B-
It’s been 10 years since we’ve seen a “Spongebob Squarepants” film, and “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” does not disappoint.
With a new animation style and the original producers from seasons 1-3, “Sponge Out of Water” maintains the same lovable, simple humor “Spongebob” provided us in our childhood.
Many of the jokes are family friendly and certainly capture the target audience, but that doesn’t mean it isn't enjoyable for everyone else.
Admittedly, this “Spongebob” movie is rather simple when it comes to plot development. It's similar to the stagnant plot of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit? ” — Plankton is at it again, and the miniscule and devious villain has decided to steal the Krabby Patty formula.
Again.
But this time, the formula mysteriously disappears and it’s up to our unlikely Bikini Bottom duo, Spongebob and Patrick, to retrieve it.
Throughout their quest, there’s time traveling, roaming through different dimensions, encountering a dolphin named Bubbles and making their way to the surface.
In usual “Spongebob” fashion, there are some singing montages. Much like the “F.U.N. Song” from the first season, Spongebob and Plankton sing a duet.
During the time traveling sequence, Spongebob and Patrick engage in a trippy, psychedelic romp through the space-time fabric. The animation here is quite engaging, coupled with a new Pharrell and N.E.R.D. track, “Squeeze Me.”
Spongebob and Patrick aren’t the only two familiar characters in this feature — the whole gang is here. While they’re on the surface, they come across humans on the beach, a bike ride and “giant snacks.” These interactions, although simple, are refreshing and poignant, and it’s interesting to see how these basic sea-dwellers interact on dry land.
Patrick, Spongebob, Squidward, Sandy and Mr. Krabs team up in the end to defeat Burger Beard the Pirate, voiced by Antonio Banderas, for the Krabby Patty’s secret formula in a battle on the surface.
Overall, “Spongebob: Sponge Out of Water” has a happy ending, which is expected from this kind of movie. While the movie is cute and delightful, it was disappointing to not see a follow up to the masterpiece of a song that was