spongebob the movie review

‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run’ Review: The First All-CGI SpongeBob Adventure Has His Skewed Spirit of Fun

The hyperkinetic wit of "SpongeBob" is now pleasingly standard, as it drives a cracked celebration of friendship.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

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Here’s a vintage SpongeBob moment, the kind that makes some of us who are years past the demo feel like we can’t get enough of him. In “ The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run ,” our hero, voiced in that Daffy-Duck-on-happy-pills way by Tom Kenny, discovers that Gary the Snail, his beloved pet companion, has been snailnapped. (He’s been taken to the vain and preening tyrant King Poseidon, who uses snail slime for skin treatments.) For a moment, SpongeBob lapses into a misty memory, flashing back to Camp Coral, where he first knew Gary as a kid. It’s all very sweet (“I loved you since the first day we met,” says SpongeBob). Then SpongeBob comes out of the reverie and, sitting back on his haunches, his face turned to the heavens, he bawls so hard that the tears shoot out of his eyes like twin geysers. That moment, which turns sentiment into sheer mockery and then back again, could have been staged by Chuck Jones. But it’s pure SpongeBob.

The characters in “Sponge on the Run” say what they mean, nudging their thoughts to acerbic extremes (“This is about friends! And friends don’t let friends become somebody else’s face cream!”), only to snap back to their (mostly) amiable selves. And the speed, the snark rhythm of it, is everything.

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A decade ago, the media jumped all over a 2011 study in Pediatrics magazine that found that 4-year-olds, just after watching a fast-break episode of “SpongeBob SquarePants,” did worse on tests of attention and problem-solving than kids who watched a slower-paced program. My first reaction to that study was: Who would show “SpongeBob SquarePants” to a 4-year-old? It was designed for an older bracket (starting at 6), and those ages mean something. The study had other weaknesses (maybe you shouldn’t take a test when your brain is still buzzing from a hyperactive cartoon), but the concern at its heart was one that any parent, including this one, might have shared: How is an entertainment world of lickety-split, spit-in-your-eye cartoon comedy going to affect kids’ brains?

The manic pinwheel mode of children’s entertainment is everywhere now. It took off with “SpongeBob” (and the rise of Cartoon Network), and you can see it in shows like “The Loud House,” “Big City Greens,” and the great “Apple & Onion.” The “Lego” movies totally have that caffeinated pace and Mad-magazine-for-preteens sarcastic snap. I tend to go with the hunch that these entertainments are actually helping to prepare kids for a world that increasingly moves at the speed of thought. That may be a wish more than a proven reality, but the rhythms of “SpongeBob” are so familiar they now seem rather mild, and “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run” is a capricious and touching surrealist kiddie ride that, in its sugar-high way, is as much a celebration of friendship as the “Toy Story” films.

Written and directed by Tim Hill, gamely carrying on the legacy of “SpongeBob” creator Stephen Hillenberg (who died in 2018 and carries an executive producer credit on the film, which is dedicated to him), this is the first “SpongeBob” movie made entirely with CGI. I’m pleased to say that the film’s sculpted and tactile art-directed quality, which recalls the look of “Ratatouille,” works terrifically well. It stays true to the sketchy spirit of the original cartoon even as it injects it with a bright new visual appeal.

For a while, “Sponge on the Run” is a buddy movie in which SpongeBob and his love-hate doofus pal, Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke), jump into a vehicle driven by Otto (Awkwafina), a robot made of copper plumbing, ancient light bulbs, rubber gloves, and pipe cleaners who’s like Wall-E as a programmed efficiency expert (the robot keeps firing people). Speeding their way from Bikini Bottom to the Lost City of Atlantic City, an overlit Vegas-as-Oz, they infiltrate King Poseidon’s gambling palace and attempt to rescue Gary. It’s a simple plot, but the movie vaults over the humdrum wheel-spinning quality that has come to define far too many studio animated features. Passing through an Old West town, SpongeBob and Patrick meet a guru-savior named Sage — played by Keanu Reeves ’s head lodged inside a tumbleweed. You can tell Reeves is having a blast, as his every re-appearance gets funnier.

There are wry conceptual jokes, like a scene that opens on SpongeBob and Partick locked in a dungeon, the suspense mood set by an ominous low musical tone, which turns out to be a note Patrick is hitting on an electric piano. There’s a saloon full of pirate cowboy zombies, which gives way to an undead hip-hop musical number presided over by Snoop Dogg. And in the Lost City of Atlantic City, “Sponge on the Run” turns into what has to be the first cartoon in history that readies itself for a live onstage execution. It’s all done for the diversion of Poseidon, a silky-green-skinned narcissist voiced with delectable unctuousness by Matt Berry.

At the trial, SpongeBob’s pals all testify to the power of his friendship, even the curmudgeonly Squidward Tentacles (“I love him, and I hate him. He’s like ice cream with salt on it. He’s sweet, and super-annoying”), and the film hits an infectious note of skewed camaraderie in the climactic musical number “Secret to the Formula” (it’s about a burger recipe, but the key line is, “The secret to the formula is you!”). Our heroes aren’t out of the woods yet, though. The best moment of their escape comes when Patrick, enthralled by the prospect of free food, keeps stuffing his mouth with chicken drumsticks as he’s screaming in fear at the guards running toward him. Is “Sponge on the Run” a hale and hearty ride for children? If not, it’s hard to think of what would be.

Reviewed online, Feb. 26, 2021. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 91 MIN.

• Production: A Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies release, in association with MRC, of a United Plankton Pictures production. Producer: Ryan Harris. Executive producer: Stephen Hillenberg.
• Crew: Director, screenplay: Tim Hill. Camera: Peter Lyons Collister. Editor: Michael W. Andrews. Music: Hans Zimmer, Steve Mazzaro.
• With: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Keanu Reeves, Matt Berry, Awkwafina, Clancy Brown, Reggie Watts, Mr. Lawrence, Tiffany Haddish, Roger Bumpass, Snoop Dogg, Carolyn Lawrence, Danny Trejo.

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The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On the Run recycles one of the series’ best episodes

It’s a poppy, fun film — but also an echo of past successes

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One of the charms of SpongeBob SquarePants is that past a certain point, you know exactly what you’re getting. Like any good kids’ cartoon, it relies on bright colors and broad character traits, but this franchise in particular also has enough pop-culture references and cheeky stealth jokes to keep adults from getting bored. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On the Run is the third film in the series — which has spanned 13 TV seasons since 1999, and is even getting a new spin-off on Paramount Plus — and it’s an entertaining entry, though an unremarkable one. For a property that has seen some genuinely moving and hilarious highs, though, it probably should have been more.

In its opening scenes, SpongeBob’s third cinematic outing (and his first that’s entirely CG-animated) seems to promise a story about the young, sprightly fry cook’s relationship with his pet snail Gary, a distinctly feline creature who speaks in disarming “meows.” The film lingers, for a moment, on the fact that Gary feels abandoned and lonely once his owner heads to work, but it’s an idea the story doesn’t really return to, even after Gary goes missing, and SpongeBob must find a way to track him down and bring him home.

The usual supporting characters get involved at various points, from SpongeBob’s curmudgeonly octopus neighbor Squidward to his avaricious crustacean boss Mr. Krabs and his friend Sandy Cheeks — an industrious, karate-loving squirrel in a space suit. But the plot largely comes down to yet another evil scheme by the diminutive, one-eyed Plankton, Krabs’ business rival, who hopes to steal the secret formula to the coveted Krabby Patty, the undersea burger SpongeBob prepares with care and glee. Plankton’s plan involves getting SpongeBob out of the way by kidnapping Gary and having him sent to The Lost City of Atlantic City (no explanation required), and as always, SpongeBob is joined on his road quest by his trusty-but-doltish best friend, Patrick Star.

Like the two films before it, Sponge On the Run sends SpongeBob on a mission outside his comfort zone and far from his hometown of Bikini Bottom. Again, the scope of a film gives him a chance at an adventure more challenging and grandiose than those seen on TV — think of the relationship between classic Star Trek films and shows. But even though the movie recycles the setup of a wildly popular SpongeBob TV episode (2005’s “Have You Seen This Snail?”, which had a massive audience of almost 8 million ), the film sidelines the heart and sincerity that defined not only those early seasons of the show, but the infinitely rewatchable 2004 film The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie , and the blast of creative optimism that was the recent Broadway musical .

