Plot: What’s it about?
I’ll be the first to admit that the Spongebob TV series and movies are about a generation or two behind me. I grew up in the era of Scooby-Doo and the Transformers, so seeing this “life under the sea” is something I can’t relate to. Having said that, I do realize that many kids (who are now adults) did grow up on this, so with that said – I have to give this a fair shake. I don’t know the premise of Spongebob, what he does (does he have a job?) or any of his little friends. And I didn’t really feel like delving into the Wiki of Nickelodeon to get my history and/or facts straight. What I do know is that this is the fourth film in the series that came after an impressive run on TV. I don’t know if they’re still making new episodes. That said, this is uncharted waters (pardon the pun) for me.
Spongebob (voiced by Tom Kenny) has awakened a few clams (an inch?) taller and can now ride the big roller coaster at the amusement park. He, along with Patrick (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke) get cold feel and use Mr. Krabs (voiced by Clancy Brown) as a scapegoat to hide his fear. Krabs regales to the duo of his times as a sailor on the high seas also having worked alongside a pirate, The Flying Dutchman (voiced by Mark Hamill). In an effort to demonstrate his courage, he’s transported to the Krusty basement where the Dutchman’s horn is located. When he blows it, the Dutchman and his ghost ship will appear. Spongebob is deemed to be the ideal candidate to help lift this curse. So it’s off to the underworld where he and Patrick will embark on this quest.
At the risk of repeating myself, this is my first Spongebob “experience” (for lack of a better word). And I can see the appeal in the characters and the overall theme. I suppose there’s a reason it’s been on for as long as it has. There’s also some top-notch talent involved as seems to be the case with a lot of animated films – the vocals behind them. Simply put, if you’re a fan of this world or the movies or you want to show something to your kids they’ll watch again and again (or to keep them quiet) then this is no doubt for you.
Video: How’s it look?
I’m willing to bet that anything that comes from a major studio in the animation department will look pretty good on a 4K TV. And while this isn’t a 4K disc per se (it’s a Blu-ray), my suspicions were confirmed about .2 seconds after popping the disc into my player. I mean, let’s face it, it’s Spongebob for cryin’ out loud? Do you think Paramount is going to have anything less for their square, spongy-type…thing? I think not. Having said that, the 2.39:1 AVC HD image is nothing short of spectacular with colors leaping off the screen, the blues of the water, the glowing of the ropes on the ship and everything in between. If it’s a good-looking picture you want – look no further.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Dolby Atmos. There ya go. That’s how you know you’ve arrived when your movie has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. I don’t know if that’s actually true, but let’s face it – do you think any kid is ever going to read this review and know what a Dolby Atmos soundtrack actually is? Me neither. Having never seen a Spongebob movie or TV show, I didn’t really know what to expect, but this one checks all the boxes with a nice, robust mix that’s sure to please. Vocals, for lack of a better term, are solid and crisp and surrounds are used often. It’ll keep you entertained, to be sure.
Supplements: What are the extras?
- The Veteran Voices – We get some input from the director and the vocal cast as they seem to be having a good time vocalizing their characters.
- The New Crew – Essentially the exact same as the above featurette, only we get some chatter from the new faces/voices that joined the cast this time around.
- The Flying Dutchman – The same crew are involved as we get a look at the character, you guessed it, The Flying Dutchman.
- From Bikini Bottom to the Underworld – I will say that animation amazes me when you think of the sheer amount of work it takes just to produce a few seconds of footage. If this sort of thing interests you, this one is for you.
- Music Video – “Big Guy” by Ice Spice.
The Bottom Line
Writing this as a male in his 50’s, I can safely say that I’m not the core demographic for this film. That said, this film does have a core demographic and I’m sure they’ll love it. The disc looks and sounds good and the featurettes, though a bit slim on running time, are a nice addition (though I can’t imagine anyone in said demographic will actually watch them).
