THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE — *** — Animated feature based on the Nickelodeon television series; featuring the voices of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, etc.; rated PG (violence, vulgarity, mild profanity, brief partial nudity).
There's not much difference between "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" and an episode of the hit Nickelodeon television series it's based on.
There have been few, if any, improvements in the quality of the animation. It appears as if a television episode has simply been blown up to movie-screen proportions.
And it's not the only thing that's been inflated. At nearly 90 minutes, the movie is three times longer than a typical "SpongeBob" episode.
Still, audiences probably aren't going to go to this silly animated adventure for Pixar-level quality. And for them, 90 or so minutes of big-screen "SpongeBob" probably won't be nearly enough.
Those unfamiliar with the material may feel a little lost, and the silliness may be a little much. But given the built-in audience for this film, they'll likely be in the minority.
"The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" finds the title character (voiced by Tom Kenny) in a bit of a funk. It seems his boss, Mr. Krabs (Clancy Brown), has given a management position SpongeBob was counting on to a co-worker. And he dismisses the hard-working sponge as "just a kid."
However, this "kid" is eventually put in the position of saving his boss — and the entire underwater kingdom — when the evil Plankton (Doug "Mr." Lawrence) steals the crown of King Neptune (Jeffrey Tambor) and frames Mr. Krabs for the crime. And the angry despot gives SpongeBob just six days to find and recover that crown.
That means our hero must go to Shell City, which is a far cry from his hometown of Bikini Bottom. It's filled with all kinds of terrifying sea creatures — including the tough-as-nails hitman Dennis (Alec Baldwin). Fortunately, SpongeBob has his faithful starfish pal, Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke), along for the ride.
There are a couple of slow spots here and there, but there are also some laugh-out-loud and inspired moments. Best of all is the live-action appearance of David Hasselhoff, who plays himself and who figures prominently in the film's climactic scene.
The voice cast seems to be having a blast, especially Baldwin and Tambor. And sharp-eared rock fans may recognize the strains of sludge-metal act Motorhead in one particularly goofy scene.
"The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" is rated PG for scenes of animated violence (slapstick, as well as some peril), some crude humor (mostly sight gags), scattered use of mild profanity (mostly religiously based), and brief partial nudity (animated backsides). Running time: 88 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com