SpongeBob's Latest: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Dose of Giggle-Provoking Fun
Could those early viewers who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such longevity is in part due to its wide-ranging charm, amusing the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.
An Established Goofy Groove
Kicking off with a festive short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon finds a recognizably silly rhythm. Its storyline serves as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the real rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.
The Adventure for Swashbuckling Credentials
SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digimation and hand-turned elements, forever showcasing satisfying, authentically cartoonish effects.
Whether its spitballing humor will linger after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.
Notable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging somehow more rectangular than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the younger audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.
The Verdict
In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable entry to the franchise – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original students will probably be snickering all over again.
Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.
