Product: Spongebob Squarepants: Movie
Rating: 5.0
Much better than I anticipated.
I LOVE Spongebob Squarepants, but even I will admit that every so often they make an episode that doesn't quite measure up to the show's usual quality. And judging by past cartoon movies, I had the feeling that this one would be basically lame, unfunny, and uncreative, with one mediocre joke after another like a couple of episodes strung together...and not something you'd want to watch again. I'm glad to say my preconceptions were totally wrong and blown out of the water--pardon the pun--by the actual film itself!Spoilers here, so beware. It began with a pirate crew sailing their ship, partying joyfully on their way to see the Spongebob movie. The film itself had a pleasingly coherent, original plot, not the rehashed and tediously assembled excuse for a plot I expected it to have. Mindy was a rather cute mermaid (but the best part of her was Patrick drooling over her and saying, "She's perdy, Spongebob!" and "You're hot!") King Neptune was not the same god Neptune from the series, but I suppose that was intentional. (Maybe the god should have been labeled as Poseidon or something?) Anyway, I found myself and my brother getting far more laughs out of this movie than I thought we would. The Goofy Goober song, the Thug Tug, the frogfish with a luring tongue shaped like an old lady selling ice cream, the Shell City giftshop in which the dried-out sealife is revived by Spongebob and Patrick, the heroes, and avenges themselves on the evil diver, the ride back to Bikini Bottom on David Hasselhoff...it all adds up to a very pleasing film. Sandy has perhaps the most disappointingly small role. Squidward, Mr. Krabbs, and of course the plan Z-enacting Plankton and his computer wife Karen make their appearances and are at nothing less than their best.Spongebob's movie has some truly great moments and lines in it; many of the best expressions I've ever seen on the characters' faces were used here, and many of the jokes are genuinely hilarious. Yes, most of the humor is pretty silly and childish, but that is part of the charm (and the meaning) of the film.In the great tradition of wonderful undersea films of late like "Finding Nemo" and "Shark Tale," this movie carries its message about respecting ocean life and the DVD special features include a fantastic featurette with Jean-Michel Cousteau and Stephen Hillenburg (as well as most of the voice actors.) You'll find out things you didn't know (Squidward's an octopus, man) and hear from the people who made the show. This movie is a fine and surprising example of how Nickelodeon can really make a good cartoon into a good film if they actually have a great idea to begin with and they give it their all.