Author: Adam

When I made the decision to do a yearly long retrospective on SpongeBob SquarePants for the show’s 25th anniversary, there was one main thing I was skeptical off, that the newest piece of SpongeBob content to come out in 2024 would be so bad that it would make this retrospective feel like a giant waste of time. After all, we all know the narrative of SpongeBob SquarePants in the eyes of the media. Pre-first SpongeBob movie good, post-first SpongeBob movie bad.

The last thing I want is the latest movie or tv special to throw more fuel into that toxic fire when it’s already big enough as it is. However, in the case of this newest SpongeBob-related movie to come out in Saving Bikini Bottom: A Sandy Cheeks Movie, I figured it wouldn’t be worth talking about unless it was a.) exceptionally good or b.) exceptionally bad. And considering I’m writing this review, you could probably guess this particular film is either one of those metrics. And if you go by the subtitle of this review, you would probably guess it was exceptionally bad. Unfortunately, you would be right.

Saving Bikini Bottom: A Sandy Cheeks Movie is one of the worst things to ever happened to SpongeBob SquarePants and is perhaps the worst of all of the SpongeBob movies (Yes, including Sponge on the Run). It takes nearly every problem of the very worst of SpongeBob medium and cranks it up to 11. The plot is non-existent, the characters are at their most one-note and nonsensical, not a single joke lands and isn’t stolen from older SpongeBob material, the direction and special effects for the live-action sequences are jaw droppingly awful, and the main villain is one of the worst, obnoxious, and most cringeworthy villains I’ve seen in any movie. Not even previous saving graces from other bad SpongeBob content such as the animation and voice work are good here. If there was any indication that Nickelodeon no longer cares for the sponge we all know and love, look no further than this steaming piece of crap!

I honestly want to stop here because talking so negatively about SpongeBob SquarePants, a series I have loved nearly my whole life, just breaks my heart. However, there is so much wrong with this movie that I just have to get my honest thoughts out there. I would start with the plot but it would be hard to describe because there really isn’t one.

Premise: The Bikini Bottom is in danger once again, this time being scooped out of the ocean from some mysterious unknown source. The only ones left to save the town is Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence) and SpongeBob Squarepants (Tom Kenny). The two head out of water to Sandy’s home state of Texas to enlist the help from her family to save their town and stop whoever it is that stole Bikini Bottom and everyone they love.

First off, despite what the title might suggest, this is most certainly a SpongeBob SquarePants movie that just happens to put the spotlight on Sandy Cheeks, much like how Shadow the Hedgehog was by in large a Sonic the Hedgehog game that just happened to put the spotlight on Shadow. There’s nothing different to in terms of tone, feel or music from your traditional SpongeBob episode and just about all of the major SpongeBob characters are present and accounted for. SpongeBob is basically just reduced to being the co-lead of the movie. Netflix and Nickelodeon can fool people however much they want to but this is NOT a spin-off by any means and most certainly another main entry of SpongeBob SquarePants. Which to be honest, makes the whole picture feel a whole lot worse than it already is.

It’s become a growing criticism with recent forms of media that it has the feeling of an A.I. making it and that unfortunately can be applied to here. There’s not a single plot element, character trait, joke, or reference that feels new or unique. Almost every single one of them has been stolen from other better SpongeBob medium and makes nearly every single beat of the film feel extremely predictable. You can see every single plot turn, character moment, reference, and moment of humor coming from a mile away. I’m willing to bet if I asked ChatGPT to write out a SpongeBob movie for Sandy Cheeks, this is exactly what I will get.

The plot, as I mention before, is barely there. It’s about the most barebone “save the world” story you can possibly imagine with nothing fresh or unique added to it. There’s no positive message for kids here or any hard lesson that the characters have to learn by the end. It just one random illogical set piece to the next that even for SpongeBob SquarePants, will test your patience and make your ability to suspend your disbelief basically impossible. Granted, SpongeBob hasn’t necessarily been known for having complex stories or the most internal logic but even with the other movies, it at least felt consistent with everything else going on and there was the germ of an idea that gives it an excuse to make into a film.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie acted as the original epilogue of the series that changed the status quo for its main Sponge at the very end. Sponge Out of Water took spoofs of a handful of classic films and put them all in a blender. Even Sponge on the Run had a climax that (despite the abruptly forced Kamp Koral flashbacks) could have been seen as a culmination of the series with the characters describing how much SpongeBob has meant to them over the years. There is nothing of substance in Saving Bikini Bottom that warranted this being a feature length film when it could have EASILY been a 30 or 45 minute long special instead of a 85 minute long film.

