“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Square Pants” (2025) is the fourth movie spun off from the television series. SpongeBob (Tom Kenny), who wears a red tie with a short sleeve white shirt and brown shorts, has officially grown tall enough to ride a roller coaster and be considered a big guy, but he is too scared to do so. Mr. Eugene Krabs (Clancy Brown) backs up SpongeBob’s excuse for not riding so no one will know that he is scared, but because SpongeBob wants Mr. Krabs’ respect, he decides to follow in his boss’ footsteps and heads to the Underworld to join The Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill) and his crew on a journey to get his swashbuckler certificate. The Flying Dutchman has ulterior, selfish motives because he wants SpongeBob to switch places with him and become a ghost. Will Mr. Krabs be able to save SpongeBob? In his quest to become a big guy, will SpongeBob become lost forever? Without being preachy, this animated film is entertaining and offers valuable lessons to kids and their grown-ups.
I live a SpongeBob free life until now, and while I was disoriented about all the characters’ ages and relationships to each other. SpongeBob acts like a child with his love for blowing bubbles, but apparently, he is old enough to work for Mr. Krabs and lives in a home without roommates so obviously wages are better, and rent is more affordable under the sea. Patrick Star (Bill Fagerbakke) is his pink best friend who has a doofus voice with flashes of inexplicable insight, which SpongeBob misreads as challenging his big boy status. Mr. Krabs owns the modest crab shack and spins tall tales about his life as a swashbuckler. His employee, Squidward Tentacles (Rodger Bumpass), was not popular in high school, and though he socializes with his boss, Mr. Krabs gets hierarchical, which triggers Squidward’s gift for sarcasm and dry wit. They are colorful, likable characters because of their flaws, which is cute. Inexplicably SpongeBob has a pet snail, Gary (also Kenny), who meows.
The Flying Dutchman has been known as a legendary ghost ship since the seventeenth century and was most recently referenced in “The Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, but in “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Square Pants,” it is the name of pirate character. Technically the animated television series predates the Disney films, but the films adapt a Walt Disney amusement park attraction that started in 1967. Hamill voices the ghostly, self-serving villain Do I suffer from Hamill blindness because between this movie and “The Long Walk” (2025), I rarely recognize him? I did spot him in “The Life of Chuck” (2025).
The Flying Dutchman exploits SpongeBob because he cares more about himself, not anyone else, but he does not hate anyone and is not actively trying to hurt people. He is a bad friend to his right hand, Barb (Regina Hall). The acting talent is stacked. It is just the cost for living his best life. His actions has as dangerous an effect as villains with malintent, but it was a refreshing change from most movie big bads who want to destroy or conquer. He just wants to go to Santa Monica. He is effortlessly mischievous whenever the opportunity presents itself. Also when he and Barb realize that Patrick is a threat to their plan, they do not try to destroy the friendship, but appeal to SpongeBob’s desire to be a grownup. Movies often make the devastating choice to spoil the fun and drive a wedge between the leads that the story rarely recovers from.
Visually the theme is nautical and ocean creatures. The best shot starts behind the see through Flying Dutchman to show SpongeBob’s reaction to meeting a ghost It is a blink and miss it moment that is easy to take for granted. When Mr. Krabs and Squidward run down the stairs, they stop suddenly at a trompe l’oeil. There are brief interactions between live action and animation, which are seamless though a little blue screeny.
Vocally and attitude wise, the fabric of the story feels familiar to daily life even for an acolyte such as myself. The patrons of Mr. Krabs’ establishment are begrudgingly faithful. The ticket taker at the roller coaster (Ice Spice) is just going through the motions and is the opposite of delighted to be there. People say shrimp instead of shit or show bricks. Only SpongeBob and Patrick have not lost their joie de vivre. Innocence is a rare quality anywhere. Each are precious because of it, and their imperfect friendship is the secret sauce to surviving the terrors of the underworld, which do not seem so bad. Their adults/coworkers are willing to brave the social horrors of high school (mean girls, dodgeball and gym teachers) to save the pair from the bad lessons that they taught them to assuage their own insecurity.
“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Square Pants” warns kids to not grow up too fast lest dangerous adults take advantage of them. It also takes aim at the shame of being scared, not masculine enough or being grown up since everyone is acting. Being “a bubble blowing baby boy” is not bad. It is surprisingly complimentary of the fast-food service industry and living an ordinary life. When I was younger, I used to think that it was brainwashing, but now I think that it is better to encourage satisfaction and joy in all circumstances. Being a pirate is overrated. On the other hand, it is work propaganda in which most social relationships revolve around work, not family or friends. It does balance it with showing the boredom and drudgery inherent in some forms of work, and Barb’s over investment in her job and conflating it with her station in life.
“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Square Pants” also warns adults about not addressing their past issues lest they pass down the shame. Mr. Krabs spends the entire movie regretting not showing SpongeBob more love, being emotionally vulnerable and teaching him the right lessons instead of maintaining a fiction about himself that no one needed or asked for. When a trusted big guy drops the ball, another big guy will pick it up. The intent of the grownups is less important than the impact, and it is really sweet that Mr. Krabs shares the consequences. SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs keep a fictional promise to each other while trying to fix the problem.
While “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Square Pants” may not have won against “David” (2025) in the battle for the box office, it may be easier to rationalize renting and streaming it from the comfort of your home. Though it is more overtly targeted towards kids, adults may be surprised at how well the story and its lessons can apply to them The best one comes last: overcoming your fears to achieve your dreams regardless of how modest they are while being yourself with people who accept you is the ultimate catharsis.
