‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants’ Review – A Buoyant And Joyful Animated Comedy

I have to admit something: I have never seen a single episode of SpongeBob SquarePants. Nor have I seen any of the film versions leading up to The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants. My exposure has been limited to Nickelodeon brand television spots or the occasional fast-food sponsorship. These use exaggerated emotion to market a boxed children’s meal. Which made me wonder: is the show made just for kids, or for the kid in all of us?

Or, you know, fraternity guys and the ones who love them, usually while drinking and taking a puff from a bong made out of some starchy vegetable.

However, to my immense pleasure and surprise, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is a sharp satire. It is hopelessly optimistic without a shred of cynicism, and also happens to be very funny. Additionally, it offers an absurdist comedic perspective that can work on multiple levels. It is part workplace satire, with an existential bent and pop-culture parodies. The touch of surrealism works for kids just as much as it does for adults.

The story follows the beloved kitchen sponge, with the structural integrity of a thick slice of Swiss cheese. He possesses the optimism of a loving golden retriever, SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny). He wants to build his bravery and seek validation from those around him. That includes Mr. Krabs (voiced by The Shawshank Redemption’s Clancy Brown), who questions SpongeBob’s backbone. Mr. Krabs is so obsessed with his own greed that I’m surprised he wasn’t wearing a giant golden wig and a red tie.

But Mr. Krabs is obsessed with self-image, projecting his inadequacies onto others. This makes him the perfect foil and antonym of the big, yellow, porous optimist and dreamer. Also along for the ride is his best friend Patrick (Coach’s Bill Fagerbakke, yes, I referenced the Craig T. Nelson “classic’), who is a bit of dimwitted controlled chaos. I like it. He unwittingly summons the unjolly green The Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill), a notorious pirate of the seven seas.

That is the setup for The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, directed by Derek Drymon (Kung Fu Panda 2) and written by Pam Brady (South Park). Matt Lieberman (Free Guy) is also a writer. The movie then follows a familiar animated comedy cliché, leaning toward a family message about what counts inside. For example, courage, self-belief, and an apparent embrace of one’s own values. Of course, the franchise’s classic themes also include friendship and loyalty.

The movie teaches that the titular character needs to learn self-validation and not rely on others. Whatever you think of the absurd, irreverent bent of the franchise, when you have a message like that, you really have something.

The animation has a vibrant quality, embracing the “ghostly” subworld of its supporting characters. While the plot isn’t exactly transparent and remains relatively thin, the film functions more as a character study of these beloved animated creations and the lessons they impart. Fortunately, you’ll hardly notice the narrative shortcomings, as the movie moves at a hilarious pace, flies by effortlessly, and ranks among the more enjoyable family film outings you’ll have this year.

This is precisely why The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for Squarepants is worth watching. The movie thrives on its strengths, absurdist humor, and vibrant animation, which stay true to what made the franchise so beloved in the first place (or so I am told). The story favors character development over plot but focuses on its message, carried by a zany, buoyant, joyful comedy. It is the best SpongeBob, yet, though I admit I have nothing else to base that one on.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is currently playing exclusively in theaters courtesy of Paramount.