The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) User Reviews

Actually, it's quite good..

[axeman-9 · 7/10 · 15 February 2005]

I have to put my hand up right now and say that the whole Spongebob thing had passed me by up until I saw this movie. I have no kids, no Satellite TV and therefore no legitimate reason to have caught any episodes of SBSP. However, I did see some of the trailers, and being a submarine nut I loved them. I also got the low down from a friend with a youngster who watched the DVD constantly, day after day, and he confessed to loving the show too. What the hell, I thought I'd see the movie.

What do you know, it's actually quite good! It looks almost exactly like an episode on TV, there doesn't appear to have been any attempt to update, enhance or otherwise movie-fy the series. Fair enough. As for the story and characters, while it's obviously geared to a younger audience I'd have to say that at least half of it would only be understood by the more adult viewer, and there are more than a few nods to other movies that no toddler will have seen. For instance, the silent, motorcycle-riding, super-tough assassin is a dead ringer for the silent, motorcycle-riding, super-tough assassin in Raising Arizona, and just as funny. There's a certain amount of slapstick and visual gags, but the dialogue and situations are fine too.

Overall I enjoyed the movie, it's funny and engaging and although it does start to lag a bit in the third act it's still rewarding. I'm not sure if the live-action was a good idea, but it's always fun to see The Hasselhoff do his stuff on screen, even if it's poking fun at his persona. There's laugh out loud moments, annoying songs, cameos, Hasselhoff and all the other things that a one-off special episode should have, and that's fine by me.

No adventure has ever been more spongier.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 26 July 2006]

Fans of SpongeBob and its special humor will certainly enjoy this movie, although it's not as good as the television show. But at least the story is bigger and more adventurous than an average SpongeBob episode.

The movie, the story and its humor mostly relies on its randomness. The randomness works good and fun in the television series but its not quite good enough to fill an entire movie with, even though the movie is only 90 minutes short. It falls flat, especially toward the ending, that is disappointingly simple and ridicules. No big finale, just a simple conclusion.

Many new but also many pointless characters are introduced. King Neptune has become a different character from the show and is this time voiced by Jeffrey Tambor. The Mindy character (Scarlett Johansson) is a pointless one. She could had worked in the movie and its story if she perhaps had been someone's love interest (Patrick's). Probably the only good new character is the assassin Dennis (Alec Baldwin). He is a cool and dangerous character.

Luckily the fun main characters are also present. SpongeBob and Patrick form a great stupid comical duo and Mr. Krabs and Squidward are also present but unfortunately a bit underused in the movie, especially Squidward, who always is such a fun, grumpy and dry character to watch in the television show.

You would normally expect from a featured animated movie to be better and more detailed than its television show. There however is hardly any difference notable in terms of style and quality of the animations. Only thing that looks better is the life action. But of course when you have David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff as a character, you can't get any better life action, except when you have Chuck Norris maybe. Not sure if the pirates were completely necessary, they made a pointless and unfunny impression on me.

This movie will probably divide the fans of the television show into two groups. One group will love this movie for its fun, simple adventurous movie and others will find it disappointing that the typical SpongeBob humor doesn't work out quite as well as in the television show. I personally am somewhere in the middle. I enjoyed watching the movie but also have to admit that watching the television show is more fun and overall better to watch.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

I was curious why my kid likes Spongebob so much...

[winshams · 27 November 2004]

I went to see Spongebob because my kid has pretty sophisticated taste, and I couldn't imagine how a cartoon sponge could be interesting. But it was interesting. I wasn't bored for a second, and actually laughed out loud numerous times. Parts of it were definitely off color, but that made it more adult....not just a cartoon kid movie. I loved the David Hasselhof bit. I also liked the other real people and locations that weren't cartoon. This movie would be scary for real little kids, which may help explain why middle school kids like it. I'm not going to watch the TV show every week, but I do think a parent could do worse than going to see Spongebob with his kid...a pleasant afternoon, and insight into what they are watching...

Enjoy

[Mr_Sensitive · 7/10 · 28 September 2006]

SpongeBob finally made it to the big screen and the good thing is - it is nothing less of the TV series, just longer and more fun. Staring SpongeBob and Patrick in search of stolen crown of King Neptune, before he turns Mr. Crab into fried crab.

