckler certificate”, an honor that proves one’s fearlessness and undisputed “big guy” status. While snooping around Mr. Krabs’ heyday pirate memorabilia, SpongeBob and Patrick accidentally mobilize the Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill), a ghost pirate with ulterior motives. He requires a gullible fall boy with “staggering stupidity” and dumb luck tomfoolery to bumble through a series of challenges that obliterate the curse that has kept the captain underwater for centuries and release him to human form.
(Image courtesy Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon)
Blissfully unaware of the dangers that are threatening to turn sinister at any given time, SpongeBob and Patrick commit to the part-obstacle-course, part-video-game challenges with their trademark idiotic confidence and the erratic charm that has made them beloved characters for generations of viewers. As the truth about Mr. Krabs’ own seafaring past comes to life, SpongeBob learns that perhaps the most important thing is to be true to yourself.
Frantic Fun for the Not-Big Guys
As the film stutters towards its climax, the reveal of the Flying Dutchman in live action form – Hamill in an egregious hook-nose prosthetic – almost feels like a cheesy letdown. His voice work over the comically engaging animation created a villain that was untrustworthy and mildly dangerous, but not overtly unsettling. Hamill’s transformation into the real-life Dutchman feels cheap for adult viewers and possibly disturbing for younger ones.
(Image courtesy Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon)
But perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the film is its lack of inclusion for the other beloved characters in this franchise. Squidward makes a passing appearance, as do Plankton and Sandy. “SpongeBob SquarePants” has been so popular for nearly three decades because of the vibrant and colorful community that makes up Bikini Bottom, an adjacent, non-living character that is all but glossed over. SpongeBob and Patrick go on a screwball adventure, which, apart from being several times longer than a traditional episode of television, feels a lot like their many harebrained jaunts and nonsensical exploits, minus the other, well-loved friends who have come to define “SpongeBob” for viewers.
This isn’t to say that kids, the target demographic for a film like this, won’t have a foolishly good time. There are enough jokes and physical humor to crack a smile on even the most dubious of small movie goers: in moments of fear, SpongeBob poops out his “lucky brick”, an innuendo that is geared at adults, but that the children find endlessly hilarious; Patrick mistakenly wears a pirate eye patch as a makeshift thong, parading it around to comical effect; or perhaps your little one’s cup of tea is repeating the idiotic fight song (“big guy”) on repeat, a dopey mantra that is guaranteed to follow you home. Whatever the case may be, rest assured, “Search for SquarePants” is here to offer you the most mind-numbing time at the theater this holiday season.
(Image courtesy Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon)
Age Recommendations and Parent Guide
- MPAA Rating: PG for rude humor, action, and some scary images
- Recommended Age: 6+
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Nightmare Inducers: There are fleeting moments of peril that could upset sensitive viewers, particularly once SpongeBob and crew make it to the challenge round, vying against deep-sea creatures that snap and threaten, though never inflict harm. As a villain, the Flying Dutchman is more cartoonishly maniacal than he is a legitimate threat to anyone’s safety. The rollercoaster sequence at the end that finds SpongeBob plummeting down to Earth from somewhere high up in the atmosphere may also incite some unease. As a whole, however, it is rightly rated PG, mainly for its gross humor and light action. If your little viewers are comfortable watching the TV show, they will have no problem with this film.
- Where to Watch: In theaters Friday, December 19; check your local listings for times and ticket information
Want more Parent Review? Read our take on “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie.”
