Product: Spongebob Squarepants: Movie
Rating: 3.0
Well, that could've been better
I have to admit being more than a little disappointed by the SpongeBob Squarepants Movie. Having been a big fan of the series, it took me a bit to figure out what was "wrong" with the movie. The idea raised by others that the movie is less "dense" than the TV show is part of it, but I think it also had to do with the tone of the movie, which, for whatever reason, was darker and more plot-driven than the series ever was. Personally, I would have liked to have seen the movie go in exactly the opposite direction--less plot, more zany. The decision to, in essence, limit the story to SpongeBob and Patrick was probably the single biggest flaw--it made for a more coherent (relatively speaking!) story, but it limited the wackiness. Squidward's presence as a foil for SpongeBob was sorely missed--you sort of need the "adult," cynical presence around to counterbalance SpongeBob's optimism and manic energy. Still, there were a few laugh-out-loud moments, and the kids seemed to like it OK. A fair effort overall, but surely not equal to even an average episode of the TV series.