If you're a fan of the TV series this will not disappoint you at all, and if you're not a fan you will become one. Surprisingly, the movie able to bring all the characteristic and style of the show on to the big screen without trying too hard. It is still the same old SpongeBob, and that what I like about this movie.

The story is consistence and the humor is still fun to watch, there is always something new coming up making it unpredictable. And the original song is brilliantly written and somewhat quite inspiring. SpongeBob still make it big despite being a 2D cartoon cause the animation here is colorfully done.

Overall: I enjoy the whole film, but maybe a little downside on the David Hasselhoff parts. But overall it is an extremely enjoyable film.

Reason To Watch: Finally Able To See SpongeBob In Full Length Movie. Triple The Fun.

Reason Not To: Dislike Real People Acting With Cartoon.

Rating: 7/10 (Grade: B-).

Please Rate (Y/N) After Reading, Thank You.

Absolute masterpiece

[coldenohmer · 10/10 · 22 June 2020]

I can not recommend this movie enough. I may be exaggerating, but I love this movie too much. It's so aware of what it is and very enjoyable even having a good message. I recommend this to anyone even if your not a fan of the show.

Hey, this is actually a good movie!

[Torgo_Approves · 7/10 · 7 October 2006]

(r#78)

I never watched the SpongeBob TV show and only saw this movie because my little brother and his friend needed someone to look after them in the cinema. I didn't have high hopes but decided to give it a chance - after all, I loved "Rocko's Modern Life" as a kid, so how bad could it be? Anyway, I was skeptic, but this movie blew me away. This isn't just one of those "pretty good for a kids' flick" deals, this is a good movie, period.

The characters are hilarious and the sight gags are great; the scene in which SpongeBob and his idiot friend Patrick drink one or two ice creams too many is positively hilarious, as well as some other sequences. The humour is typical over-the-top kiddie stuff but I liked it anyway, which is rare. There is also a great deal of surreal humour thrown in, which is unusual and refreshing for this type of flick. If there's anything a movie shouldn't be, it's banal and uninteresting, and SpongeBob is neither - you'll either embrace the over-the-top quality of the film, or hate it utterly. I liked it a lot, and so did my brother. If you can swallow your pretensions, you will find yourself having a good time with this one. Definitely worth seeing.

Oddly enough, while most people complain that this movie wasn't as good as the show it's based on, I've watched a few episodes of SpongeBob and I could barely make it through them. The movie is far more enjoyable, in my opinion. However you feel about that, this is a great surreal kids' film in the vein of Alice in Wonderland, although a lot brighter, more colourful, and with a slew of Stephen Hillenburg's demented humour thrown in. If liking this movie makes me stupid, childish, or a dork - then so be it! Great stuff.

Fans will like this

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 4 May 2015]

SpongeBob lives in Bikini Bottom with his pet Gary, best friend Patrick the starfish and Squidward. He expects that Mr. Krabs will make him the manager of Krusty Krab 2 but he chooses Squidward instead. Plankton is angry at the new restaurant opening. He uses plan Z to steal King Neptune's crown and frame Mr. Krabs for it. SpongeBob defends Mr. Krabs. Convinced by his daughter Mindy, King Neptune gives SpongeBob and Patrick 6 days to find his crown in dangerous Shell City.

This is basically an extended version of the TV show. It's as silly and irreverent as ever. Its stupidity is its charm. It's fun but it does run a bit long. It may be that SpongeBob is best as 30 minutes episodes. If you're a fan of the show, this is just as good except longer.

It's SpongeBob, 'nuff said

[bro25sibs · 10/10 · 28 February 2005]

I didn't quite know what to expect when I walked into the theater to watch the movie of one of my favorite cartoons. Nickelodeon has a really nasty habit of "big-budgtizing" movies of their shows (changing the look, etc.). However this is not the case with SpongeBob. Whew, one less thing to worry about.

Next was the story. Could Steve Hillenburg live up to what had been laid down by the series? Yes. Basically it's like watching a 1 1/2 hour episode of SpongeBob (and who couldn't like that). Lot's of visual gags and typical Sponge brainless-ness. I was quite impressed.

If you're a SpongeBob fan, you'll love this movie. If you're not, eh, watch it anyways, it'll do you good ;-).