However, the zany concepts and celebrity cameos it centers instead are bizarre enough (and metatextual enough) to be enjoyable in their own right. For instance, Keanu Reeves joins the cast as a wise old sage named Sage, who also happens to be made out of sage sticks — essentially, Reeves’ live-action head composited within a glowing tumbleweed. (“Sage out!” he exclaims, rolling out of frame after delivering spiritual advice.) There’s also a live-action cowboy-pirate-zombie musical number starring Danny Trejo and Snoop Dogg, which sounds like a random non sequitur, because it absolutely is one.

A whole lot of this film seems to take place in a live-action dream about the Old West, for no other reason than to shove SpongeBob and Patrick into weird scenarios en route to their destination. On one hand, this “throw everything at the wall without rhyme or reason” edict shouldn’t matter much, in a story of a talking bath sponge driving to an underwater casino town to retrieve his pet mollusk. On the other hand, this narrative approach, coupled with the decision to use only live action and CGI instead of the show’s usual 2D animation, makes the film feel like a hallucination, rather than a tale of a cheerful, naïve young character forced out into a world that doesn’t share his optimism.

The show’s old episodes only ever used live action for the surface world, and it wasn’t until the 2015 film Sponge Out of Water that the characters were animated with CG (and only when they ventured onto land). But here, the reliance on CG does the characters and their world a disservice. Giving these undersea creatures a realistic texture, as opposite to hand-drawn anthropomorphized details, plunges the film into uncanny territory. It’s ugly to look at. The colors are all noticeably darker than the cartoon, and SpongeBob’s “pores” even have a green tinge, which makes them look moldy and infected. This is especially strange for a series that sometimes used stark and “realistic” animated panels — often dubbed “ gross-ups ” — to create moments of disgust and discomfort, given their jarring contrast to the otherwise pleasant hand-drawn elements.

But in spite of its aesthetic oddities, the third film is still an improvement over its hand-drawn/CG-hybrid predecessor. It’s significantly funnier and livelier, in large part due to the unapologetically bouncy dynamic between SpongeBob and Patrick. (Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke belong in the proverbial Voice Acting Hall of Fame.) This time, they’re also joined by a brand-new character, Otto the scrap robot (Awkwafina), whose dry, monotonous responses make the duo’s boisterous energy feel all the more childlike. Otto fits instantly into the series’ now two-decade-old canon, since he’s built by Sandy, adopted by Plankton and his computer-wife Karen, and eventually becomes SpongeBob and Patrick’s chauffeur on their journey to The Lost City of Atlantic City.

Also joining the cast is Matt Berry (FX’s What We Do In the Shadows ) as the delightfully conceited King Poseidon, the Greek deity who rules over the Lost City and uses snail slime in his rejuvenating skin routine. (Which is why Gary ends up in his possession.) Poseidon’s presence makes for a particularly funny expansion to the SpongeBob canon, for those who pay attention to such things. His Roman equivalent, King Neptune, happens to be a separate character in the first film, and The Lost City of Atlantic City is also entirely distinct from The Lost City of Atlantis, which appears in a 2007 episode, and is ruled over by the David Bowie-voiced Lord Royal Highness.

While Sponge On the Run plays fast and loose with the series’ continuity, it also feels like the series finally falling victim to shared-universe concerns. After lampshading the possibility of conflict between Patrick and SpongeBob — a theme that’s worked well in the past, though it’s sidestepped here — the film sprints toward a finale where the ensemble’s present relationships and dynamics don’t really matter, even though they’re all forced into difficult scenarios together. The dynamic between SpongeBob and Gary matters even less. Rather than SpongeBob having to prove he’s a worthy person, or a worthy owner and friend to Gary, the film instead switches gears and offers extended flashbacks where all the other characters recount childhood incidents to prove SpongeBob’s worth to them. These flashbacks all take place at a summer camp called Camp Coral, which is also the premise for the young viewers’ prequel series Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years , arriving alongside the film on Paramount Plus.

The film spells the camp’s name differently, and a few other details differ too. (Squidward, for instance, is a counselor on the show, but a fellow camper in the movie.) But the setting is largely the same. The show was announced just a few weeks after Sponge On the Run went into production , and the film’s final act can’t help but feel like a backdoor pilot, rather than a resolution to its own story.

What’s more, the film features a couple of concluding beats that feel especially ugly for a children’s property — chief among them a speech about unconditional acceptance being followed swiftly by a joke fat-shaming one of the new characters. It’s surprisingly low-effort comedy in a franchise that, despite being silly from the get-go, has always tended toward a light-hearted, positive attitude, and love for its characters. Sponge On the Run is also the first time SpongeBob has been referred to as a savant — the cast has even spoken about the character’s appeal to autistic children — but the jab isn’t exactly in the nicest spirit.

This low-effort M.O. for some of its comedy also extends to its musical sequences, which play like YouTube parodies someone came up with overnight. Some of them are fun, but they’re a far cry from the franchise’s once-sincere approach to even satirical musical numbers: The first film’s Twisted Sister send-up “ I’m A Goofy Goober ” was a narrative culmination, and the show’s cover of David Glen Eisley’s “Sweet Victory” even made it to the Superbowl .

Still, if what you seek in a SpongeBob story is sight gags and high-energy antics, there’s absolutely no dearth of those. The film packs a whole lot into its mere 91 minutes — cutting out any narrative connective tissue certainly helps it move quickly. And for everything that doesn’t quite work, there’s something right beside it that does. While this movie may feel like a Simpsons -esque case of a series failing to recapture lost grandeur, the result is still mile-a-minute fun if you can keep past expectations out of sight and out of mind. Or… you could just watch the first film again .

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On the Run is now streaming on Paramount Plus , and is available for premium rental via Amazon , Vudu , and other digital services.

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• DVD & Streaming

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

• Animation , Comedy , Kids

Content Caution

In Theaters

• voices of Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants/ Gary/Narrator; Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick; Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles; Doug Lawrence as Plankton/Larry the Lobster; Jeffrey Tambor as King Neptune; Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks; Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs; Alec Baldwin as Dennis; Scarlett Johansson as Princess Mindy; and a live-action appearance by David Hasselhoff

Home Release Date

• Stephen Hillenburg, Mark Osborne, Sherm Cohen

Distributor

• Paramount Pictures

Movie Review

After a five-year run of small-screen success on Nickelodeon, SpongeBob SquarePants makes his way from the bottom of the sea to the middle of the big screen. So how do you keep a theater full of kids (and adults) fidget-free when they’re used to 10-minute cartoons? You raise the stakes.

SpongeBob SquarePants is, well, a sea sponge … who wears square pants. The walking yellow rectangle is infectiously optimistic and carefree, especially when hanging around his starfish of a best friend, Patrick. But when SpongeBob isn’t chosen to be manager of the newest Krusty Krab hamburger joint after years of dedicated service as a fry cook, he’s crushed.

Meanwhile, the miniscule but sinister Plankton is up to his old tricks again, trying to steal the secret formula for those delectable Krabby patties (and, oh yeah, rule the underworld). His plan seems to be working when SpongeBob’s boss, Mr. Krabs, is framed for stealing King Neptune’s crown. With the hamburger maestro facing certain grilling via Neptune’s flaming scepter (and every sea creature in the land of Bikini Bottom about to be put under Plankton’s mind control), our Spongy hero offers to retrieve the crown and save Mr. Krabs’ life. To do so, he and Patrick must venture to Shell City, a faraway town from which (turn up the sinister reverb to read this) no one has ever returned!

Positive Elements

Despite Mr. Krabs’ decision to not promote him, SpongeBob is willing to risk his life to save the hamburger mogul. King Neptune’s daughter, Princess Mindy, continually urges her heavy-handed father to show his subjects compassion. She intervenes to spare the life of a servant unduly sentenced, begs Neptune not to terminate Krabs and encourages SpongeBob and Patrick while they’re on their dangerous mission. Ultimately, her empathy for the underwater citizens is acknowledged by King Neptune, who apologizes for his harsh ways.

“You are who you are” is heard throughout the movie, emphasizing to kids the lesson of self-acceptance and self-respect. Entire scenes (and songs) are dedicated to proving that no matter how old you are, you can make a difference. Mindy tells SpongeBob, “It doesn’t matter if you’re a kid. … You’ve just gotta believe in yourself.”

