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The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
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Movie Review by Nick 
November 23rd, 2004
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Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? If you shouted "SpongeBob SquarePants," then you probably know that everyone's favorite parazoan has made the jump from Nickelodeon to the silver screen. His debut film "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie" is based on the smash cartoon of the same name and features the vocal talents of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, and Mr. Lawrence. In SpongeBob's latest and longest adventure, the inch-high villain, Plankton (Lawrence), has devised his most evil and dastardly plan yet to obtain the coveted secret formula for Krabby Patties and take over the world. The only pothole on his road to world domination comes in the form of SpongeBob (Kenny) and best buddy Patrick (Fagerbakke), who must set out to the forbidden Shell City on a mission to recover King Neptune's crown and save all of Bikini Bottom.
Those familiar with the yellow and porous superstar will know exactly what to expect going into this one: a double-edged sword of slapstick clowning and hallucinogen-influenced animation that is geared toward children, but still manages to be terribly funny and a guilty pleasure for adults. While it has often been compared to "The Ren & Stimpy Show" for its ability to amuse adults and children alike, "SpongeBob" foregoes the gross-out humor that helped make "Ren & Stimpy" the craze it once was, instead going for a wholesome brand of zany amusement that is child safe yet hysterical for adults at the same time. On this level, the film does not disappoint, as SpongeBob and friends' antics here are as rollicking and boisterous as ever.
Unfortunately, the picture carries with it a Catch-22. While I can't say I'm convinced that someone who is not the least bit familiar with the series and characters would enjoy the film as much as even the casual fan, both occasional and hardcore viewers alike may be disappointed by the lack of screen time many of the regular players receive. The usually prominent supporting characters were all but forgotten. While SpongeBob's grouchy neighbor Squidward (Bumpass) and penny-pinching boss Mr. Krabs (Brown) are integral parts of the story, they don't play as big a part in its progression as one would expect (incidentally Mr. Krabs introduced himself with one of my favorite lines in the film: "Hello, I like money"). It seems that writer/director Stephen Hillenburg chose to make room for the film's big name guest stars by ignoring other regulars such as SpongeBob's pet snail, Gary, and his squirrel friend, Sandy Cheeks, treating them as an afterthought and only mentioning them in passing. In these guest roles, Alec Baldwin and David Hasselhoff are both impressive, with Baldwin voicing Dennis, the tough-as-nails bounty hunter sent to stop our heroes from completing their mission and Hasselhoff spoofing his "Baywatch" days in one of the movie's live-action segments. Conversely, Jeffrey Tambor and Scarlett Johansson are entertaining but not particularly noteworthy as the voices of the quick-to-execute King Neptune and his more rational daughter Mindy. On a disappointing note, I did feel the films feature length worked against it. In the show's usual fifteen minute length, the jokes come at a furious pace, leaving barely a moment to catch your breath before the next wave of laughs comes crashing down. In this form, though, the story itself was stretched thin at points, with scenes of what appeared to be unnecessary filler added just to reach the ninety minute plateau, enforcing the fact that SpongeBob may be better suited for short bits rather than a feature length film.
While not without its flaws, the gags are as funny as ever, and Patrick's outfit during SpongeBob's parody of Twisted Sister's "I Wanna Rock" is worth the price of admission alone. If nautical nonsense be something they wish, then "SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie" is sure to entertain both fans and newcomers alike.
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