Fans of the TV show should love it.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 21 April 2007]

Although I'm sure there are many parents who would shudder at the thought of sitting down to watch The Spongebob Squarepants Movie, I was actually looking forward to it: it may be a far cry from the Disney and Hanna-Barbera fodder I was raised on, but I love the surreal and 'anything goes' vibe of the TV programme and was keen to see the feature length version.

The story centres around Spongebob's attempt to retrieve King Neptune's stolen crown, in order to save the life of his boss, Mr. Krabs, who has been framed for the crime. Together with his friend Patrick, Spongebob travels to Shell City to find the crown and save the day.

Spongebob is a well-meaning character who I find it impossible not to like, and although perhaps the format is stretched a tad too far for an hour-and-a-half long film, there is still plenty to enjoy about this fun packed feature (let's face it—any film that sees a climactic fight take place on David Hasselhoff's butt, and a sponge defeat evil via the power of rock 'n' roll, has got to be worth seeing!).

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie may not win any new fans, but those who think that the TV show is genius should definitely give this one a whirl.

Pure fun!!!

[Trevour · 10/10 · 23 November 2004]

Take the funniest things about Spongebob Squarepants (wacky-anarchist environment and extremely funny animated drawings) and make it an hour-and-a-half long. It's non-stop laughs and plenty of color and all-out craziness. Spongebob and Patrick go off-model so much that it's an eyegasmic delight for the cartoon maniacs out there.

Sooo many entertaining moments. It's literally a laugh-a-minute film... lots of stuff that flies right over the kiddies' heads.

The one thing I didn't like about the movie - the character Mindy (King Neptunes princess daughter). She didn't fit in well with the rest of the character designs - she looks more like a character you would've seen on the Daria animated series.

Also keep an eye out for the big sea creatures' wrestlin' scene with the evil diver... such smooth and precise animation of so many characters at once that I just sat there in pure awe.

The kids might find it funny

[Ashlevine · 5/10 · 4 December 2004]

Animated feature with voices of Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Tambor and David Hasselhoff based on the Nickelodeon TV series, the most-watched childrenÕs TV show ever. The movie depicts the idyllic deep sea Bikini Bottom where SpongeBob flips patties at the Krusty Krab eatery. His adventure is to thwart the villainous Plankton, owner of the rival Chum Bucket, from his frame-up of SpongeBobÕs boss in stealing King NeptuneÕs crown. Neptune's daughter Missy may help, but a biker thug of terrifying Shell City does not. Like so many Saturday cartoons thrown up onto the big screen, the film is too small of purpose, theme, animation technique and characters to please any but kids and ardent followers. For others, it's a crowd of noisy shapes and unsubstantial characters occasionally saying funny things. You have to be in love with that annoying character to be able to sit through the film.

An underwater adventure of goofy proportions ensues.

[TheMovieMark · 17 November 2004]

This is a movie about an animated sponge that wears square cardboard pants. So there you go, you can't go to the movie and claim you didn't know what kind of humor to expect. It's goofy, it's silly, and it can be downright strange. But I can't call those negative attributes considering the fact that all of the above can also be used to describe me at times.

I've never seen the SpongeBob TV show, so I went into the movie without much of an idea of what I was in for. I must say that while I won't rush out and buy the DVD, I walked away fairly entertained. Expectedly, a lot of the humor is directed towards children, but there's enough here to keep the adults snickering. I may be nearing 30, but I'm not ashamed to laugh at a sponge wearing square whitey tighties! Oh, and for those of us who never cease to mock David Hasselhoff - he has a cameo. I've gotta give the guy credit - he's very aware that the entire country is laughing *at* him, yet he's completely willing to join in.

The children at the screening loved the movie, singing along to songs and everything. One of the funniest things was when Patrick the starfish first appeared on screen and the kids erupted in applause. It was like watching an episode of Seinfeld when Kramer makes his first appearance of an episode and the studio audience goes crazy. I briefly thought about booing just for the fun of it, but the thought of a bunch of tiny little hands pattering me upon my face didn't sound too fun.

But let's go back to the whole "singing along to songs" bit. I think it's only fair to warn parents that this may start to drive you crazy after the movie. Good luck trying to keep your kid from singing, "I'm ready, promotion! I'm ready, promotion!" or "I'm a goofy goober, you're a goofy goober, we're all goofy goobers" over and over and over again. I had to bribe my 9-year-old brother with cold hard cash to knock it off with the "I'm ready, promotion!" song.

