Spongebob is a huge part of my childhood. I could always rely on him for a good laugh, and I still enjoy watching old episodes to this day. I really enjoyed the first Spongebob movie, but I was not looking forward to this one. I stopped watching Spongebob a long time ago, and from what I have seen, the show has gone downhill. However, this movie is not the train wreck I thought it would be. In fact, it is fairly entertaining.
I Wumbo, you wumbo, he-she-me wumbo
I will start off with the positives. First of all, I enjoyed the story. Compared to the first movie, there was more material for all of Bikini Bottom to work with. Not only that, but some characters are given more complex moments. In terms of quality, this movie really delivered on those aspects of its’ characters. I was really pessimistic about the live action aspect of the movie, and for the most part it was better than I expected. The characters were animated very well, and the jokes did not die out. This is not a spoiler, but the film is a bit crazy. There are some really weird moments that turned some people off. However, I really liked those moments, and they brought the biggest laughs for me. The humor is different than before, but it is still present throughout the movie. With that said, the humor used to be both smarter and more consistent.
Are you ready Kids?
I am fully aware that this is a kids movie, but old episodes of spongebob (along with the first movie) had a more mature tone than this movie. There were a handful of scenes (mostly ones involving Antonio Banderas) that are simply cringeworthy. This movie will definitely be loved by young children, but certain parts of the movie do not appeal to older viewers. Most of the movie is really funny, but there were a handful of scenes that were far too “kid friendly” for my tastes. Another slight criticism I have for the film is the first song. It just was not very good, and I expected something a bit catchier. Spongebob is not primarily known for its’ songs, but there are so many memorable ones. It was disappointing not to get another memorable song from this movie.
Closing Remarks
I had a good time with this movie, even though it had some problems. Kids will love it, and I think fans of SpongeBob will enjoy it as well. I had very low expectations going in, and luckily the film exceeded them. If you get a chance, definitely check it out, and you will have a good time.