Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆
“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” follows SpongeBob searching for his true self through bravery.
The film opens by providing background on an old Dutch sailor who is under a curse. The curse can only be broken if he finds the purest soul. The sailor is known as the Flying Dutchman.
It goes back to the present day, and SpongeBob, who is now taller, makes the Flying Dutchman a big guy. He goes to a roller coaster but is too scared to go on it. He tells Mr. Krabs about it, and he says that it’s okay to be scared, but SpongeBob isn’t a big guy.
Mr. Krabs then goes on to say how he used to sail with the Flying Dutchman, and he has a Big Guy certificate proving his bravery.
SpongeBob is looking at the certificate and loses it in the vents, so when he goes to find it, he meets the Flying Dutchman and goes on an adventure with him to prove his bravery.
The plot is creative and easy for kids to follow, but they emphasize butts in the film. There are parts that feel almost sexual by defining Patrick’s butt in the air.
This sends the wrong message to kids, making them believe that you need your body to be funny. It also suggests that it’s okay to show off your body, especially more private parts.
SpongeBob is also Flanderized; he seems one-dimensional, and his childishness is his only trait. This makes his problem not serious until Mr. Krabs comes to save him. This goes against the theme of “be a big kid.” They also make his most childish interest save the whole movie, which seems contradictory.
For the movie to be enjoyable for parents, too, there should be characters other than SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, and Squidward to bring nostalgia to parents and older kids.
There’s a part in the movie where they break the fourth wall and ask, “Why isn’t Sandy in the movie?” This is funny, but I feel this was a missed opportunity for the movie to make it better.
Overall, this movie isn’t worth watching. They wasted many resources and a lot of money creating this movie.