The SpongeBob characters themselves are giving as lazy of a treatment as the plot is. There is nothing that stands out here in terms of their traits and personalities that you haven’t already seen before in any other SpongeBob media. It takes the problem of the latter seasons where they will take the one character trait that each character is known for and beat you over the head with it, making it their ENTIRE personality without deviating from that one specific trait. SpongeBob is overly happy and optimistic, Sandy is overly smart and competent, Patrick is overly dumb and stupid, Squidward is overly sad and depressed, Mr. Krabs is overly cheap and greedy, etc. It’s just the one trait that each character is known for and literally NOTHING else. I would mention the other characters but they all feel like such a footnote here that I can’t be bother to speak of them because the movie itself couldn’t care less either. That’s not even to mention how clunky and unnatural nearly every bit of dialogue is that comes out of these characters’ mouth, with lines that feel as cold and lifeless as everything in this movie is.

When it comes to the new characters added in, they are even worse. While meeting Sandy’s family is an interesting idea on paper that could possibly make for a decent episode for the show, the group itself could not be more bland and boring in the finished film. I can’t remember any of their names, what makes them different from each other, and which character that each actor is suppose to be playing. There’s nothing that stands out with the family that makes them feel welcome in the world of SpongeBob nor does it offer any kind of extra depth or characterization for Sandy herself. The best we get is the hint of what Sandy was like before she left Bikini Bottom with her family being circus folks and how she was potentially destined to be a spy there (Yes, really!) and nothing else.

It’s also quite jarring how the family seems to act like they are in a completely different universe than the one the movie is set in, especially with how little presence they have in the actual climax of the movie. They don’t so much feel like they are doing this to save their daughter’s town but more because she just so happens to be back in Texas and they might as well give her a helping hand. Such LOVING parents!

It honestly feels like the family couldn’t care less what happens to Sandy’s home and her friends. It’s just like, “Oh, our daughter is back in town and needs a slight favor from us! I guess we can help her, even if we really don’t know what it amounts to!” Meeting Sandy’s family should have been exciting to see for any fan, instead it’s lame and boring like everything else in this trash heap.

The worst new additions, however, have to go to the human characters. Not only are the live-action sequences with them generally poor and hard to watch, but these characters could not be more annoying and obnoxious if they tried. The two assistants are generally infuriating, going full cartoon in their performances that doesn’t feel entertaining to watch and gives the impression that the director for these sequences has no clue how to properly stage a live-action scene. If you thought the live-action Patchy the Pirate sequences in the show was cringe, you have seen NOTHING yet. However, neither one of them compares to the absolute WORST part of the movie, the main villain of the movie!

The main villain play by Wanda Sykes is easily the worst antagonist that the SpongeBob franchise has ever seen! There is absolutely NOTHING about her that makes her stand out positively in any way, shape, or form. She starts off as being a generic “corporate” villain that wants to use SpongeBob and his friends as a brand that they can turn into a huge profit (You couldn’t have been any less subtle with your business motives, could you Nickelodeon?!) but then her character becomes NEEDLESSLY complicated once they reveal the origin story as to who and even why she is the way she is. It’s very hard to explain into words what I’m talking about because it is generally baffling how HORRIBLY a character like her can be written in ANY feature film!

Nothing about her makes any sense, her motivations for doing what she does is strange and quite frankly disturbing, every single line of dialogue spoken out of her mouth is an absolute groaner, the green-screening effects with her character are so bad it will make your eyes bleed, poor Wanda Sykes looks totally lost when playing this character, and her evil transformation at the climax is generally one of the most CRINGEWORTHY things I’ve seen in not just a SpongeBob film but possibly ANY form of entertainment medium EVER! You have to see it to believe it but I can only imagine how many folks will legit die of cringe whenever they see this character appear on screen once she transforms into her “real” form.

Even the notable saving graces of prior bad SpongeBob content such as the animation and voice work cannot be praised here. The animation might have been decent for a video game cutscene but NOT for a future length film. It’s like they took the animation from prior SpongeBob video games, most notably The Cosmic Shake, but removed any of the fluent movements and the overall unique style that helped make it stand out for the game. It looks even worse in live-action, looking distractingly out of place with everything that is happen out of the sea with terribly dodgy CGI effects and dreadful editing for good measure. I mean at least Sponge On The Run looked nice and all of the voice actors sounded like they were trying.

