Gutsy and doofy as ever – Beyond Bollywood

While Planktonmaniacs miss the legendary copepod, director Derek Drymon’s shift away from the usual Krabby Patty formula hunt works wonders for this adventure-filled fourth movie in the franchise.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

Though hugely successful on television, Nickelodeon has had a mixed bag with SpongeBob SquarePants’ big-screen adaptations. The first film in 2004 was a huge success, but the second took 11 years to arrive. The animated-cum-live-action Sponge Out of Water (2015) worked well, but the third film, Sponge on the Run, didn’t quite land its adventure. A couple of Netflix spin-off films were unbearable

Four years after Sponge on the Run, Nickelodeon and Paramount have released the fourth SpongeBob movie, titled Search for SquarePants. Series veteran Derek Drymon, who worked on the first film, returns to direct, with Pam Brady and Matt Lieberman penning the screenplay.

The title is a bit edgy, but fear not – our SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny) hasn’t lost his square pants. This is a tale all about guts, bravery, and overcoming one’s biggest fear. It starts with SpongeBob believing he’s grown a few millimetres, making him eligible to conquer his fear of roller coasters. When the opportunity arrives, he panics and flees from the carnival.

He’s grown-up hearing Mr. Krabs’ swashbuckling tales and longs to earn a swashbuckler certificate like his mentor one day. Destiny provides the perfect opportunity – one that sees him ride to the Underworld and face the feared Flying Dutchman. The latter has sweet-talked him into believing that an underworld adventure is the key to his swashbuckling dream.

While Planktonmaniacs miss the legendary copepod, director Derek Drymon’s shift away from the usual Krabby Patty formula hunt works wonders for this adventure-filled fourth movie in the franchise. That’s not to say this is a Plankton-free movie. Our beloved copepod makes a memorable cameo. But he isn’t missed, because the Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill) and his madcap crew prove worthy antagonists in this adventure-filled journey.

While the underworld comes with its own perils and many dangers, SpongeBob and Patrick (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) navigate every challenge in their typical carefree, doofy, but hilarious way. Much to the bewilderment of the Flying Dutchman and his gobsmacked crew, particularly his assistant Barb (voiced by Regina Hall).

At the core of this adventure is the simple but vital message: conquer your fear, not in the typical swashbuckling style, but in this swashbuckling SpongeBob way-pure innocence, laughter, no malice but pure joyride. Ah, how we wish we all could conquer our fears by simply laughing and doofing our way through every tribulation.

For a miserly, innocently exploitative boss, it’s a pleasant surprise to see Mr. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown) temporally shut down the Krusty Krab to save SpongeBob. Also on display is Mr. Krabs’ swashbuckling history, where the mustache fits this gloating crab perfectly.

Reel FX Animation brings a fresh, playful visual vibe to Search for SquarePants, ditching overly slick CGI or fake 2D looks at Derek Drymon’s smart direction. Pulling from ’60s plastic toys and leaning into those quirky “flaws” for laughs, it captures SpongeBob’s handmade feel while nodding to Sam Raimi thrills, Coen brothers’ quirks, Pirates of the Caribbean energy, and Three O’clock High edge – stretching Bikini Bottom in wild, camera-hugging ways that mix media for absurd, heartfelt fun.

For 96 minutes, you surrender to the doofus protagonists, crazy antagonists, and colourful joyride adventure. Originally designed for the web, the first draft was scrapped as Paramount and Derek Drymon rewrote the story, pouring all their creativity into making Search for SquarePants a worthy theatrical experience. An ideal Christmas gift for Americans – and now a great way for Indians to kick off their New Year.

Watch the public reaction from the Mumbai special screening below. 

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