Spiritual Elements

Referring to their “Goofy Goober” obsession, SpongeBob mentions to Patrick that they “worship a dancing peanut.” Mindy tells the pair that her “mermaid magic” will transform them from boys to men. Trapped in a fish bowl, Patrick calls the glass a “wall of psychic energy.” In one scene SpongeBob is called a “wizard” and dresses (and shoots lightning bolts) accordingly.

Sexual Content

When Plankton opens his “Evil Plan Z” folder, he gawks and pants as if ogling a centerfold model. Patrick drools all over the midriff-baring Mindy, exclaiming, “She’s hot.” Caught with his pants down, he asks her, “Did you see my underwear?” She says she didn’t, to which he responds, “Do you want to?”

SpongeBob and Patrick frequently run around in their skivvies. And it’s obvious the movie’s directors intended to draw as many kiddie laughs as possible from bare bottoms. SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs and an octopus named Squidward all moon audiences at some point. The running gag (that kids seem to get) is, what’s there to see?

It’s at this point that things go from wiggle-giggle to worse. One of the times Patrick’s bareness is beheld, he has a pole wedged between his, ahem, cheeks … a pole with a flag labeled “SpongeBob.” (Patrick asks SpongeBob, “Did you see my butt?) Plankton gives a (male) TV reporter an adoring “look” when he asks for an interview, then coquettishly replies, “ Anything for you.” SpongeBob creeps into Squidward’s shower and begins scrubbing his back for him. And Patrick prances about wearing women’s high-heeled boots and stockings.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie doesn’t just allude to the building mystery surrounding its characters’ sexuality (see the “Conclusion” for more on this), it repeatedly plays with it. It revels in adult-minded asides that fly right over kids’ heads and straight into the disbelieving stares of parents.

“Is it just me, or do SpongeBob and Patrick act even more immature and effeminate than ever before?” asks Christianity Today movie critic Russ Breimeier. “I had to shake my head in disbelief at the site of Patrick in thigh-high leather boots and fishnet stockings—I squid you not. Do not take your kids to this if you felt that Shrek 2 was inappropriate.” Lawrence Toppman, in the Charlotte Observer , noted the peculiarities by quipping, “It took some guts to make Bob and Pat so apparently gay.”

Violent Content

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is filled with the slapstick-style physical violence so typical of most kid-targeting cartoons. SpongeBob slaps a fish in a mock interrogation scene. King Neptune hits his squire over the head every time he says something wrong. The underworld king also sets Mr. Krabs’ pants on fire and freezes him into a block of ice. A pursuing hit man gets walloped on the head by an approaching boat. Patrick crashes into a stage-area, setting it on fire.

But be prepared for other forms of violence, too. Dennis, an assassin hired to take out SpongeBob and Patrick, rips off the mouths of mocking gas station attendants. In a bar full of thugs, brawling seems more popular than drinking. The head thug threatens that anybody who blows a bubble will be “beaten senseless”; a pair of conjoined twins soon fall victim. Twice, Plankton gets stepped on (and smeared), and we hear his harrowing screams.

Piles of skulls and bones mark the dangerous way to Shell City. SpongeBob almost gets eaten by a deep-sea “monster” fish. Twice, Dennis tires to crush our fearless friends with his spiked boots. He, in turn, gets stepped on by a deep-sea diver, who captures SpongeBob and Patrick, and attempts to kill them by drying them out under a heat lamp. Live-action sequences feature a man getting smacked in the face with a door, and a pirate pulling a sword and using it to threaten a movie theater employee.

Crude or Profane Language

Lots of name-calling (“jerk,” “twit,” “stupid,” “dork,” “ding-a-ling,” “knucklehead,” “dipstick,” “McSpazatron”). “Freakin'” makes an appearance, and the phrase “What the …?” is (twice) left incomplete. Another time it’s finished with the word scallop . God’s name is interjected a couple of times. And at one point it sounds like someone says “jacka–.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

SpongeBob drowns his sorrows at a “Nut Bar” with Patrick at his side by indulging in multiple ice cream sundaes. Though alcohol is never mentioned, both act drunk, staggering around with bloodshot eyes and slurred speech after “drinking” until 8 o’clock in the morning. At a roadhouse, patrons drink heavily.

Other Negative Elements

Mr. Krabs stays true to character by caring about nothing but money. He tries to scam King Neptune by raising his store’s prices upon his visit. Mindy steals a “bag of wind” from her father, and at various times defies his often-unreasonable orders. Plankton, meanwhile, revels in his evil ways, stealing the Krabby patty secret formula, lying to a reporter about his thievery and trying to have SpongeBob, Patrick and Mr. Krabs killed.

Instead of SpongeBob’s heroism saving the day in the end, the story takes a bit of a strange turn, crediting the power of rock ‘n’ roll with releasing the town from Plankton’s mind-control helmets. So the “automatons” find themselves finally able to think for themselves again only after being blessed by the magic of three chords and some drums.

Gross, body-humor scenes include loud belching, visible flatulence (don’t ask) and a gushing flow of saliva that Patrick and SpongeBob spew back and forth from mouth to mouth.

Everybody loves SpongeBob SquarePants . Though the show’s target audience is children ages 2 to 11, its widespread success among all generations is something of a cultural phenomenon. Nielsen Media Research’s TV ratings indicate that 22 percent of its audience falls in the 18 to 49 age range. (Some reports have that figure as high as 30 percent, and the BBC claims that in Britain a whopping 40 percent of viewers are adults.) Nickelodeon broadcasts of the show regularly make up 40 of the top 100 shows seen on cable. ( The Chicago Sun-Times reports that there are “60 million fans of the Nick series.”) And it’s become a $1.5 billion annual licensing icon.

SpongeBob is cartoonish enough for youngsters to like it. Off-beat enough for teens to still think it’s cool (a group of tough-guy high schoolers sat a few rows in front of me). And funny enough for lots of adults to enjoy.

I’m one of those adult fans. I’ve loved the sheer goofiness, buoyancy and straightforwardness of this walking, talking sponge. So when a buzz began a couple of years ago about SpongeBob being gay, I shook it off as yet another sign of his not-so-innocent times. First Bert and Ernie, then a Teletubby, now a sea sponge? I was content to hear SpongeBob’s creator, Stephen Hillenburg, vow that his animated star was not homosexually inclined. Sure, he acknowledged the gay community’s affinity for the show that periodically features SpongeBob and his best friend holding hands. But his explanation seemed to hold water. “The attitude of the show is about tolerance,” he pointed out. “Everybody is different, and the show embraces that. The character SpongeBob is an oddball. He’s kind of weird, but he’s kind of special.”

Case closed, right? Believe me, I wish it were that easy.

Not that nods to sexual uncertainty are the only trouble spots for parents to consider before allowing little ones to cozy up to Bikini Bottom. For kids, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie presents a level of cartoon violence that, while now all-too routine, is still influential, and needs to be addressed if your family sees this flick. Will your child laugh as Plankton shrieks in pain when he’s repeatedly squashed? The answer is telling, and should guide what kind of conversation happens afterwards.

SpongeBob isn’t so severe that it can be callously lumped in with all those slimy “adult animations” seen on Comedy Central. But it does borrow some of their ideals. Writing for about.com, Fred Topel described SpongeBob as having a “ South Park sensibility in a package that’s appropriate for kids.” Just how appropriate it is will have to be determined by millions of moms and dads as SpongeKids everywhere begin begging to see their bright yellow hero.

Marcus Yoars

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‘the spongebob movie: sponge on the run’: film review.

Keanu Reeves, Awkwafina, Tiffany Haddish and Snoop Dogg are among those joining the long-time voice cast in 'The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run,' the latest adventure of the Bikini Bottom crew, on the trail of an abducted sea snail.

By David Rooney

David Rooney

Chief Film Critic

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There’s a touching dedication on the end credits of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run to Stephen Hillenburg , the marine biologist-turned-animator who created the series that grew into a $13 billion franchise and died in 2018. It’s accompanied by what looks to be a rudimentary early image of the eponymous hero, an eternally upbeat sea sponge whose core values of friendship, kindness and community have made the coral atoll population of Bikini Bottom an animation staple for more than two decades. Those fundamental traits inform this infectious third feature spinoff, its heart matched by its loopy anarchic spirit.