Speaking of my brother, I asked him after the movie which he preferred -SpongeBob or The Polar Express. To my surprise, he said SpongeBob because it was "funnier." I suppose this is a lesson that children aren't quite as impressed with fancy animation as adults are.

But he's right, SpongeBob is a funny movie in it's own quirky, original way. I'm not dying to see it again, and I don't think I'll be glued to the TV set every time it's on, but I enjoyed it, and I'm not gonna waste my time or yours by picking apart what I didn't like. The target audience should be pleased with the end result, so mission accomplished.

THE GIST

If you're a fan of the TV show, then you should definitely get a kick out of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. This movie isn't exactly for everybody though. If you've never heard of SpongeBob, then there's quite a bit here that may humor you. But if you hate all things silly, goofy, and immature, then this isn't for you.

Delightful

[ellen-154 · 10/10 · 18 November 2006]

Oh this one is delightful!! Finally a movie which one can enjoy without inhibition. Being an adult, I love this stuff. The innocence and ignorance... the humour.. the cheesiness, the enthusiasm. I wholeheartedly laugh my head off together with my teen son. Of course my husband thinks it's all humbug.

The bad guys are really really bad and still very funny. The so-called evil brain behind all, you almost would root for him and there are adorable, scenes which can bring tears to your eyes, especially when thinking of sea life being "harvested" by us humans, without any regard to respecting the critters down there. It actually has a bit of a message to the youngsters (and us) about our environment and what impact we have. All very light though.

For all the children and adults who have still a child-like look on life, I sincerely hope that the Spongebob team will continue making movies!

a lot of fun

[jpintar · 7/10 · 19 November 2004]

The Spongebob Squarepants movie is a lot of fun to watch. I don't have children but friends of mine who have children recommended this show to me. I think it is a terrific show. This movie follows in the tradition of the TV show. Spongebob and his friend Patrick have to save Mr. Krabbs from King Neptune. Mr. Krabbs has been framed for the theft of King Neptune's crown. Songebob and Patrick must find the crown before Mr. Krabbs is executed for the theft. So Spongebob and Patrick must journey away from their home in Bikini Bottom to find the crown. It is a little difficult extend a 15 minute episode cartoon into a 90 minute feature film. There are a few slow spots in the film understandably because of this. This is a minor quibble, however. I give it a 7/10.

Goofy goober rock, wonderfully heartwarming gem!

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 29 May 2020]

Even as an adult I love this Spongebob movie! Great story where Plankon brain controls bikini bottom and the 2 pals Spongebob and Patrick have to go on legendary adult adventures to save everyone. The humor is spot on, whacky characters, inspiration up the wazoo, and loads of entertainment. Anyone a fan of the series or not is bound to enjoy the 2004 movie.

A great movie for small children

[segratz · 6/10 · 30 November 2004]

This movie is definitely made for preschoolers. Don't expect to find any kind of adult humor in here like in The Incredibles or Shrek. And that's okay with me! I'm a fan of the show, and the movie is mainly fun because Spongebob is so HUGE. Many shots are featured close-ups of his and his friend Patrick's hilarious faces. The sound is great, the songs immature, and the colors so bright that I can imagine a little kid would be enthralled for the whole 80 minutes of running time. There weren't many kids in our theater when we saw this, but the couple that were giggled like crazy! It mainly feels like an extended episode of the show, and that is just what I would say to expect. If you're not a fan of the show, you're NOT going to enjoy this movie.

Well, I liked it

[cosmo-18 · 10/10 · 26 November 2004]

I've read some of the extremely negative comments on this film, and I'm surprised. I thought it was cute, funny, and imaginative, with some well-timed dramatic effects (when they cross the county line, the final fate of the woman with ice cream, ...). It even had a Ween song.

If you're curious about the film, I urge you to see it for yourself, and don't be dissuaded by the negative reviews.

BTW, to provide some background, I come from the 'sappy Simpsons = cra**y Simpsons' school, and I used to love Ren and Stimpy until Bill Camp took over.

My wife and I both really liked the film.

You won't have to feel the awesome wrath of our mustaches.