Speaking of which, the voice cast, which has been a constant strength for all forms of SpongeBob medium, is shockingly flat here. Almost all the big name members of the cast sound incredibly bored to be here, feeling like they are just going through the motion and phoning in. I understand that everyone in the cast is older now and have been doing these roles for over two decades now but there is just no energy or passion behind any of the performances in the movie. Tom Kenny and Clancy Brown in particular sounds like they are on there last legs on voicing SpongeBob and Mr. Krabs respectively. They all sound just as tired and bored as I imagine most SpongeBob fans will feel watching this monstrosity.

I can’t imagine I will suffer through a worse film in 2024 than Saving Bikini Bottom: A Sandy Cheeks Movie. It’s proof that Nickelodeon no longer cares about the quality of the SpongeBob brand and clearly see the franchise as just a product in name only. Any of the heart and soul that has been a present through the very highs and even some of the lows is no where to be seen here. I know there will be plenty of folks out there dismissing this review and claim the movie overall is not that bad and giving it the “it’s for kids” pass but I generally believe SpongeBob SquarePants and children entertainment deserves better than this.

As someone that has been a defender of numerous amount of SpongeBob content to come out past the first movie (which you have seen throughout the course of the year), Saving Bikini Bottom: A Sandy Cheeks Movie serves as the perfect amount of ammo needed to those that claim that the sponge we all know and love is long gone and should have been put to sleep a long time ago.

Going back to the “corporate villains” I mentioned before, it’s ironic how the main thing going with them is that they are a big corporation that is wanting to capture SpongeBob and the rest of Bikini Bottom for the sake of merchandises and branding. With a proper creative team, that could have made for an interesting commentary and even a defense that SpongeBob means more to Nickelodeon than just his popularity alone. Unfortunately, when watching the movie, it comes across as Nickelodeon patting themselves on the back for letting SpongeBob be what he has become. And especially after the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, that is about the worst and most cynical feeling imaginable.

God bless you THQ Nordic!

Other comments:

• There is literally a joke that SpongeBob makes early on in the movie about streaming videos on demand. I legit turned the movie off at that exact moment.

• Why does EVERY SINGLE SPONGEBOB MOVIE have to have the yellow demon go OUT of the water?!?!?! Just let him stay underwater for crying out loud!

• Remember in that one episode where Sandy says that squirrels can’t fly. That aged about as well as SpongeBob recently saying that he never learned how to tie a tie.

• I’m so sorry to Deadpool & Wolverine for saying you barely had a plot and relied too much on jokes and references. At least, the plot itself was built AROUND those jokes and references and they mostly worked in the heat of the moment. This is just…………nothing.

• This movie was apparently produced by the same person that did Food Fight! Now, it all make sense!

• Which character from Sandy’s family did Johnny Knoxville voice again?! I literally couldn’t tell.

• It’s odd how Grey DeLisle never did any voice work in SpongeBob until now. Just a shame she had to choose the absolute worst occasion imaginable to do so!

• I don’t care if Search for SquarePants or the Plankton movie (Yes, that’s going to be a thing) turns out good, there should be NO more SpongeBob movies after that!

• Sponge on the Run>Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie

• Heck, I’ll go a step further. Megamind 2>Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie

• Also, yes this was in fact a part of the SpongeBob retrospective marathon. I will do Sponge on the Run next month.

• I forgot to mention that Sandy has new robotic horse named Sparky! He just……exists I guess.

• Oh, and Squidward is totally gay for Sandy’s father btw. And SpongeBob is as well.

A wise man once said that there are no two words in the English language more harmful than “fan service”. I paraphrase of course but if that exact quote was legit, I imagine a film like Deadpool & Wolverine would be EXACTLY what that person would be talking about. Whenever a film is said to be filled with fan service, that always to act as some sort of certified trump card to neglect any kind of legit criticism to be regarded against the film, giving free realm to label critics that don’t like it as haters of un. It is also enough to basically determine what one will feel about the movie before they even set foot in the theater. When taking all those factors into account, you should know exactly what you are getting into with Deadpool & Wolverine because the film clearly doesn’t try to be anything but what you expect it to be like.

For fans that were excited just by the mere fact of Hugh Jackman coming back as Wolverine in his classic yellow spandex outfit and interacting alongside with Ryan Reynolds’s Deadpool, they will be happy. For fans that basically wants this to be the equivalent of MCU Reddit Fan Theory: The Movie, they will be happy. For fans that want to see Marvel poke fun at itself and take shots at itself for their recent shortcomings, they will be happy. For those that are bother by just one single aspect that I just mentioned, not only will they NOT be happy but they will likely be the ones to cry this as being the death nail of Marvel and cinema in general, A.K.A. Film Twitter’s worst nightmare. To put it simply, Deadpool & Wolverine is both as good as fans wanted it to be and as bad as haters wanted to be at the EXACT same time!