Written and directed by Tim Hill, a long-time key collaborator on the Nickelodeon series, this is the first all-CGI iteration of the property. The technological overhaul from 2D doesn’t diminish the vibrant personalities of the character animation, and it’s added an even trippier dimension to the surreal backgrounds. More immersive, if you will, even if its episodic action gets no prizes for storytelling discipline.

Release date: Mar 04, 2021

The Twitter fans who started demanding a sequel the minute Barb & Star Go to Vista Del Mar premiered this month could do worse than look to this kids’ cartoon from Paramount+ as an unlikely companion piece. (It opened last year in Canada but is bypassing U.S. theatrical for a streaming/premium VOD release.) The two films are soulmates in their commitment to anything-goes comic lunacy and their unstinting use of an eye-searing paint-box of color, not to mention their hymn to friendship as both a life-giving and life-saving force.

The enduring charm of SpongeBob SquarePants has always been the combination of sweet juvenile innocence with mildly subversive adult humor (“Eww, snail trail! Yucky,” exclaims the poriferous yellow protagonist in a cheeky early moment), making it a perennial stoner favorite. That balance remains in place here, incorporating pop-culture miscellany that ranges from Willie Nelson to Ricky Martin tunes, and live-action interlopers including Snoop Dogg , Danny Trejo and Keanu Reeves as Sage, a “Dream Weaver” who dispenses mystical quest guidance from inside a tumbleweed.

Sponge on the Run comes four years after the elaborate $20 million Broadway musical based on the cartoon, which was a commercial disappointment but a delirious critical darling. The show’s psychedelic Day-Glo marine world appears to have been influential not only in the look of the new movie but also in the extent to which songs have become part of its funscape.

It’s not quite a musical but there are full-blown numbers: A flamboyantly costumed Snoop Dogg appears as a Western ghost town saloon gambler leading an ensemble of dancing cowboy pirate zombies; scheming villain Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) confesses that he does care, after all, in “The Secret Formula is You,” written by Hill with Cyndi Lauper and Rob Hyman; and Weezer throws a party with the peppy “It’s Always Summer in Bikini Bottom.” Even the end credits tunes are a blast, with the hip-hop “Krabby Step” by Tyga, Swae Lee and Lil Mosey, as well as songs by The Flaming Lips and Colombian reggaeton artist J Balvin, the latter sampling the original SpongeBob theme.

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Spongebob and patrick set out to find gary in 'the spongebob movie: sponge on the run' trailer.

All the regular underwater denizens are present and accounted for, with SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) serving as their happy mascot. But it’s a new character who sets the road-trip plot in motion. King Poseidon (British comedian Matt Berry, from The IT Crowd and What We Do in the Shadows ), the ruler of the seven seas, prides himself on his complexion. “Look at me, 3,000 years old and check out my skin, it’s like a baby’s butt,” he says, talking up the rejuvenating properties of sea snail secretions. “A monarch is only as powerful as his skincare regimen.” When his supply of gastropod mollusks dries up, he has his Chancellor (Reggie Watts) post a royal decree offering a reward for fresh snails.

Back in Bikini Bottom, Plankton’s latest scheme to rule the atoll has floundered, so he kidnaps SpongeBob’s adored pet snail Gary (who meows like a kitten) to claim the cash. SpongeBob and his starfish pal Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) set out to rescue the critter, traveling in a boat piloted by Otto ( Awkwafina ), a malfunctioning robot built by squirrel scientist Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence).

This takes SpongeBob and Patrick to the surface in a dream interlude requiring them to free the souls of the undead, held captive by the murderous El Diablo the Wicked (Trejo). But the real danger is Poseidon, who savors the spectacle of public beheadings in his glitzy palace in the Lost City of Atlantic City. This is an amusement park and casino citadel that cranks up the neon rainbow hues several notches. Poseidon’s “Execution Extravaganza” is part trial-part gameshow, with Tiffany Haddish voicing the emcee and horn player Kelpy G blowing “My Heart Will Go On” for the crowd.

The frenetic plot makes about as much sense as it needs to within this world of slapstick insanity, random detours, crazy chases, gambling fever and a talent quest for “the coveted Campy Award.” You’ll either give in to it, or you won’t.

What’s important is that a news bulletin brings the imperiled plight of SpongeBob and Patrick to the attention of their Bikini Bottom chums, who arrive to deliver a heartfelt defense. This yields what’s almost an origin story within the story as Sandy, Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), Mr. Krabs ( Clancy Brown ) and even Plankton testify to the influence of SpongeBob’s innate goodness on their lives. The most dewy-eyed of their recollections travel back to childhood summers at Camp Coral, interludes that double as a tender love letter to Hillenburg and will be the basis of a new prequel series from Nickelodeon, debuting on Paramount+ this year.

Ultimately, there are no villains even in an autocracy run by a vainglorious fool with fake hair, who’s shocked and humbled to discover he has neither friends nor loyalty. His redemption might be just the fantasy antidote we need to the last four years, whether or not that was the intention.

Production companies: Paramount Animation , Nickelodeon Movies, MRC, United Plankton Pictures Distribution: Paramount+ (streaming and VOD) Cast: Tom Kenny, Awkwafina, Matt Berry, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Snoop Dogg, Bill Fagerbakke, Tiffany Haddish, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, Keanu Reeves, Danny Trejo, Reggie Watts Director-screenwriter: Tim Hill; story by Hill, Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger, based on the series created by Stephen Hillenburg Producer: Ryan Harris Executive producer: Stephen Hillenburg Director of photography: Peter Lyons Collister Production designer: Chris L. Spellman Costume designer: Shawna L. Trpcic Music: Hans Zimmer, Steve Mazzaro Editor: Michael W Andrews Head of story: Aaron Springer Co-head of story: Mark O’Hare Animation production designers: Rachel Tiep-Daniels, Sue Mondt Head of animation cinematography: John Clark Head of character animation: Andrew Overstoom Animation supervisor: Jacques Daigle Visual effects supervisors: Erik Mattson, Vanitha Rangaraju Casting: Joseph Middleton, Monika Mikkelson Rated PG, 91 minutes

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‘The SpongeBob Movie’ Review: Swims in Silliness, Even on Dry Land

This second big-screen outing for the cable cartoon favorite maintains a giddy, non-stop barrage of jokes that will tickle kids and adults

It’s never easy to stretch 22 minutes of TV comedy into a 90-minute movie; just ask the talented creators of shows like “Strangers with Candy,” “Mr. Show,” “The Kids in the Hall” and “Tim and Eric: Awesome Show, Great Job,” all of which stumbled to varying degrees on the road from small screen to large.

Having already successfully nailed this tricky transition with “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” in 2004, the denizens of Bikini Bottom once again make their way into multiplexes everywhere with a non-stop barrage of sight gags and wordplay that never outstays its welcome. There’s just enough plot and just enough characterization in “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” to keep things moving along, and the jokes are consistently hilarious, with enough variety to tickle the funny bones of old salts and young fishies alike.

A game, live-action Antonio Banderas kicks off the film as pirate Burger Beard, who follows his treasure map to secure a legendary book. (In a gag that will probably sail over most children’s heads, there’s an old-school library check-out card on the inside front cover, showing Captain Kidd and Bluebeard as its earlier readers.) That book contains the story of SpongeBob SquarePants (voiced by Tom Kenny), and fills non-viewers of the TV show in on the basic storyline and cast of characters.

The embittered Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) launches attack after attack on the Krusty Krab, the restaurant where SpongeBob works frying up Krabby Patties, the favorite snack of everyone in the undersea town of Bikini Bottom. Stingy Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) steadfastly guards the secret recipe, but it somehow disappears as SpongeBob foils one of Plankton’s attempts to steal it.

As the trailers promise, SpongeBob, Plankton, Mr. Krabs, Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), starfish Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) and squirrel Sandy (Carolyn Lawrence) wind up crossing over into the surface world to battle Burger Beard directly, but this skirmish doesn’t take place until well into the third act, no doubt welcome news to those who worried the movie’s hybrid of live-action and animation was merely a gimmick.

The “Sponge Out of Water” sequences, in which the characters graduate from two to three dimensions, never feel visually jarring; our heroes maintain their sense of cartooniness even as they turn into CG creations, thus making their later transition into superheroic versions of themselves a delightful sight gag. When Sandy becomes an actual squirrel, it’s disorienting for her pals but a great bit for the audience.