[film-critic · 10/10 · 10 April 2005]

To begin, I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I don't know if it was the adult themed story, the classic lines that you could find yourself repeating as if it was a cult classic, or the simplistic nature of the story, but I simply fell in love with this wacky piece of cinema. SpongeBob is not your typical hero, and his friend Patrick, doesn't seem to fit the mold of your typical "best-friend role". I found myself laughing at this film because of the messages that it taught and how I guy like me, stuck in the retail world, could easily identify with the trauma that SpongeBob was experiencing. Also, this film was flat out hysterical. I wasn't expecting anything except for kids humor when I first watched it, but after the final credits rolled I was impressed by how adult oriented the humor truly was. The comic timing was perfect, the music resonated perfectly in my ear, and I can honestly say that from the opening pirate credits to the final jump in the air, this film was the rawest form of cinematic perfection and the BEST film I have seen this 2005 year (so far).

I know you are probably thinking, "Andy, you watch a lot of movies, why did you like this one so much?" and I really don't have a straightforward answer to that question. Perhaps it is the repetitive nature of the films that I am currently watching that had me running towards the arms of this SpongeBob movie, or maybe because comedies are not quite the caliber of humor as they once were (resorting to restroom humor and sex instead of actual "funny" comedy), or maybe it was because it told a story that I could relate to, but whatever the case may be this film ranks among the best. I have seen this movie about 20+ times already and cannot wait to see it again. It is one of those films where I catch something new each time, I still laugh at most of the scenes (the bar scene is my personal favorite), and I get that aura of excitement every time I place the DVD in the player. This film is like my unquenchable drug of choice.

SpongeBob is one of those heroes that I can, and I think most in the retail/working sector of the world, relate to. He works hard, he wants promotion, and continues to live his life as his heart allows … like a kid. Isn't that what we all desire? I know that is a crucial element to my life to ensure that I stay true to those and myself around me. Also, it has always been a dream of mine to have a seaweed mustache, and this film promotes the use of this green apparatus. I don't want to sound repetitive, but I cannot wait to add this film to my DVD collection. It provided, and still provides, at least an hour and a half of pure, uncut, humor that will leave some great songs in your mind and this new found respect in your heart. Who hasn't walked into your office one day just singing, "I'm ready, promotion. I'm ready, promotion". Or better yet, ended the day singing, "I'm ready, depression. I'm ready, depression." HA, this has me nearly falling out of my seat as I type this now.

The heart, humor, and childlike feeling for this hero will have children falling over to see this film (though where I work most children are not huge fans of this film … they say that television program is better), and if it is watched by an embarrassed adult, you will be surprised on how much you could probably relate to this film. We are all "goofy goobers" inside, and sometimes it takes a film such as this to pull it out of us. We all wish that we could break out into song whenever possible or even spend an evening at a bar enjoying round after round of ice cream treats.

Overall, I loved this movie. Well, actually, I more than loved it, I thought it was one of the best films that I have seen this year. So many times we watch movies that get too caught up in themselves. They are too serious or too violent or too goofy for what they set out to be, and it was an honest delight to finally find something that was just what it was. SpongeBob is my new hero and I have already found myself watching the television programs whenever possible. You have a new fan SpongeBob … I hope that you will always remain the "goofy goober" that I fell in love with!!

Grade: ***** out of *****

I must have seen a different movie . . .

[MCbirfday · 4/10 · 23 July 2007]

I've been looking through other people's comments for this movie and almost everyone one of their reviews said, "If you're a fan of the show, then you'll love the movie!". So I've come to the conclusion that I must have seen a totally different movie then everyone else, because the Spongebob movie that I saw was boring, unoriginal, and lacked a lot of the humor which makes the show so great. If you're fans of the old Spongebob that gave us such classic episodes like the "KK Training Video" like I am, then I'm sorry to say you will be disappointed. This movie is like all of the new episodes of Spongebob, babyish and moronic. Not the funny kind of moronic, the mind-numbing stupid kind of moronic. The kind where Spongebob acts like a three year old and breaks down and cries every five minutes or so. I understand that the movie was aimed at kids, I was 13 when I saw it, but come on. The dialog in this movie is shameful and clearly does not represent the humor behind the show. I must have laughed one or two times throughout the entire movie. It seems as if though it lacked the charm that the show had the first two seasons. Overall very disappointing and if you are a true fan of Spongebob then you should be able to see it as well.

