It raised more than a few eyebrows when The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants was selected as a closing night film at AFI Fest. It made more sense within the screening’s first few minutes. Not because of the film itself, but the short that precedes it. Like its feature-length predecessor, Mutant Mayhem, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey is a nostalgic blast while also evolving the source material. Amidst all of the ’90s throwbacks, including a nod to the infamous We Wish You a Turtle Christmas, it tells a timely and humorous story about how AI isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. The short will appeal to kids and adults on different levels. Then we get to our feature presentation, which is pretty much just for kids.
But wait, isn’t SpongeBob supposed to be just for kids? If that were the case, millennials wouldn’t be sharing SpongeBob memes over two decades later. Beyond the long-running Nickelodeon series, SpongeBob has crossed over to a wide range of ages with projects like the Broadway stage musical. Search for SquarePants ironically centers on SpongeBob wanting to prove he’s a “big guy.” There isn’t much here for the big guys and big girls in the audience, however. This is strictly for ages ten and under, which I might be more forgiving of if the film gave us something new. Yet, even the setup of SpongeBob wanting to grow up is a retread of his first movie, which did manage to resonate with the young and young at heart.
To prove himself as a daring swashbuckler, SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) sets sail with the Flying Dutchman, now voiced by Mark Hamill. While Hamill is a good replacement, why Nickelodeon felt the need to replace Brian Doyle-Murray, who has voiced the Dutchman since 1999, is questionable. It’s celebrity stunt casting, and as far as that goes, at least we’re spared any pointless live-action cameos from Snoop Dogg, Danny Trejo, and Keanu Reeves. David Hasselhoff remains the gold standard. Regina Hall also does a nice job as the Dutchman’s first mate, Barb. Of course, SpongeBob isn’t too far from Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), while Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), and Gary set out to find our squared hero.
Characters like Sandy (Carolyn Lawrence) and Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) are present, but they’re essentially given glorified cameos. The film even calls itself out at one point for not featuring Sandy more. Maybe there was a scheduling conflict, with Sandy and Plankton too busy filming their respective Netflix films. At least Search for SquarePants is more focused than some of the other SpongeBob movies. It doesn’t shoehorn in a superhero climax like 2015’s Sponge Out of Water or suddenly become a backdoor pilot for a Paramount+ series like 2020’s Sponge on the Run. It’s a straightforward pirate adventure, which could be fun with enough solid laughs and eye-catching animation. Search for SquarePants doesn’t quite reach the low bar it sets for itself, however.
Matt Lieberman (Scoob!, 2019’s The Addams Family) co-wrote the screenplay with Pam Brady. The latter is best known for her work with Matt Stone and Trey Parker, but Search for SquarePants is closer to her work on Smurfs earlier this year. There are smiles here and there, but few jokes that are going to be repeated walking out of the theater. Even for jokes aimed at kids, there wasn’t much laughter in my theater. The animation is energetic and colorful, although the CG character designs all have a toyetic aesthetic. Compared to the franchise’s past CG ventures, Sponge on the Run had more of a visual eye.
The film was directed by Derek Drymon, who was the creative director on the first three seasons of SpongeBob – the show’s golden era. Drymon clearly understands these characters and has great affection for them. However, it feels like the studio simply told him to make another SpongeBob movie that plays it safe. Maybe it’s time for some fresh blood to come in, preserving the spirit of SpongeBob, while taking creative chances. It’s worked out great with Paramount’s Ninja Turtles franchise, as reflected in that opening short, which might be worth the price of admission even with the mediocre feature. Judging Search for SquarePants alone, it’s cute for kids and painless enough for adults. No matter your age, though, it’ll go through one sponge hole and out the other.