Most of the voice cast are veterans of the show and have had a good 15 years or so to get the characters just right; this ensemble makes a strong case that you don’t have to cast celebrity names to find the best voice talent. As for Banderas, he so thoroughly throws himself into the silliness that he could have a real future in children’s media; if PBS ever brings back the bilingual “Villa Alegre,” I nominate him for alcalde .

You certainly don’t have to be a fan of the show to find yourself enchanted by the goofball humor. Only the most pun-phobic viewers will be able to resist a food fight wherein Mr. Krabs commands, “Unleash the condiments!” to which SpongeBob replies, “With relish!”

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, the spongebob movie: sponge out of water.

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Zany and zippy as you’d expect, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” remains true to the surrealism of its animated television roots. But it also tries to force a live-action element which isn’t as comfortable a fit as a certain pair of symmetrical trousers.

If you’re a fan of the “SpongeBob SquarePants” series—which has been a multimillion-dollar juggernaut for Nickelodeon for the past 15 years—you’ll be happy that all the elements that give the show its distinctive voice remain intact. The wordplay and sight gags, the bright colors and blink-and-you’ll-miss them details—they’re all on vibrant display in this second feature-length film, following 2004’s “ The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie .”

The comedy from director Paul Tibbitt (a longtime writer and executive producer on the series) and Mike Mitchell (who helmed the live-action segments) doesn’t necessarily further the characters or their story or provide any depth. It just offers a good time for a longer time. Trouble is, it feels like Tibbitt and Mitchell have made two totally separate films and then slammed them together, with shifts in visuals and tone which feel rather jarring.

Mind you, I’m looking at this from the perspective of a grown woman who’s reviewed films for a living for the past 16 years. Your kids won’t be nearly so analytical/uptight/whatever you want to call it. They’ll have a blast. I brought my 5-year-old son and one of his little school buddies to a recent screening and they were literally jumping up and down, dancing and giggling their heads off. In theory, this is all that matters. But “SpongeBob” often also works on a much more adult level with subversive humor and pop-culture references that surely will go over your young ones’ heads.

The basic premise isn’t all that complicated. The absorbent, yellow and porous SpongeBob (voiced as always with an infectious enthusiasm by Tom Kenny ) enjoys his simple life in the underwater village of Bikini Bottom. He works as a fry cook at the fast food joint The Krusty Krab, spars with the bitter Squidward ( Rodger Bumpass ) and hangs with his best friend, the dimwitted starfish Patrick ( Bill Fagerbakke ). Everything is great.

But then one day, the magical secret formula for the Krabby Patty—the addictive fast-food treat the whole town adores—goes missing, plunging the pleasant Bikini Bottom into instant apocalypse. The speed and the detail with which this deterioration occurs provide huge laughs and are a great indication of what this series has always done best.

Mr. Krabs ( Clancy Brown ) initially suspects Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) of the rival restaurant the Chum Bucket is the culprit. But the eternally sunny SpongeBob suspects otherwise, and teams up with the cranky Plankton to track down the real thief: the villainous pirate Burger Beard ( Antonio Banderas ), who pops up sporadically in live-action segments explaining the story to a group of talking seagulls. And it’s the back-and-forth of the framing device that’s a problem. While Banderas has proven he’s a master of making fun of his own macho image through the Puss in Boots character—and he’s certainly giving it his all in the name of campy fun here—these portions of the film just aren’t as funny as the animated ones and they slow down the pace.

Eventually, the animated characters must emerge from the deep to fight for junk-food justice on dry land. (Essentially, they turn into an even goofier version of the rag-tag band of crime fighters from “ Big Hero 6 .”) The film’s subtitle may be “Sponge Out of Water,” but not until the third act do the cartoon and live action portions collide. The 3-D, CGI imagery does provide a different perspective on the characters and their textures, but this big conclusion feels like a rather generic action sequence, especially compared with the innovation of the animated SpongeBob universe.

(We haven’t even mentioned the talking space dolphin SpongeBob and Plankton meet when they travel about using a makeshift time machine; truly, this movie gets gloriously drug-induced about halfway through.)

Somewhere in here, amid the mania over the loss of the Krabby Patty, there’s probably some sort of message about the dangers of consumerism and the numbing effect of ubiquitous pop-culture phenomena. I couldn’t really think straight over the noise of my kid screaming joyfully every time he saw a “SpongeBob Movie” billboard or poster on the drive home.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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THE MOVIE CULTURE

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Review & Film Summary

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is a 2020 American live-action/computer-animated adventure comedy film based on the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants.

Directed and written by series developer and former series writer Tim Hill, who co-wrote the story with Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, it is the first film in the franchise to be fully animated in stylized CGI rather than traditional 2D animation.

The regular voice cast of the series reprise their respective roles from the series and the previous films, and the plot follows the origin of how SpongeBob met Gary the Snail, and SpongeBob’s quest to rescue him after he is kidnapped.

It is the third theatrical film based on the series, following the first in 2004 and second in 2015. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is dedicated to creator Stephen Hillenburg, who died in 2018.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run Cast 

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run series’ regular voice cast reprised their roles for the film.

• Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants and Gary the Snail.
• Antonio Raul Corbo as Young SpongeBob.
• Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star.
• Jack Gore as Young Patrick.
• Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles.
• Jason Maybaum as Young Squidward.
• Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs.
• Mr. Lawrence as Plankton.
• Jill Talley as Karen.
• Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks.
• Presley Williams as Young Sandy.
• Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff.
• Lori Alan as Pearl Krabs.
• Matt Berry as King Poseidon.
• Awkwafina as Otto.
• Keanu Reeves as Sage.
• Snoop Dogg as The Gambler.
• Danny Trejo as El Diablo.
• Tiffany Haddish as Master of Ceremonies.
• Reggie Watts as Chancellor.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Plot 

SpongeBob and Patrick travel to the lost city of Atlantic City to solve the mysterious kidnapping of Gary the snail. They soon prove that there’s nothing stronger than the power of friendship as they encounter danger and delight at every turn.

It is a rescue mission to save SpongeBob’s pet snail Gary, who has been “snailnapped” by King Poseidon.

The movie also reveals the origin of SpongeBob and Gary’s meeting for the first time as children.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Review

The new SpongeBob movie is not as great as the first one, it was actually disappointing. The film has some plotholes, the animation is good , the soundtrack is great. This movie is just an introduction to the spinoff that will be called ‘Kamp Koral’. 

Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years is a SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off prequel series, based on the flashback scene from The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, that introduces a 10-year-old SpongeBob at a summer sleepaway camp.

About Keanu Reeves, he was great and guess the best part of the film , but at some point it felt like he was forced to have more screen time and that made it kind of cringey. The peak of the movie was snoop dogg and Danny trejo.

Keanu Reeves and weezer are forced memes. This movie has all its main characters that are Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Plankton and Sandy along with SpongeBob and Patrick. This might be a loosely plotted film but it has its funny and heartwarming moments like the meaning of friendship, the evil and adorable little plankton doing his best. Overall, it’s not a great movie but it is a bit enjoyable with all the cool animation and soundtrack.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Critical Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes , 70% of 10 critic reviews are positive for the film, and the average rating is 5.40/10.

Writing for CTV News, Richard Crouse gave the 3.5 stars and wrote: “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on The Run brings with it the usual anarchy, inside jokes and unexpected celebrity cameos, but at its little osmotic heart is SpongeBob, a character who belongs to the same genus of entertainers as Soupy Sales, Stan Laurel and Pee Wee Herman.”

Aparita Bhandari of The Globe and Mail gave the film 1.5 out of 4 stars, writing: “I totally understand if the latest SpongeBob SquarePants movie spinoff will draw in longtime fans and new audiences brave enough to venture into a movie theatre this Friday… However, for me and my two kids (aged 10 and 8), this dive into the deep sea wasn’t as thrilling an adventure as we’d hoped for.” 

The Movie Culture Synopsis

This new SpongeBob movie isn’t as great as the first one but it’s a bit enjoyable at has its funny and heartwarming moments. It’s quite disappointing. Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years is a SpongeBob SquarePants spin-off prequel series, based on the flashback scene from this film, that introduces a 10-year-old SpongeBob at a summer sleepaway camp.

The film was produced by Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, and United Plankton Pictures, with animation provided by Mikros Image. Originally slated for a worldwide theatrical release by Paramount Pictures, plans were changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The film was released theatrically in Canada on August 14, 2020 and digitally on Netflix in other territories on November 5, 2020, while it will have a premium video-on-demand and CBS All Access release in the United States in early 2021. It is available to watch on Netflix .

