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Review by: Jack Foley | Rating:
Two
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES: The Absorbing Tale Behind The Spongebob
Squarepants Movie. Case of The Spongebob. Saving The Surf. Animatics.
Teaser trailer.
SPONGEBOB SquarePants has rapidly emerged as one of Nickelodeon's
most popular TV animated heroes, so it's little wonder to find
him now venturing onto the big screen given the marketing potential
such an outing offers.
What is surprising, however, is just how shamelessly enjoyable
the subsequent movie is.
SpongeBob doesn't boast any groundbreaking innovations, or aspire
to any great life-altering philosophies; he just wants to entertain
and does so in spades.
Hence, fans of the TV cartoons will lap up his big screen adventure,
while the uninitiated might just find themselves chanting the
Spongebob anthem come the end as well.
The adventure in question picks up as SpongeBob prepares to accept
the managerial position at the underwater Krusty Krab 2 restaurant
he longs for, only to discover that it has been gifted to someone
else.
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Distraught and desperate to become
an adult, SpongeBob and his best friend, Patrick (the loyal starfish)
seek solace in ice-cream sundaes, unaware that redemption is just
around the corner.
For SpongeBob's boss, Mr Krab, is about to be set-up by his nearest
rival, Plankton, who steals vain King Neptune's crown and plants
the evidence in the restaurant.
Hence, with Mr Krab's life in the balance, SpongeBob volunteers
to retrieve the crown and save the day, thereby attracting the
attentions of Neptune's mermaid daughter, while fending off all
manner of hitmen, strange venues and real-life David Hasselhoffs
into the bargain.
Given the big screen nature of the outing, several big names
have been drafted in to voice new characters, such as Scarlett
Johanssen (as Neptune's daughter) and Alec Baldwin, not to mention
Hasselhoff's appearance late on.
But crucially director, Stephen Hillenburg, doesn't betray its
roots and all of the central characters are voiced by the same
people as on the TV, bringing a welcome sense of familiarity to
all fans of the series.
There are probably heaps of in-jokes that newcomers won't get,
but they are nicely mixed with some really good stand-alone set
pieces and some juvenile humour that succeeds in putting a smile
on the face.
As a result, kids will be easily pleased, while the child inside
every adult will also find something to amuse them. Hurrah for
SpongeBob and his pineapple under the sea!
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