The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
Bigger. Better. More absorbent.
Starring: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, Mary Jo Catlett, Jill Talley, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Tambor, Dee Bradley Baker, Sirena Irwin, Lori Alan, Thomas F. Wilson
Director: Stephen Hillenburg
Running Time: 90 minutes
US MPAA rating: PGUK BBFC rating: U
Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Family
The crown of King Neptune (Jeffrey Tambor) has been stolen, and burger bar owner Mr Krabs (Clancy Brown) is in the frame, so to save his boss from imminent execution, eager employee Spongebob Squarepants (Tom Kenny) agrees to retrieve the crown from the Forbidden Shell City - even if Krabs had just passed him over for promotion on the grounds that he is "just a kid". Spongebob sets off with his even more dim-witted sidekick Patrick Starfish (Bill Fagerbakke) in Krabs' promotional 'Pattywagon' ("you don't need a licence to drive a sandwich"), not realising that Krabs' rival, the evil (and "criminally tiny") Plankton (Doug Lawrence), is behind the whole scheme in a ruthless bid to take over not only Krabs' successful business, but the whole of Bikini Bottom. Spongebob and Patrick must survive a bar full of bubble-and-baby-hating thugs, some terrifying monsters, and Plankton's hitman Dennis (Alec Baldwin) - but thanks to the help of Princess Mindy (Scarlett Johansson), some fake moustaches, a strange creature known as 'the Hasselhoff', and some righteous chops on the guitar, no-one is putting the squeeze on Spongebob.
In the world of children's feature animation, 2004 was the year that proved there are plenty of fish in the ocean. First came Pixar's underwater odyssey
It's Got: Lines like "Step aside and you won't have to feel the awesome wrath of our nmoustaches" and "I rode the Hasselhoff"; icecream-addicts on a bender; underpants decorated with Goofy Goober the dancing peanut; Spongebob-worshipping pirates.
It Needs: To be shorter and a bit less repetitive.
Alternatives: Finding Nemo, Shark Tale
Summary: Just like a real sponge, it is light, vacuous and strange, and keeps things clean for the kids -but adults might wish it were more absorbing.
Review Date: 9th February 2005
External Links
Official Web Site
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie at the IMDB
