TUE 30 NOV 2004
‘SpongeBob’ takes all with a hilarious adventure and David Hasselhoff
By Christina NavarroArgonaut Staff
Nov. 19 was a day students at University of Idaho anticipated as the beginning of Thanksgiving break. Others found the date exciting because of the release of “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.”
For those who are unfamiliar with the charm of SpongeBob SquarePants (Tom Kenny), he is a yellow, rectangular kitchen sponge that lives in a pineapple in an underwater town named Bikini Bottom.
With graphically animated facial expressions and mannerisms similar to Ren and Stimpy, the movie follows the bubbly character and his best friend, a pink starfish named Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) through everyday adventures.
The movie opens with a group of restless, real-life pirates who raid a movie theater in chorus, eager to watch “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.” Unbelievably funny and unpredictable, this scene introduced the show’s humorous tone right from the beginning.
As a fry cook at the Krusty Krab, SpongeBob exudes love for his job and the determination to be someone in the underwater world. Dreaming of becoming the new manager for the Krusty Krab II, SpongeBob gets ready to go to work with a hilarious and clever exhibition of his cleanliness. After eating a cake of soap, he puts a hose in one of his pores on his head, and he explodes with bubbles. After putting on his square pants, and brushing his eyeballs, SpongeBob goes to work.
The movie captures the characteristic humor through an array of hilariously written scenes and song renditions.
Director Stephen Hillenburg incorporated the
show’s
silliness and crazy adventures with a plot barely extensive enough to keep audiences hooked for the movie’s 90-minute duration. Making the movie appealing to an audience used to 10-minute cartoons would be tricky given any plot line.
Fans of the show may grow bored with substance that is usually best kept short and sweet, but overall, the movie was a successful and funny rendition of SpongeBob’s contagious optimism and goofiness.
While the movie begins fast-paced and senselessly goofy with random and clever humor, the end soon grows exhausting.
With content and humor that exude a wide range of maturity, it is difficult to see whom this movie was targeting. The movie’s pure childishness is as enjoyable as it is questionable in scenes regarding language, violence and content.
At some points, it seemed like the humor was not directed toward children, but more toward an older audience. At other times, it felt as if children were targeted with cheesy lines and a message of believing in one’s self, which was redundantly relayed throughout the movie.
In the scene where the pirates go to the movies, one pirate pulls out a sword and threatens a movie theater attendant, which may bring fear to the eyes of small children. Another scene sees a thug threaten a tavern full of people; the thug says that anyone blowing bubbles will be “beaten senseless.”
Another scene deserving of a good laugh, but questionable when regarding children who may mimic their hero sponge, is a scene in which the two heroes get hopped up on ice cream. On their journey, SpongeBob and Patrick stop at a Goofy Goobers bar and proceed to get wasted off ice cream sundaes. It is pretty obvious the ice cream has the same effect as booze. Red-eyed, inebriated and slurring their speech, the two stagger around, comically hung over.
Ending the movie with a bang and a real-life appearance, a cameo by David Hasselhoff, proves this movie is hilariously senseless. He heroically and cheesily saves the day by giving SpongeBob and Patrick a jet-powered lift back to Bikini Bottom. He then uses his pectoral muscles to hold SpongeBob and Patrick down as he propels in to the deep.
The show’s success has made it a $1.5 billion annual licensing icon, attracting viewers of all ages. Although the program’s target audience is between the ages of two and 11, Nielson Media Research’s TV ratings reveal that 18-49-year-olds make up 22 percent of its audience.
Those who think the Sponge is only for kids, think again.
Arts&Culture Editor: Jon Ross
UI Argonaut, 301 Student Union, Moscow, ID 83844
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