Stupid but funny

[friedrice6190 · 21 November 2004]

Very stupid indeed. But funny. If you are a fan of the TV show then you will get a kick out of the movie. Most of the jokes are aimed for an older audience...mostly teenagers but there are jokes for the younger audience as well. The movie is not as funny as the show but I'm pretty sure that if you see it you will get a kick out of it anyway. When I walked into the theater most of the parents walked in there with a look on their face saying "God, this is going to be horrible, but I love my kids." and when they were in the theater while the movie was playing they laughed harder and they thought they would.

I wouldn't recommend taking your 5 year old to see it, cause like I said most of the jokes are pretty crude. And some of the younger kids I saw looked confused when Mr. Krabs was telling Spongebob he was making a jackass out of himself and when Patrick was wearing hooker tights.

Not for everyone but a very funny movie indeed.

Enjoyable and Lighthearted ...

[Vic_max · 7/10 · 14 November 2006]

See this movie for its lighthearted spirit and enjoyment. It's not like Cars or Shrek, but more like a normal cartoon that's fun to watch. There's so much upbeat energy and creative / fun dialog that this movie is a bit of gem.

The movie involves the two principal characters, Spongebob and his friend Patrick, on a quest to find the stolen crown of King Neptune. They are on this quest to save Mr. Krabs, even though he didn't make Spongebob manager ... well you get the picture. Even though the plot is simple, there's a lot going on and its very fun to watch.

The music, wacky antics and innocent attitudes all add up to a very positive and worthwhile experience. No matter what age you are, you'll probably enjoy the fresh energy of this movie.

So disappointing

[kyle-cruse · 6/10 · 17 April 2009]

My rating for this film is probably too generous. When reading my comments, understand that I am a fan of the "Spongebob Squarepants" TV show and am writing this in comparison to that. I can sum up why I didn't really like this film in a single sentence. The TV show was funny enough for adults to enjoy, while the movie seems entirely intended for young children. First of all, the TV show was loaded with great supporting characters, yet the movie chose to focus almost entirely on Spongebob and Patrick, who are made out here to be completely childish and immature (and I mean way more than usual). The plot and gags are completely annoying. There are some occasional good lines, but as someone who frequently watches the show, I feel like they've all been done before. The film is way more emotional toward the end than I wanted to see here, and I don't think kids would prefer that to a bunch of good laughs. I'm not really trying to discourage you from seeing this, because your young kids will probably still enjoy the film. All I'm trying to express is how disappointed I was with how this film turned out. It could have been way funnier, and after this movie, the new episodes of the show were never as funny anymore. It's as though the movie set the show on a downward spiral. If you want to laugh, watch some old episodes of the show.

** out of ****

Relies on witt, intelligence, and substance rather than zaniness, colors, and action

[StevePulaski · 9/10 · 22 July 2012]

Is The Spongebob Squarepants Movie something so big, so extravagant that it demanded to be seen on a screen much larger than the one you have at home? Not really. But it's a lot better than some of the other films parents are conned into and forced to take their children to, such as the latest barrage of CGI animation and the one too many Rugrats movies.

There is no way I will waste time explaining the origins and backstory of Spongebob Squarepants. Parents have heard the story one too many times, and I'm almost positive non-parents are aware as well. The show was on the air a mere five years before being picked up for a feature length film, and was very recently confirmed for a sequel, which I'm highly anticipating. If there is one problem the series encountered after this film, it was continuity. This was intended to be the series finale, but the producers decided to pick up where the show left off, skipping over the events of this film, and subtracting "The Krusty Krab 2" from the storyline, rendering this film as useless or as just a curious piece of history.

Nonetheless, this is still a wise choice of entertainment, for the kids or for the parents. It provides expressive, genial fun for everyone and proves its big screen due isn't a contrived or questionable one. It's Spongebob after all, and even back then, seeing this opening weekend in the theaters as an eight year old, I believed that if Arnold from Hey Arnold! could have his own leap on the big screen that Spongebob should be entitled to one as well.

The prologue we get features about two or three dozen pirates in live action, receiving sunken treasure which contains tickets to The Spongebob Squarepants Movie. They sing the iconic and immensely catchy theme song all the way to the theater and anarchically seat and serve themselves.

