AFI FEST Review: SpongeBob and Patrick (and the Ninja Turtles) make a fun return to the big screen

Capping off my second straight weekend of animation screenings at festivals (Animation is Film last weekend, AFI FEST this weekend), today's world premiere of The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for Squarepants was the only movie in the bunch that had a lot of kids in attendance. This isn't super surprising, since most of the other stuff I saw was much more older-skewing, but it made for a pretty infectious energy in the Chinese Theatre. I'm all for good theater etiquette, but there is something really fun about seeing a family movie in a theater full of kids who can't help but laugh and shout out and whatever else.

And it ends up there were a lot of good reasons to laugh and shout out and whatever else during The Search for Squarepants, the sixth movie spin-off of the beloved series (which started when I was in elementary school...that is crazy). When you sit down for a SpongeBob movie, you don't ever really know what you're going to get. The first movie back in the day is a bonafide classic, but since then, there have been ups and downs. Appropriately, like a roller coaster.

The Search for Squarepants is a definite up on that chart, and maybe the best movie since the first. I think a lot of it comes down to this feeling so much like classic SpongeBob. There aren't excessive celebrity cameos or a bunch of new, unnecessary characters. Rather, this movie realizes that what makes the series great is what's always there: that core cast of characters and a relentlessly zany sense of humor. That's really all you need to make a great SpongeBob movie, and this is pretty close to great.

Our adventure starts with SpongeBob waking up and measuring himself against the wall, where he discovers that he is finally 36 clams tall, and thus, officially a "big guy." This has all sorts of implications, ramifications, etc., but the most pressing is that he's now tall enough to ride the roller coaster at the local amusement park. But after actually laying eyes on it, SpongeBob panics a bit (a lot), and makes an excuse to get out of going on the ride.

Cut to the Krusty Krab, where Mr. Krabs shares stories of his youthful derring-do, which inspires SpongeBob to pursue a swashbuckler certificate. If he can prove his mettle and get his name on a certificate, he'll know that he truly is a big guy, and not only because of his height.

Unfortunately, this plan coincides with a run-in with the Flying Dutchman, who has been seeking someone with pure heart who could be the key to breaking his long curse. (I wonder who that could be?)

Right from the get-go, you get the feeling that you're in the midst of a classic SpongeBob adventure. Narratively, there's no frills or fat. It's a super-simple A-to-B situation, which means there's plenty of room for a true kitchen-sink approach to comedy. This movie never stops throwing jokes and gags at you, and the hit rate is remarkable. Almost every bit, callback, recurring joke, sight gag, etc. is genuinely funny, because it's all so rooted in these lovable characters. Honestly, it was also nice to be back on a cinematic outing that was centered on SpongeBob and Patrick again (with Mr. Krabs and Squidward playing big supporting roles) after the last couple straight-to-Netflix spin-offs centering on Sandy and Plankton (both of whom barely appear in this one). I'm a simple man: I love SpongeBob and Patrick together. They are so dumb and funny and I could watch them be dumb and funny forever.

If there's a ding against this movie, it's the same one I have with other recent SpongeBob movies: I don't love the look. While the main cast all looks fine, a lot of the background characters have a weirdly smooth/unfinished look to them, and the whole thing sometimes smacks of a cheap plastic imitation of the real thing. Obviously, I would rather just get a 2-D movie, but I'm sure this is cheaper and works in synergy with other larger plans for the franchise and blah blah blah. 

But the mild ugliness of the film is a pretty forgivable sin, and the movie is so much fun that it ultimately doesn't matter.  

Before I go, it's worth noting that The Search for Squarepants is preceded by a new TMNT short, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 -- Lost in New Jersey (what a mouthful). Using the same art style and voice cast as the recent Mutant Mayhem movie, this was a fun short and, more importantly, a full-throated denunciation of AI. 

This program was the first time I've seen the Paramount logo overlaid with new corporate overlord Skydance's name, and CEO David Ellison is notoriously in love with AI. So it makes me happy that his company is soon releasing a short that is literally about how stupid, ugly, and lazy AI is within artistic endeavors. The turtles basically go to find out who's releasing bootleg toys based on their likeness, and end up fighting a robot who is the literal embodiment of generative AI. 

It's a hoot, a holler, and a warm reminder that the fine creative folks in Hollywood aren't going to bow down to these corporate idiots without a fight.