PG, 87m, 2004

With the Voice Talents of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants and the Narrator), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick Star), Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward Tentacles), Alec Baldwin (Dennis), Scarlett Johansson (Princess Mindy), Jeffrey Tambor (King Neptune), Jill Talley (Karen), David Hasselhoff (Himself), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks), Mageina Tovah (Theater Usher) and Mary Jo Catlett (Mrs. Puff). Directed by Stephen Hillenburg. Produced by Stephen Hillenburg and Julia Pistor. Screenplay by Tim Hill, Derek Drymon, Stephen Hillenburg, Kent Osborne, Aaron Springer and Paul Tibbitt. Music by Gregor Narholz. Based on the characters created by Stephen Hillenburg.

            Given the overwhelming success since his 1999 debut, it’s no wonder that SpongeBob got his own movie in 2004. Often times when an animated tv show gets a movie, the end result feels like an extended episode. The film goes into new territory, while still retaining its identity established in the tv show. This film follows the footsteps of other good animated films that were based on a tv show like Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, The Powerpuff Girls Movie and Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie by successfully bringing a beloved creative property to the big screen in a clever new way that respects its source material while trying something new.

            The film opens with a merry band of pirates finding the greatest treasure, one could ask for in 2004. Tickets to The SpongeBob Movie. They rush to the cinema and settle in their seats, after wreaking havoc in the concession stand, making a big mess for the poor workers to clean up. The curtains parts and we cut to the Krusty Krab, which is the most popular fast-food establishment in Bikini Bottom, where a bunch of police officers and reporters have gathered. A customer had ordered a Krabby Patty with cheese, but when he took a bite, the cheese was nowhere to be found. SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) is called in and successfully applies the missing cheese to the patty. As the crowd hoists SpongeBob in the air to congratulate him, SpongeBob wakes up. He’s especially happy on this particular day because it’s the grand opening of the Krusty Krab 2, and SpongeBob believes that he’s a shoo-in for the position of manager. SpongeBob rushes off to work greeting his neighbors Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) and Squidward Tentacles (Rodger Bumpass), as he passes them. At the grand opening, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) appoints Squidward as the new manager, much to SpongeBob’s dismay. Meanwhile, Mr. Krabs’ archenemy Plankton (Mr. Lawrence), is once again trying to find a way to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula, when he comes across the sinister plan z, which is so diabolical its lemon scented. That night Plankton steals King Neptune’s (Jeffrey Tambor) crown, leaving a note that frames Mr. Krabs as the crook. The next day King Neptune and his daughter Mindy (Scarlett Johansson) arrive at the Krusty Krab and King Neptune quickly accuses Mr. Krabs of stealing his crown. Mr. Krabs protests his innocence when Mr. Krabs’ phone goes to voice mail and a mysterious voice claims that Mr. Krabs sold the crown to a guy called Clay (in reality it’s Plankton on the other end). “Clay” then reveals he sold the crown to a guy in Shell City. In exchange for sparing Mr. Krabs’ life, SpongeBob offers to retrieve the crown and King Neptune reluctantly agrees. Mr. Krabs is then frozen and unless SpongeBob and Patrick can return the crown to King Neptune in six days, Mr. Krabs will be executed. While SpongeBob and Patrick are away, Plankton steals the Krabby Patty secret formula and begins to make Krabby Patties at his restaurant, along with a free bucket helmet. When Squidward confronts Plankton, Plankton activates a device that puts all those who wear his bucket helmet under his control. Now it’s up to SpongeBob and Patrick to get the crown, save the town and Mr. Krabs.

This movie is campy and cheesy in all the right ways. In one scene, in order to get back to Bikini Bottom, Patrick and SpongeBob ride on top of David Hasselhoff as he glides across the ocean like a motorboat. In order to bring this scene to life the filmmakers built a 12-foot replica of Hasselhoff, which Hasselhoff, himself was highly impressed of due to how realistic it looked. This is keeping with the spirit of the SpongeBob series which featured several tongue in cheek gags that acknowledge the absurdity of the situation.

