The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run Review

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea, claims 13 seasons of wacky cartoon hijinks, and finally tops their third feature film? Sponge Bob SquarePants! The chuckling heart of gold goofball returns with The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run, a celebrity-packed, candy-colored road trip full of family humor. An always-ready SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) has fun with his pet snail, Gary, before heading to work as a cook at the Krusty Krab. Like clockwork, the pint-sized enemy of Mr. Krab Plankton (Mr. Lawrence) will attempt to steal the secret recipe for delicious Krabby Patty. As always, he will fail in a hilariously embarrassing way. But change is on the horizon when this aspiring “slop king” realizes that the only thing standing between him and the formula is the “learned boob” behind the grill. To kick SpongeBob out of the kitchen, Plankton steals Gary and sells him to the vain and dangerous Poseidon (Matt Berry), who rules the lost city of Atlantic City. To save his beloved pet, SpongeBob teams up with his best friend Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) on a quest that will take them through wild lands, crazy rhythms and a mind-blowing musical number.

Of course, Plankton, Squidward (Rodger Bumpass), Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown) and Sandy (Carolyn Lawrence) will also join in the shenanigans. This signature cast crackles, providing the sugar-rich energy fans have come to expect from these extravagant underwater creatures. Visual gags and jokes are always gleefully silly. For example, when SpongeBob praises Patrick for his sense of “irony,” the silly starfish responds by ironing a shirt with comical, smug satisfaction. Still, for all that familiar fun, there’s a new look for the crew.

Hand drawn animation was created by late Stephen Hillenburg has been redesigned as a bouncy CGI. This is a more cuddly 3D aesthetic than that deployed for the climax of The SpongeBob movie: The sponge out of the water, where the gang landed and briefly became superheroes. This time, the characters look like squishy toys that could burst off the screen and go wild in your living room. Their smooth makeover pairs with a series of childhood flashbacks to serve as the backdoor pilot for the next spinoff series, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years. While these detours into the past are fun, they slow down the exhilarating ride of this road trip comedy. Fortunately, a pit stop in the western ghost town of Goner Gulch provides a welcome boost.

In this live action setting, a parade of celebrity cameos begins, including Danny Trejo, Snoop Dogg and Keanu Reeves, who plays a sage talking tumbleweed named Sage who is a sage sage! While some co-stars might fit SpongeBob’s wacky level, Reeves plays his surprisingly straight role. Stumbling after the obscure duo and offering advice, Sage becomes enraged as they embark on one drastic mistake after another. A recurring gag was born from their irrepressible impulsiveness that defies Reeves’ signature cold, turning his growls into our gain.

Matt Berry proves another stellar addition to the SpongeBob universe. The What We Do In the Shadows star lends his bold voice and bravado to Poseidon, quickly establishing the shameless man as a megalomaniac from the first boom of a small statement. Whether he’s yelling at his minions or applauding a show on stage, Berry brings the kind of exaggerated energy that allows Poseidon to fall into place with the rest of those wild chestnuts.

The kingdom of Poseidon is a casino metropolis under the sea, providing a dramatic contrast to the small town vibe of Bikini Bottom. Naturally, SpongeBob and Patrick get caught up in the razzle-dazzle and sweet churros. The bright lights and big city vibe allow director Tim Hill to wrap the final act in vibrant color. Plus, this more mature location sets the stage for hints that will play better for adults, like a Kenny G tentacle parody or parodies about courtroom dramas and castle clashes. There is a good dose of action in the chase scenes and the fights, more playful than violent. Still, there’s something missing that keeps The SpongeBob Movie from being great. It’s just not weird enough.

SpongeBob has long been defined by a brand of humor that’s kid-friendly, silly, sly observational, but ultimately unabashedly bizarre. So far, the movies have taken Hillenburg’s Crazy Kingdom and turned it into a wonderful big-screen WTF show, as SpongeBob and Patrick riding the freckled back of Baywatch’s David Hasselhoff as he serves as human jet ski. Moments like these are so weird that it makes Pop Rocks seem like popping up in your brain. The surreal unpredictability brings a wave of joy! The movie SpongeBob: Sponge On The Run absolutely has some weird bits, but nothing quite like it achieves that Pop Rocks rush.