The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
“I’m a big boy now.” Juvenile, jestful and generic, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is a swashbuckling cinematic babysitter designed to delight children, but that lacks the original series’ spark that so many were fond of, in a film that has bubbly animation and a fun performance from Mark Hamill but that can’t salvage what’s otherwise a cinematic shipwreck. Discussion Points: For 26 years, SpongeBob SquarePants has been bubble blowing and eardrum bursting with his laughter. He first made it into cinemas in 2004 with the cult classic The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. 11 years later, a live-action CGI hybrid sequel Sponge Out of Water tried to capitalise on the superhero movie craze at the time. 5 years later, a fully CGI threequel Sponge on the Run debuted on Netflix/Paramount+. Now a further 5 years later, we have another fully CGI theatrical movie Search for SquarePants. For 25 years, I’ve been alive. For about 13 of those, I thought SpongeBob was pretty funny....
