The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
Writers: Pam Brady, Matt Lieberman (screenplay); Marc Ceccarelli, Kaz, Pam Brady (story)
Director: Derek Drymon
Cast: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, George Lopez, Ice Spice, Arturo Castro, Sherry Cola, Regina Hall, Mark Hamill
Sometimes you just need to laugh — to dim the lights, shut out the world, and just enjoy. This is exactly what Paramount’s latest big-screen voyage back to Bikini Bottom delivers. It may not be as clever or as menacing as its many episodic counterparts, but for a fourth cinematic dip in the deep end, Search for SquarePants is far from a washout.
Directed by longtime franchise contributor Derek Drymon and featuring all the familiar voices fans know by heart, Search for SquarePants doesn’t try to reinvent the franchise. Instead, it leans fully into the high-energy silliness, unshakable optimism, and heartfelt enthusiasm that have defined this character for the past 25 years. And, at least in this case, it works.
The story begins with SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) discovering he has finally grown tall enough to ride a terrifying roller coaster—but is far too afraid to actually do so. Hoping to be as brave as Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), who has filled his head with swashbuckling tales from his youth, SpongeBob accidentally summons The Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill), a cursed corsair doomed to roam the deepest, darkest depths of the ocean until he can switch places with an innocent soul. Deeming SpongeBob the perfect candidate to return him to mortality, the Dutchman invites the porous paladin—and his best buddy Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke)—to join his crew and become real swashbucklers.
Upon learning of his famed fry cook’s fate, Mr. Krabs regrets ever planting those adventurous ideas in SpongeBob’s head. Joined by a reluctant Squidward (Rodger Bumpass) and SpongeBob’s loyal pet snail Gary, he sets off on a rescue mission. Meanwhile, descending into the ocean’s darkest depths, the Dutchman explains that SpongeBob must complete a series of tasks to prove himself worthy. Naturally, our sanguine squeegee breezes through each challenge using his signature brand of goofiness and relentless positivity.
Annoyed by Patrick’s childish antics—which, in my humble opinion, never get old—the Dutchman manipulates a hesitant SpongeBob into abandoning his best friend. Shortly after, Mr. Krabs arrives, SpongeBob blows the Dutchman’s cursed horn, and the putrid pirate is returned to mortality—along with the sun, sand, and surf of Santa Monica, California. Unfortunately, this twist brings new problems. The Dutchman’s disgraced first mate, Barb (Regina Hall), informs SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs that the horn must be destroyed before sunset to reverse the curse once and for all.
As I said, Search for SquarePants is by no means as clever as the small-screen escapades of its source material. Even as a diehard Bikini Bottom dweller, I’ll be the first to admit that the Hillenburgian humor of the show’s early days is something I deeply miss. That said, this is far from a bad movie. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
The cast chemistry feels as sharp as ever. Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke remain a comedic dream team, while Mark Hamill brings some wonderfully unhinged Joker-esque energy to The Flying Dutchman. The animation is bright, bubbly, and clean, perfectly matching its underwater setting, and the film’s core message—believing in yourself—remains poignant as ever before. Plus, I don’t care who you are: butts are always funny, and this movie proudly leans into that truth from start to finish.
So while there’s no denying that the brand’s golden era is well behind it, there’s still plenty to love about Search for SquarePants. It’s an enthusiastic amusement-park ride of a movie that celebrates the goofy-goober spirit that made SpongeBob great in the first place, while giving fans of all ages permission to just sit back, relax, and enjoy 96 minutes of nautical nonsense. And honestly, isn’t that why we go to movies in the first place?
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