SpongeBob SquarePants, the lovable sea sponge that dwells in Bikini Bottom and is a food service worker for the Krusty Krab, has released another movie. One might think the franchise, having created 11 years worth of shows, movies, toys, games, and other assorted paraphernalia, might be on its last legs. Sponge On the Run will quickly change the mind of any detractors.
Much has been said of the seemingly timelessness of the cartoon, and the show’s continued relevance to different generations for different reasons, and the latest movie is no exception. If one were to compare it to other family movies, the closest might be The Muppets with a touch of South Park. While there are numerous familiar characters voiced by many of the same actors from the series, there are actors doing live-action parts. And though the parts are minor (hence the South Park reference), they make for important plot development and hilarious, and memorable, scenes.
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Sponge On the Run greets us with the familiar naïvety of SpongeBob (voiced by Tom Kenny) and Patrick (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke), and the intolerance of Squidward (voiced by Rodger Bumpass). Our protagonist is flipping Krabby Patties for the money-hungry Mr. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown), and Sandy (voiced by Carolyn Lawrence) is building artificial intelligence. Plankton (voiced by Mr. Lawrence) is in there, too, but even in the beginning, his involvement in the goings-on give away much of the plot.
The catalyst comes when Gary, SpongeBob’s beloved pet snail, goes missing. Once again on a courageous journey to save and protect the ones he loves, SpongeBob and Patrick Star head into the scary depths of the sea beyond Bikini Bottom.
For music buffs out there, plenty of familiar tunes will tickle your eardrums, and new ones to bob your head along to. Part seems to be pulled purely from Weezer’s cover album (their version of A-Ha’s “Take on Me” plays through the opening montage), otherwise there’s Kenny G, the Flaming Lips, and Snoop Dogg. There are also original songs done by the cast, and if you know SpongeBob, you know that’s nothing out of the ordinary.
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Tom Kenny, Carolyn Lawrence, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, and Rodger Bumpass (among others) all return for their characters in the show. Awkwafina, Reggie Watts, and Tiffany Haddish also provide their voices for an assortment of animated characters.
Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge on the Run is available to rent on Amazon, iTunes, and Paramount+.
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