            Released at a time when hand-drawn animation was dying in the United States, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie looks beautiful. As is the case with animated films based on a tv show, the animation is looks better than it does in the TV series. Granted the animation isn’t anything ground-breaking and it isn’t as good as the animation in films released by Disney or Studio Ghibli, but it doesn’t really need to. The animation is simplistically bright and colorful for the majority of the film unless the plot calls the animation to appear dark and foreboding when the characters venture to a threatening location. I find the simplistic animation reflects the simplistic nature of the film and I have to appreciate that.

Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob, has stated that the show was mainly about not losing one’s childlike sense in life, which does transfer over to the film in a truly wonderful way. SpongeBob spends the entire movie on a life changing journey, after being publicly humiliated by his boss for being a kid. After returning from his journey he realizes that retaining a sense of childlike wonder and attitude isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all SpongeBob does hold down a job, where he’s a model employee. He owns his own house which means he means he has to pay some kind of mortgage along with bills. Compare this to Squidward who does all the things an adult is supposed to do, but at a cost. While Squidward acts more like a responsible adult than SpongeBob does, there’s a massive difference between the two. Squidward is often shown to be completely miserable. He hates his job, his neighbors and anyone who annoys him (which is pretty much the entire population of Bikini Bottom). SpongeBob on the other hand takes delight in the little things like blowing bubbles and getting into shenanigans with friends. Some parents find SpongeBob to be a negative influence on their children as they think it teaches bad morals and immaturity. These parents completely miss the point of the show which as I stated earlier is about a guy who goes through life with a little but of childlike innocence while still retaining adult responsibilities.

            The film’s plot is a zany buddy road trip movie. The plot doesn’t try to be overally complex or convoluted, it knows that this is a SpongeBob movie and it doesn’t try to complicate things by adding unnecessary side plots. If anything, the film feel like a longer episode of the show. Plankton attempting to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula is a running theme throughout the SpongeBob series. The formula is simple, Plankton comes up with an “ingenious” plan to steal the either a Krabby Patty or the Krabby Patty secret formula and sets plan into action. Inevitable the plan is somehow foiled, and Plankton is forced to return to his restraint, the Chum Bucket. Wash, rinse and repeat, and you end up with several hundred episodes. The SpongeBob SquarePants is able to take this concept and extend it to a feature-length runtime.

            One problem I had with this film is major characters from the series such as Sandy, Ms. Puff and Squidward are relegated to minor and cameo roles. This problem was fixed in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, but I would have liked to see more of the characters that made the show so memorable in the first place. Another problem I had with the film was a thought there was too many jokes that involved toilet humor. I get that this is a SpongeBob movie, but could they have toned down the toilet jokes? The SpongeBob episode The Band Geeks is one of the funniest episodes of the show, and if memory serves, it doesn’t have any toilet humor in it. I’m not saying I hate this movie because of its humor choices as there were several jokes that made me laugh, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a tad disappointed.

            I’ve always found it rather odd that a being that can create high tech gadgets, and is shown to be highly intelligent, has a restaurant that only sells chum.  For those of you that don’t know chum is basically fish blood, gut and bones all ground together. This raises the question of where did Plankton obtain the chum? I don’t know, and quite frankly it might be best if I never find out. I do find it odd however, that Plankton has never had one customer at the Chum Bucket. I get other fish not eating there, but the show has established that sharks and predatory fish do inhabit areas close to Bikini Bottom, so it’s not too farfetched to think somebody would have visited his restaurant. I don’t know, maybe Plankton is too caught up in his Napoleon Complex to properly run his business.

            This film wisely takes the decision to not take itself too seriously, as the film knows full well what it is. This allows for some gags that range from funny to juvenile potty humor. However, this does not distract from the fact that this film has a story to tell and it tells it rather well. Some people are going to look at this film and just see a dumb bright and colorful film to babysit their kids. In some respects, they’re right, as this film as vividly beautiful animation and it’s certain to keep kids entertained, but I feel quite a few adults can watching this film and enjoy it.