Our story takes place in Bikini Bottom, as expected, where Spongebob Squarepants (voice of Tom Kenny), proud employee of The Krusty Krab eatery, is impatiently anticipating the announcement made by his boss, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), on who will be the manager of the new restaurant, "The Krusty Krab 2." The position is given to co-worker, Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), after Krabs explains to Spongebob that the position is not fit for someone who is an immature kid. Spongebob becomes depressed and drowns his sorrows with his buddy, Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) at the Goofy Goober ice cream parlor, where consuming heaping amounts of ice cream is the equivalent to a long, endless spree of binge-drinking, producing hangover effects and slurred speech.

Meanwhile, agitated at Krabs' success, competing restaurant owner, Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) carries out a plan to give his restaurant, the Chum Bucket, a place on the map, by unleashing "Plan Z," which involves stealing the renowned King Neptune's crown, revealing his explicit baldness, sending the crown over to "Shell City," and blaming it on Krabs so that Neptune will freeze him and Plankton can steal the secret formula to the Krusty Krabs' burgers and sell them at his own restaurant.

That was a mouthful. Needless to say, the plan works, and Spongebob and Patrick embark on the dangerous journey to Shell City to "get the crown, save the town, and Mr. Krabs!" Plankton is left in control of Bikini Bottom, with Neptune deeply depressed because of the loss of his crown, and turns the town into a totalitarian society, gaining more and more control by giving each customer who purchases a burger a free bucket helmet that allows him to control and alter their minds.

It would've been nice if some of the lesser characters were given bigger, more satisfying appearance in the film, such as Larry the Lobster, Sandy Cheeks, and Squidward. One problem many TV show movie adaptations have is giving each character their own deserved part. One of the films that greatly struggled was The Simpsons Movie, limiting many secondary character roles to vague cameo appearances. Not to mention, it would've been nice if we had a deeper look at Plankton's totalitarian society, but I doubt many children would've found a simple commentary to that interests. After all, it is Spongebob Squarepants, not Animal Farm.

The movie glides along effortlessly, using bright colors, appealing textures, great, fluent animation, surrealism in many sequences, unbelievably catchy sing-a-longs that will probably do parents well on those long car rides, and best of all, doesn't suffer from that awkward animation transition all TV show movie adaptations tend to get. You know? That style that is noticeably different from animation, whether it be more polished, more dimensional, or just more pure? Its worse appearances were in Arthur's Missing Pal and Recess: School's Out. The Spongebob Squarepants Movie is only seventy-eight minutes, with credits subtracted, yet gets by on wit and intelligence, making the experience an extremely worthy one.

NOTE: I will say that this film also features one of the best movie soundtracks in any new animated film I have yet to see. I recommend sitting through the entire credit sequence to not only see the final cookie at the end, but to hear pleasing tunes like Ween's infectious "Ocean Man," The Flaming Lips' "Spongebob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy" (a tune you just want to groove to), Wilco's rock and roll anthem, "Just a Kid," and closing with Spongebob's "Best Day Ever" song, which just makes you feel giddy, spunky, and provides one with a nice lust for life itself.

Voiced by: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Mr. Lawrence, Alec Baldwin, David Hasselhoff, Scarlett Johansson, and Jeffrey Tambor. Directed by: Stephen Hillenburg.

Good Fun

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 9 February 2015]

SpongeBob SquarePants (Tom Kenny) takes leave from the town of Bikini Bottom in order to track down King Neptune (Jeffrey Tambor)'s stolen crown.

I confess that I have only seen the Spongebob show once or twice. Not sure why, maybe it is my age (I was 18 when it debuted). But I went ahead and watched the movie anyway because, frankly, I love David Hasselhoff.

The movie is funny, fun, and just a good time. Hasselhoff makes a great cameo (as good as I expected), but the real highlight is the Cyclops of Shell City. Oh man, his clam model cracked me up so hard. Fun for all ages.

Fun for kids, hilarious for adults.

[CountJonnie · 7/10 · 8 November 2020]

To be honest, we watched this without knowing about Spongebob so it caught us by surprise. Also, just having finished a joint and a few beers did wonders. Even without, there are enough nods for adults. Suffice to say, we laughed our @sses off.