I can basically stop right there because that alone should indicated if this movie is for you or not. Even in an age where everyone already makes up their mind how they feel about something months before it even comes out, Deadpool & Wolverine has no interest in subverting or exceeding expectations but meaning it at the exact same level. For me, as someone that is a big fan of the first two Deadpool movies, I enjoyed myself well enough but I really hope that Marvel doesn’t make a film like this ever again. There’s only so many times where you can go “WOAH! I can’t believe they got *SPOILER* to come back as *SPOILER*!” before it gets incredibly old.

Premise: Deadpool’s (Ryan Reynolds) peaceful existence comes crashing down when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help safeguard the multiverse. He soon unites with his would-be pal, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.

I would go more in-depth than usual when reviewing these big movies but the plot is barely the point for a movie like this. All it mostly amounts to is a giant excuse to get Wade Wilson into the MCU, team up with Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, throw some shades at itself and superhero movies in general, and insert as many cameos as one could find on an MCU reddit fan page. Sure, there are moments of emotional weight here and there (particularly with two standout sequences with the worst Logan confronting his past) and all of the characters have clear cut motivations which they follow through on but for the most part, it would be hard to mistake this from other recent “fan service”/course correction movies out there, most notably The Flash.

To be sure, Deadpool & Wolverine is a better movie than The Flash without a doubt. There’s nothing in here even as remotely awful as the abominable CGI cameos of dead actors, all of the cameos are live and breathing people, and it’s all played for laughs while even drive forwarding the rather paper-thin plot. However, similarly to one of last year’s biggest summer bombs, you still can’t help but feel like the entire reason for this film’s existence is solely based with the audience in mind first and the characters of the story second. It’s not so much the way that the characters reacts to these moments of fan service but rather how the fanboys feel.

Say what you will about Spider-Man: No Way Home but that film knew to put Tom Holland’s Peter Parker front and center and that is what his story that had to be told. Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse used it’s multiverse concept to perfection to craft genuine, multilayer stories with fan service being the icing on the cake. You also had X-Men: Days of Future Past, a movie which existed just for the sake of erasing two bad X-Men movies, who used it’s time traveling mechanic and obvious course correction template to craft a film about our heroes fixing the mistakes of their past to make for a better and more uplifting future. Unlike those movies I just mentioned, Deadpool and Wolverine never really amounts to much under the skin than being a easter egg fest and a love letter to the 2000s era of Marvel superhero movies.

Thankfully, despite relying solely on action, comedy, and fan service, it does deliver on that when it counts the most. While not being the best in any of those categories in the Deadpool movies, there is genuinely enough fun to be had with what the movie has to offer. The fight scenes has just as much blood and gore as the first two movies, with the main standouts being the opening action sequence and the duels between Deadpool and Wolverine, it had just as much fourth wall breaking humor and pinches as itself than before, and there will certainly be one or two moments that will put a genuine smile on a longtime Marvel fan’s face. (There’s two in particular that I BETTER see in an upcoming Avengers movie.) The cast and crew knew exactly the movie that they were going to make and they made for the best of it.

Of course, Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine is the main selling point of the movie and what helps to differ this one from the past two movies. While this is not the same version of Logan that we have followed from 2000 to 2017, Jackman is still able to sell this new, “worst” version of Wolverine far better than the script demands for it. He makes for a perfect bitter counterpart to the always crazy and wisecracking Merc with the Mouth, fitting the new yellow spandex, something that has been in the making for nearly 25 years (Screw you, Bryan Singer!), like the absolute perfect glove you would expect. And as stated before, he does have two genuine standout moments with Dafne Keen’s X-23 (She’s already been in the trailer so it’s NOT a spoiler!) and Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova that only work as well as they do because of Hugh Jackman’s adding that extra emotional depth to the character. There is no way this movie would have worked without the pairing of Hugh and Ryan respectively but since it does, I could not help but love the hell out of those two bouncing off one another.

As for shortcomings, outside of the ones I mentioned, there are times to where the pacing grinds to a screeching halt with the characters adding some mumble jumble about the TVA and multiverse and just too much spent on trying to make sense in any of this. I also found myself missing 99% of the side characters from the first two Deadpool movies, with only really two main scenes with the whole gang. And while some of the jabs at the MCU and Multiverse Saga are funny, there are some that comes across as rather mean-spirited (especially in regards to a certain variation of Deadpool. It also doesn’t help that there are so much jabs at it that it seems like it’s going to lead to an ending that confirms that Marvel is done with all of these multiverse shenanigans and they are ready to try something different but then……doesn’t.