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'The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie' Gets 4K Blu-ray Release for 20th Anniversary

• Celebrate 20 years of SpongeBob with a limited edition SteelBook release for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie .
• Dive into the adventure comedy that became a hit with fans and critics alike, with new special features and a 4K upgrade.
• The release includes behind-the-scenes content, music videos, and more for fans to enjoy in this special edition.

It's already been 20 years since The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie was first released and to mark the anniversary, the makers are releasing a 20th anniversary limited edition 4K Blu-ray SteelBook, ComicBook reports. The fan-favorite adventure comedy was co-written, co-produced, and directed by series creator Stephen Hillenburg and entails every aspect that makes the original series so great.

The SteelBook comes with lots of additional content like a featurette titled, ‘The Absorbing Tale Behind The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie ,’ which will take fans behind the scenes to give a better look at the making of the feature. Fans will also find a 20-minute animatic featuring the voice of creator Hillenburg along with featurettes titled, ‘Case of the Sponge "Bob,”’ ‘Saving the Surf’ and ‘Inside the Pineapple.’ The special edition also includes the 'SpongeBob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy' music video, along with a peak into the making of it along with a Submarine teaser trailer. Overall, fans have a lot to look forward to in this limited edition release.

What Is The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie About?

Billed as a comedy adventure filled with " over-the-top, under-the-sea action and non-stop laughs !" The movie dives into the trouble bubbling up in Bikini Bottom when King Neptune's crown is missing, and Mr. Krabs has been accused of stealing it! To save Mr. Krabs and retrieve the crown, SpongeBob teams up with his best pal Patrick, and goes to the treacherous Shell City.

The movie was a hit among fans upon its release, garnering $141 million worldwide and becoming the seventh highest-grossing animated film of 2004. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 78 percent . The feature is universally loved for its 2D animation, on-brand humor, amazing storyline, and ridiculous characters. Avid fans of the franchise have all the more reasons to get their hands on a copy.

The animated film has an illustrious voice cast including Tom Kenny as SpongeBob SquarePants, Scarlett Johansson as Princess Mindy, Jeffrey Tambor as King Neptune, Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick Star, and Clancy Brown as Eugene Krabs. Further rounding off the cast are Rodger Bumpass as Squidward Tentacles, Mr. Lawrence as Sheldon J. Plankton, Alec Baldwin as Dennis, Jill Talley as Karen Plankton, Carolyn Lawrence as Sandy Cheeks, and Mary Jo Catlett as Mrs. Puff.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie SteelBook will be available on July 16. You can pre-order a copy here. Previous episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants are available on Paramount+.

SpongeBob SquarePants

Spongebob Squarepants is an animated comedy created by Stephen Hillenburg and starring voices from Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Rodger Bumpass. The series revolves around a sea sponge that goes on many misadventures with his friends Patrick, Squidward, and Sandy Cheeks in the lands of Bikini Bottom and the surrounding sea.

Creator Stephen Hillenburg

Cast Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Carolyn Lawrence, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke

Main Genre Animation

Genres Children's/Family, Animation, Comedy

Rating TV-Y7

Watch on Paramount+

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The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie [4K UHD Steelbook+ Blu-Ray + Digital Copy]

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Product Description

Celebrate 20 years of THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE for the first time in 4K UHD. Dive into a comedy adventure that's bigger, better and more absorbing than the rest - the movie debut of that undersea sensation, SpongeBob SquarePants! There's trouble bubbling up in Bikini Bottom, King Neptune's crown is missing, and Mr. Krabs has been accused of stealing it! Together with his best pal Patrick, SpongeBob sets out to treacherous Shell City to reclaim Neptune's crown and save Mr. Krabs, in a spectacular adventure filled with "over-the-top, under-the-sea action and non-stop laughs!"* Featuring the voice talents of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Alec Baldwin, Jeffrey Tambor, Scarlett Johansson and a special appearance by David Hasselhoff, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is an uproariously funny comedy.

Product details

• MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Package Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.5 x 5.25 x 0.5 inches; 2.4 ounces
• Media Format ‏ : ‎ Digital_copy, 4K, Blu-ray, Subtitled
• Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 27 minutes
• Release date ‏ : ‎ July 16, 2024
• Actors ‏ : ‎ Tom Kenny, Alec Baldwin, Bill Fagerbakke, David Hasselhoff, Scarlett Johansson
• Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
• Language ‏ : ‎ English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Studio ‏ : ‎ PARAMOUNT
• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0D3Q53RCK
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
• #1 in Kids & Family Blu-ray Discs
• #3 in Comedy (Movies & TV)

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Original SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Is Getting 4K Limited-Edition Release

At long last, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is getting a 4K upgrade.

By Darryn Bonthuys on May 14, 2024 at 8:56AM PDT

SpongeBob SquarePants has starred in multiple movies over years--including one alongside Antonio Banderas' pirate character Burgerbread--but nothing compares to the first film released all the way back in 2004. At long last, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is finally getting a 4K Blu-ray release, bringing one of the funniest and most disturbing animated films of all time to an ultra-high-definition screen near you.

Preorders are live now at Walmart and Amazon for the limited-edition steelbook release with glorious Sponge-tastic cover art. At the moment, Walmart has the better price at $25, but you can also preorder at Amazon for $31. Blu-ray preorders often start higher at Amazon than Walmart, but it's not uncommon to see Amazon drop the price closer to release. If you preorder the SpongeBob SquarePants movie now, you'll get the best price offered between now and the film's July 16 release .

By now, you know how the story goes: Trouble is brewing as local college graduate Plankton puts Plan Z--it's lemon-scented!--into action, leading to Krusty Krab owner Eugene Krabbs being framed for the theft of King Neptune's crown. With Plankton finally getting his stubby digits on the Krabby Patty secret formula, it's up to SpongeBob and his best friend to save the day and prove that Mr Krabbs is innocent as they set off on an epic road trip.

The film is still a showcase of fantastic animation, as well some truly trippy scenes. From SpongeBob driving a hamburger--you don't need a license to drive a sandwich--to the duo enlisting the help of Baywatch star David Hasselhoff to get them home, the movie is wonderfully weird and mostly safe for all ages. Mostly. Jeffrey Tambor and Scarlett Johansson are also delightful as guest stars, and the rest of the regular SpongeBob cast deliver a solid performance throughout the picture. For the extras, you'll get the following stuff:

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Blu-ray extras

• The Absorbing Tale of the SpongeBob SquarePants Movie
• 20-minute animatic featuring the voice of late creator Stephen Hillenburg
• Case of the Sponge "Bob" featurette
• Serving the surf featurette
• Inside the pineapple
• The making of The Flaming Lips "SpongeBob and Patrick confront the psychic wall of energy" music video
• The Flaming Lips "SpongeBob and Patrick confront the psychic wall of energy" music video
• Submarine teaser trailer
• Preorder SpongeBob SquarePants limited edition at Walmart -- $25
• Preorder SpongeBob SquarePants limited edition at Amazon -- $31

If you want to watch the SpongeBob SquarePants movie now, it's streaming exclusively on Max . For episodes of the iconic animated show, you'll want to sign up for Paramount+ .

For more Blu-ray preorders, you can check out these deals on South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut , Team America: World Police , and the classic 1990 series of The Flash .

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The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie – Review

Gamecube macintosh mobile pc playstation 2 xbox, review by maverick538.

Reviewed: 08/02/2006

Nickelodeon has gone down the toilet. Is it bringing down videogames with it?

• Rating:   2

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The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water Reviews

Gets a little water logged when the characters hit land and turn into CGI creations, but it never loses its sense of silly whether it is above or below sea level.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 2, 2021

I had a blast with it and found myself laughing consistently throughout the film.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4.0 | Sep 24, 2020

t is definitely not for everyone and it was out there but I was charmed by it and it kept me engaged.

