THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER (PG)
Released by Paramount Pictures
Review by Adam Mast
Leave it to a toon to finally knock AMERICAN SNIPER out of the top spot at the U.S. box-office. Before getting into THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER, it should be noted that this animated feature probably wont make fans out of non-fans but for the initiated, you’re bound to have a good time. I certainly did. More importantly though, my kids had a blast. They laughed from beginning to end. Furthermore, the film even offers up a message about the importance of team work.
In THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER, Bikini Bottom is plunged into complete and utter chaos after the recipe for the almighty Krabby Patty is stolen from the Krusty Krab. In an effort to save an underwater world gone to hell, Spongebob teams with nemesis Plankton in hopes that they might find the secret formula and restore order to Bikini Bottom. This nutty adventure ultimately finds Spongebob and crew traveling to the mainland where they come face-to-face with mysterious (and goofy) pirate, Burger Beard (played by Antonio Banderas).
Obviously, Spongebob is an acquired taste. Either you really dig this spastic little guy or you think he’s the obnoxious byproduct of his creators’ excessive partying. Personally, I think he’s harmless enough, plus, he’s hilarious to boot.
The vocal cast here, headed by the forever lively Tom Kenny, is an energetic kick in the pants. What’s more, Antonio Banderas is an absolute joy as Burger Beard. His altercation with team Spongebob in the final act is hilarious and his little moments with a pack of chatty seagulls are equally funny.
Director Paul Tibbitt and crew keep things zipping along at a nice pace. As expected, there are punny gags galore (“hold the tartar sauce.”), but beyond that, THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER proves to be pretty darned creative. In one sequence we get to see inside Spongebob’s brain, literally. What’s in there? That’s best left unsaid. Let’s just say it put a smile on my face. In the climactic, high energy, action packed finale, Spongebob and his buddies find themselves magically transformed into computer generated superhero versions of their old school animated counterparts. It’s colorful segments like this that make THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE OUT OF WATER worth recommending.
