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The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Review
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures and Viacom International Inc.
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Directed By: Derek Drymon
Written By: Pam Brady, Matt Lieberman, Marc Ceccarelli & Kaz
Runtime: 96 minutes
MPA Rating: Rated PG for rude humor, action and some scary images.
Tom Kenny – SpongeBob SquarePants/Gary
Mark Hamill – The Flying Dutchman
Clancy Brown – Mr. Krabs
Rodger Bumpass – Squidward Tentacles
Bill Fagerbakke – Patrick Star
Regina Hall – Barb
Carolyn Lawrence – Sandy Cheeks
Mr. Lawrence – Plankton
George Lopez – JK Fishlips
Nickelodeon’s iconic Aplysina fistularis hero, the one and only SpongeBob SquarePants, is back on the big screen for a brand-new feature-length adventure. In The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, the beloved hero, SpongeBob SquarePants (Tom Kenny), gets tricked into an undersea jaunt across the Underworld, as SpongeBob sets out to prove that he’s a big, rough, and tough swashbuckler. However, to defeat the sinister, spectral pirate, The Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill), SpongeBob will have to discover that the best person for the job just might be a sea sponge.
In Search for SquarePants, SpongeBob has finally grown tall enough to ride the big boy rides at the theme park and wants to prove that he’s a big, tough sponge. However, the daunting rollercoaster proves too scary for SpongeBob, and he chickens out, using his trusted boss, Mr. Krabs (Brown), for help.
After Mr. Krabs regales SpongeBob and his best buddy Patrick Star (Fagerbakke) with tales of his bravery across the undersea underworld by becoming a swashbuckler, SpongeBob believes it’s his destiny to prove his mettle as well. SpongeBob is determined to show Mr. Krabs and all his friends that he’s a brave, tough Swashbuckler with intestinal fortitude and not a wimpy bubble blower.
While exploring Mr. Krab’s underground bunker of various treasures, SpongeBob uncovers a mysterious flute, inadvertently summoning the mysterious, ghostly pirate, the Flying Dutchman, and his undead crew. The Flying Dutchman tricks SpongeBob, manipulating the poor and naive young SpongeBob to go on a quest that will break his wraith-like fate, but doom SpongeBob as well. Mr. Krabs then forms a ragtag team, along with the reluctant Squidward (Bumpass) and SpongeBob’s beloved pet snail, Gary, to save their friend in a wild and perilous journey across the underworld.
The SpongeBob franchise began dipping its toe into the CG-animation realm with the second movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, which contained a few sequences rendered with some new CG-animation, before going fully CG with the third movie, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run.
The good news is that the updated CG animation does not dampen the world of Bikini Bottom or its denizens’ unique charm. Although the tools for animating the characters have changed, their unique designs, art style, and aesthetic have not. The film maintains the same whimsical and child-like energy of the animated series, and the CG animation does a nice job of enhancing the characters’ theatrical experience.
The charm of Search for SquarePants lies in the overall message that SpongeBob does not need to prove his bravery by being a rough and tough Swashbuckler, and ultimately, SpongeBob simply needs to be himself. It provides a nice dual character arc, not only for SpongeBob, but also for Mr. Krabs, who desperately wants to save SpongeBob from a briny fate at the hands of the Flying Dutchman.
Through Mr. Krabs’ side of the journey, it’s refreshing to have a story that showcases how much he genuinely cares for SpongeBob. The series typically depicts Mr. Krabs as a greedy, money-obsessed boss, but he never hesitates in his quest to rescue SpongeBob. Watching Krabs show a more sensitive and emotional side, along with his affection for SpongeBob, elevates the story. Even Gary shows his concern for SpongeBob in one of the movie’s cutest moments.
Underneath the movie’s copious amounts of irreverent and slapstick humor lies an uplifting message that it’s okay for kids to be scared, and kids don’t have to be big and tough to show their bravery. SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs learn during their journey across the Underworld that bravery comes in many forms, and it’s a comforting, appropriate story for children and families to enjoy together.
SpongeBob and his Bikini Bottom friends set sail in their biggest, all-new, can’t miss cinematic event ever…The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. Desperate to be a big guy, SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery to Mr. Krabs by following The Flying Dutchman – a mysterious swashbuckling ghost pirate – on a seafaring comedy-adventure that takes him to the deepest depths of the deep sea, where no Sponge has gone before.
Mark Hamill also has a fun role as the spiritual pirate, the Flying Dutchman, and he gets the chance to voice and portray the character in live-action scenes as well. His voice is essentially a mix of his performances as Joker and Skeletor, but he makes for a good adversary for SpongeBob.
Thankfully, director Derek Drymon and Nickelodeon Animation do not attempt to cram in tons of celebrity guest stars and stunt casting, except for Hamill, a proven veteran in the animation world for decades. The classic characters and their indelible voice actors are allowed to take center stage.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is by no means a groundbreaking or animated masterpiece, but it’s still a delightfully charming animated movie and easy viewing for 96 minutes.
Where To Watch The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants hits theaters on December 19. Ticket and showtime information are available at the movie’s official website.