Full Review | Original Score: B | May 2, 2019

The energy, colours and simple humour cross over into the longer format with ease, sticking by its silliness throughout and appealing squarely to fans of the series.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 4, 2019

Was it weird? Very much so. Was it entertaining? Surprisingly so.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jan 24, 2019

... rarely are stupidity and absurdity so hilarious. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Dec 13, 2017

There may be no good reason for such a surreal and crazy story about a sponge living in a place called "Bikini Bottom" with a starfish as a best friend to be quite this funny or endearing.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Mar 29, 2016

People who love the TV series do so for the silly details, hilarious villains, the awesome cameos and the way Patrick shows that ignorance can be bliss. As long as we get that, it is fine.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 2, 2016

Delightful and funny in a cheesy, silly way, [the film] is a kind of cinematic sugar rush.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Feb 23, 2016

The second feature film based on the long-running animated series, Paul Tibbitt's The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water is actually much better than it looks.

Full Review | Dec 31, 2015

SpongeBob fans -- children, sober and non-sober adults alike -- will be singing the theme song together by the movie's end.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Dec 30, 2015

The gags are delivered to rapid fire, so you're only half way through groaning at one before the next has made you smile.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 29, 2015

This is SpongeBob's second outing on the big screen, and this time the filmmakers employ some glorious new 3D animation to give the sponge a little twist.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 12, 2015

A time travel sequence is an eye-searing mind-melter, while the scene in which Plankton literally enters SpongeBob's brain mixes the sickly sweet esthetic of the Candyland board game with the nightmare surrealism of 1938's 'Porky in Wackyland.'

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Nov 5, 2015

Sponge Out of Water strikes an effective balance between goofball humor that will entertain the kids and adult-targeted humor of a more wink-wink nature.

Full Review | Aug 14, 2015

This elaborately plotted family film takes that goofily optimistic, bucktoothed sweetie SpongeBob SquarePants out from the animated briny depths of Bikini Bottom and up to the real, or at least fantastically computer-generated, reality of dry land.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Aug 14, 2015

I was surprised by how watchable I found it.

Full Review | Aug 11, 2015

Tibbitt and his crew cleverly blend ink-and-paint animation, CGI and live action, and the result is great fun, slyly calculated to convulse the kiddies and keep their parents alternately chuckling and laughing out loud.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 30, 2015

The true take-away: fast-food-obsessed sea animals don't fry-cook up a sizzling comedy. Too much of the film lacks zip, invention and anarchic fun, offering instead forced and strained silliness.

Full Review | May 25, 2015

If there are two words that best describe this often surreal serving of a movie, those would be "playfully deranged."

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | May 7, 2015

The 10 Most Rewatchable Episodes of 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' Ranked

"Well, Squiddy, this is exactly how I pictured SpongeBob's most rewatchable episodes would look."

On May 1, 1999, the world was introduced to a new show called SpongeBob SquarePants , born from the mind of animator and marine biologist Stephen Hillenburg . It followed the titular SpongeBob ( Tom Kenny ) as he gets into all sorts of nautical nonsense in the underwater town of Bikini Bottom. To this day, it remains Nickelodeon's longest-running program, and SpongeBob has frequently been listed as one of television's best cartoon characters .

The enduring legacy of SpongeBob comes down to its phenomenal writing, especially during the show's earliest seasons. The characters are unforgettable with their simple but well-realized personalities, and the humor blends many different aspects, from slapstick and predictable to surreal and off-the-wall concepts. As such, many episodes hold up amazingly over the years and can leave old and new fans in fits of hilarious laughter. These are the most rewatchable episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants , delightful efforts that will probably never grow old.

SpongeBob SquarePants

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10 "The Camping Episode"

Season 3, episode 17b.

On May 25, Squidward Tentacles ( Roger Bumpass ) is excited to enjoy his weekend while SpongeBob and Patrick ( Bill Fagerbakke ) are off camping, only to discover they are camping a few feet from their houses. After misinterpreting SpongeBob's statement of "have fun inside," Squidward decides to join them and prove that he is a superior camper. Predictably, things don't go his way, especially when his doubt of SpongeBob and Patrick's knowledge leads to a Sea Bear attack.

"The Camping Episode" is a beautiful example of how the writers can make any scenario funny thanks to how well they know these characters. Squidward's attempts to show off lead to his repeated humiliation through iconic moments like SpongeBob and Patrick observing him pitching a tent, to his repeated offscreen maulings by the Sea Bear. This episode also includes "The Campfire Song Song," a hilariously catchy TV tune written by Phineas and Ferb co-creator Dan Povenmire.

9 "Culture Shock"

Season 1, episode 10a.

Desperate to increase his profits, Mr. Krabs ( Clancy Brown ), turns to SpongeBob and Squidward for ideas on attracting more customers. Squidward suggests they host a talent show in the Krusty Krab, mainly as an excuse to set himself up as a star. Some of the other acts include Mr. Krabs' daughter, Pearl ( Lori Alan ), SpongeBob's pet snail, Gary (Tom Kenny), and Krabs' business rival, Plankton ( Mr. Lawrence ). Meanwhile, Squidward does what he can to prevent SpongeBob from participating.

"Culture Shock" is one of the show's best Squidward-focused episodes and another example of a simple premise that leads to many jokes. Each of the acts is memorable for its absurd execution, especially during the climax, when Squidward goes on stage to perform a hilariously animated interpretive dance. There's also a bit of commentary towards the entertainment industry and the subjective nature of art through Squidward's dismissal of SpongeBob's acts when he is exactly what the people want.

8 "Frankendoodle"

Season 2, episode 14b.

When an Artist at Sea (Mr. Lawrence) drops his pencil, it lands in front of SpongeBob and Patrick, who discover that it can bring anything they draw to life. The two decide to play a prank on Squidward by drawing a fake version of SpongeBob named DoodleBob ( Paul Tibbitt ). Unfortunately, DoodleBob proves to be uncontrollable, and after attacking Squidward, he runs off with the magic pencil.

Doodlebob completely steals the show in "Frankendoodle" and remains one of SpongeBob 's most beloved side characters . His unsettling design, coupled with Tibbitt's crazed sounds, is hilarious and unsettling, allowing the character to lean into comedy and horror at different moments. The episode also contains one of the show's best one-off jokes, when Patrick is struck by a bowling ball and randomly shouts, "Finland!".

7 "The Krusty Krab Trainig Video"

Season 3, episode 10b.

In this instructional video, an enthusiastic narrator ( Steve Kehela ) teaches new Krusty Krab employees everything they need to know about their place of work. With SpongeBob as the audience surrogate, the narrator shows the restaurant's humble origins and covers everything necessary to make a good employee. However, all SpongeBob wants to do is make a Krabby Patty.

"The Krusty Krab Training Video" is one of the most creative concepts to come from any kid's show . It masterfully parodies the formulaic and ideal worker atmosphere presented in instructional videos while adding in plenty of the show's iconic jokes. These include casually mentioning that Mr. Krabs was in the war, Patrick struggling to place an order, and the acronym P.O.O.P, aka People Order Our Patties. Timeless and hilarious, "The Krusty Krab Training Video" is really the gift that keeps on giving.

6 "Rock Bottom"

Season 1, episode 17b.

After a fun day spent at Glove World, SpongeBob and Patrick board the wrong bus and arrive at Rock Bottom, a deep-sea town located at the base of a ninety-degree cliff. While checking the bus schedule, SongeBob misses the next bus home, which Patrick boards, leaving him stuck alone in this dark and peculiar place.

One of SpongeBob 's darkest episodes , "Rock Bottom" turns the normal formula on its head by placing the beloved sponge in an unfamiliar environment. The residents of Rock Bottom are all based on deep sea creatures, which come across as more horrific than the show's usual style and add to the uncertainty around every corner. Yet, despite the unfamiliar atmosphere, there are plenty of good jokes here, from SpongeBob's comment about "advanced darkness" to his repeated futile attempts to board a bus home.

5 "Graveyard Shift"

Season 2, episode 16a.

To the dismay of Squidward and the delight of SpongeBob, Mr. Krabs decides to run the Krusty Krab 24 hours a day and assigns them both to the night shift. When SpongeBob's enthusiasm starts to get on his nerves, Squidward spooks him with a scary story about the Hash Slinging Slasher, a one-handed fry cook who haunts the restaurant. Though he assures SpongeBob that it's only a story, the specific omens that herald the Slasher's arrival seem to occur as the night goes on.

"Graveyard Shift" sees the writers expand upon the horror elements of "Rock Bottom" with some masterfully crafted suspense. The writers build up the tension, first by isolating SpongeBob and Squidward with the night shift, then showing the steady progression towards the Slasher's arrival while throwing in some quick jokes and surprising twists. The biggest twist has to be the bizarre addition of Count Orlok at the end , which helped introduce entire generations to one of the oldest horror films, Nosferatu .

4 "Chocolate With Nuts"

Season 3, episode 12a.

Inspired by one of Squidward's issues of Fancy Living Digest, SpongeBob and Patrick decide to become entrepreneurs and build a fortune. Their method of choice is door-to-door chocolate bar salesmen. Unfortunately, their inexperience, plus some rather eclectic customers, means they'll have their work cut out for them.

"Chocolate With Nuts" is nothing short of a comedic goldmine , with so many iconic moments and hilarious line deliveries. The most memorable has to be Tom (Mr. Lawrence), SpongeBob and Patrick's first client, who spends the episode chasing them around screaming, "Choooocolaaaaaate!". Beyond its non-stop jokes, there are also good lessons here about how to be a successful businessman, communicate properly, and avoid dangerous scams.

3 "Pizza Delivery"

Season 1, episode 5a.

As the Krusty Krab prepares to close for the night, a final customer calls in and asks for a pizza, which Mr. Krabs makes out of a Krabby Patty. He sends Squidward and SpongeBob to deliver it, but the two get lost in the desert. They continue the delivery on foot, with SpongeBob relying on knowledge from the pioneers to keep them alive.

"Pizza Delivery" is a classic setup for comedy between conflicting personalities , and it works brilliantly. SpongeBob's eternal optimism is on full display as he treats this delivery like it's the most important mission in the world, further frustrating Squidward, who just wants to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. Then there is the ending, which is one of the best in the show and gives Squidward a rare moment of heroism.

2 "Shanghaied"

Season 2, episode 13a.

The President of the SpongeBob Fan Club, the loveable Patchy the Pirate (Tom Kenny), introduces audiences to his favorite episode, where SpongeBob and Squidward's houses are damaged by an anchor dropped by the Flying Dutchman ( Brian Doyle-Murray ). He tosses Squidward into a pocket dimension of torment and forces SpongeBob and Patrick to join his crew. When it's apparent that they're not cut out to be ghost pirates, the Dutchman decides to eat them instead.

When it was first released, "Shanghaied" was presented as a call-in event where children voted on one of three endings. Even without this novelty in subsequent re-runs, the episode is phenomenal, thanks to the amount of high-quality surreal jokes packed into it . These include SpongeBob and Patrick constantly returning to the ship after jumping off and their attempt to escape the Dutchman forcing them through a perfume department in a slow-motion obstacle course.

1 "Band Geeks"

Season 2, episode 15b.

Squidward's rival, Squilliam Fancyson ( Dee Bradley Baker ), calls to inform him that he's been offered the chance to live Squidward's dream of leading a band in the Bubble Bowl but can't because he's busy. Squilliam mockingly offers Squidward's band to take his place, knowing Squidward doesn't have one, but Squidward accepts nonetheless. With only one week before the event, Squidward rallies as many people as possible and does his best to train them.

"Band Geeks" is almost unanimously seen as the best episode of SpongeBob , and it more than deserves its praise. Yes, it's full of fantastic jokes and ponders the ever-present question, "Is mayonnaise an instrument?" but it also has a tremendous amount of heart. It is touching to see the people of Bikini Bottom work together to give Squidward his biggest win on the show, done to the epic song "Sweet Victory" by David Glen Eisley .

SpongeBob SquarePants is available to stream on Paramount+.

Watch on Paramount+

NEXT: The 10 Best Plankton Episodes of 'SpongeBob SquarePants,' Ranked

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Best movies to watch on TV this weekend (May 17-19)

From Benedict Cumberbatch's The Imitation Game to Elisabeth Moss' The Invisible Man , these are the movies you shouldn't miss this weekend on TV.

Best movies on TV on Friday (May 17)

Best movies on tv on saturday (may 18), best movies on tv on sunday (may 19).

Elisabeth Moss ' horror movie The Invisible Man , Benedict Cumberbatch 's critically-acclaimed The Imitation Game and Ryan Gosling 's crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines are among the best movies to watch on TV this weekend.

If you need a break from the very stressful and sometimes endless process of choosing movies, then Digital Spy 's Watch This franchise is here to help.

Rather than endlessly scroll on streaming platforms like Netflix , Disney+ and Apple TV+ , just go back to the basics – every weekend must-see movies are airing on the telly, and we can tell you the best ones.

Get your popcorn and drinks ready.

Best movies on TV (May 17-19)

Here are our picks for the best movies on TV this weekend ( May 17-19, 2024 ), all of them airing on Freeview channels like BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

The Invisible Man

The Handmaid's Tale 's Elisabeth Moss is terrific in this smart and chilling reinvention of HG Wells's novel, also titled The Invisible Man .

With The Haunting of Hill House 's Oliver Jackson-Cohen as the titular monster, the story centres on a woman desperately trying to escape an abusive relationship. Even after her boyfriend has allegedly killed himself, Cecilia is still haunted by the trauma that he inflicted on her. Well, it's not really her trauma, nor a ghost, but an invisible presence threatening her life and her sanity — but who would believe her?

Read our review of The Invisible Man .

The Invisible Man airs on ITV2 at 9pm on Friday (May 17)

The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in this Oscar-winning historical drama as Alan Turing, the pioneering Cambridge mathematician who cracked the Enigma code and invented modern computer science.

The Imitation Game tells the story of Turing's incredible accomplishments, but also his personal struggles as a gay man in the 1950s. The movie also focuses on his relationship with fellow mathematician Joan Clarke (played by Keira Knightley), who was also defying the odds as one of the few women in her field.

Read our review of The Imitation Game .

The Imitation Game airs on BBC One at 10.40pm on Friday (May 17)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

One of the best LGBTQ+ movies of all time , Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a must-watch film and you have it on TV this weekend. Don't miss it!

Céline Sciamma's film follows Marianne (Noémie Merlant), a painter commissioned to paint a portrait of the mysterious Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), who is set to be married to a nobleman against her wishes. As she refuses to pose for the portrait, Marianne befriends her pretending to be a servant while getting what she needs to paint her. However, she ends up falling in love with her.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire airs on BBC Two at 12.50am on Saturday (May 18)

The Place Beyond the Pines

Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes met while filming this movie, so tune in to see their amazing chemistry — and a good crime drama too.

The Place Beyond the Pines follows different characters through three stories. One sees stunt rider Luke (Gosling) resorting to illegal activities to support his family, while another centres on ambitious policeman Avery (Bradley Cooper) as he confronts the corruption within his department. The third one, set fifteen years later, focuses on two troubled teenagers (Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan) who explore the consequences of Luke and Avery's actions.

Read our review of The Place Beyond the Pines .

The Place Beyond the Pines airs on BBC Two at 12.05am on Sunday (May 19)

The Invisible Man (9pm, ITV2)

World War Z (9pm, E4)

Carlito’s Way (9pm, Film4)

Gringo (10pm, BBC Three)

The Imitation Game (10.40pm, BBC One)

Casino Royale (11.10pm, ITV1)

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Mean Girls (12.05am, Channel 4)

Rango (11am, Film4)

The Karate Kid: Part II (12.10pm, Channel 4)

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GI Blues (1pm, BBC Two)

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Napoleon Dynamite (3.10pm, Film4)

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Sing 2 (5.20pm, ITV2)

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Stormbreaker (7.15pm, Film4)

Minority Report (7.30pm, ITV2)

Mad Max 2 (9pm, ITV4)

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Dog (9pm, Channel 4)

Godzilla: King of Monsters (9pm, 5STAR)

The Running Man (10.55pm, Channel 4)

Pet Sematary (11.10pm, Film4)

Blue Hawaii (11.10pm, BBC Two)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (12.50am, BBC Two)

Mindhorn (1.35am, BBC One)

The Secret of Kells (11am, Film4)

The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (12pm, BBC Two)

Dora and the Lost City of Gold (12.35pm, Film4)

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Lemony Sniket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (4.25pm, Film4)

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Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (7pm, ITV2)

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The Place Beyond the Pines (12.05am, BBC Two)

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Deputy Movies Editor, Digital Spy  Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over seven years, mostly for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas . 

Her work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema in the UK. 

She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service .    During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world, and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She's also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London.     Now based in the UK, Mireia joined Digital Spy in June 2023 as Deputy Movies Editor. 

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