If this review makes it seem like my thoughts of Deadpool and Wolverine are all over the place, that’s because I’m trying to give multiple perspectives as to whether or not this movie will be for you. For the longtime fans, there’s a lot of fun and enjoyment to be found here with the insane amount of cameos, action beats, full 4th wall breaking humor, and just seeing Hugh Jackman in that classic yellow X-Men suit for the first time ever. That being said, if you are expecting a compelling straight-forward plot on par with the first two Deadpool movies and look for more than just fan service and easter eggs in a movie, you will likely be disappointed. As enjoyable as Deadpool and Wolverine is, I can’t help but find the character more engaging on his own adventures with his own friends and family, which is why this is perhaps my least favorite of the Deadpool movies and inferior to the last two standalone Wolverine movies.

But still, I enjoyed the action when it happened, I enjoyed (most of) the gags when they happened, I enjoyed the cameos when they happened, and I couldn’t help but be happy when I got to see Deadpool and Wolverine actually interacting together in their proper comic book counterpart suits. I just only wished it I enjoyed as much as I enjoyed all of those in the first two Deadpool movies.

This is a movie that the discourse surrounding will make me want to hate it, especially with the outrageous “THE MCU IS BACK!” to “THE MCU IS DEAD!” takes I’ve been seeing online, but for the moment I got what I mostly wanted for Deadpool and Wolverine, even if I wanted a bit more from it.

I’ll give it a three out of four stars for now.

Until the discourse and aftermath drives me sooooo bananas that it will make me drop it to a two and a half out of four stars.

Again, you’ve already decided whether you like or hate this movie so think for yourself.

Other comments:

• I can’t get BABY BYE BYE BYE out of my effing head!

• I would LOVE to know the backstory behind how Ryan Reynolds was able to get that one actor to come back given the bad blood that both sides had for one another.

• Also, the backstory on that one other cameo for Wolverine!

• It’s awkward how the same studio that made Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, that uses it’s cameos to flirt with and mock the find of fandom that care more about filmmakers making Reddit fan porn than their own work of art, make a film that basically acts as a tongue-and-cheek “Sorry!” to fans that didn’t like that movie.

• Shawn Levy doesn’t have the “sauce” that Tim Miller and David Lynch has. Did I do that right?

• And please stop using the phrase “sauce” all the time. It’s annoying!

• This weekend I learned that the internet and social media was mistake.

• Also, about you know what coming back as Doctor Doom for Avengers 5? Um………we’ll see how it goes…….I guess.

We are now getting closer and closer to the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, the next film entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which will see the long-awaited returns of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as the titled characters. Although the discourse will likely be insufferable (most notably the hundreds of articles and YouTube videos about whether or not the film “saved” the MCU), this should be a fun time in it’s own right if it can live up to the buddy cop premise that it promises itself to be. However, I think it’s best to take a step back in the time capsule about how a Deadpool movie even existing is a miracle within itself. Not necessarily because just about any big movie that has ever gotten made is a miracle but particularly the circumstances surrounding the production of the first Deadpool movie, particularly what it took for Fox to actually greenlight it and give it that hard R-rating that fans wanted. We have to go back to practically the beginning of the 21st century to get the full dive-in the production of Deadpool.

Back in May 2000, Artisan Entertainment announced a deal with Marvel to co-produce, finance, and distribute several films based off of Marvel Comics’ characters, including Deadpool. It wasn’t until nearly four years later in February 2004 where there was any active development of a Deadpool movie, with David S. Goyer and Ryan Reynolds being attached to the project, both of whom worked together on the Marvel film, Blade: Trinity. Ryan became interested in playing Deadpool after learning that the character was refereed to in the comics as “Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar-Pei”, compelling him to get the movie made. However, there were rights issues with 20th Century Fox and the X-Men films, which halted the project completely.

About a year later in March 2005, Ryan learned that Fox might have changed their mind and were once again interest in a film featuring Deadpool. However, it wasn’t until 2009’s X-Men: Origins Wolverine where he finally got casted in the role of Wade Wilson/Deadpool and be given a chance to play as the character he’s wanting to for so long. While originally meant to be a cameo, his role would be expanded later on in production of the film, leaving room for a potential future spin-off movie for that version of Deadpool. Unfortunately, the film’s portrayal deviated HEAVILY from the original comic character.

There were decisions made with the character of Deadpool in Origins: Wolverine that INFURIATED not just the fans but Ryan Reynolds. Elements such as giving him illogical superpowers, no comic accurate suits, lack of funny one-liners, and worst of all, sewing his mouth complete shut. Ryan was against the majority of the choices made but was forced to go along with it after being blackmailed by the studio execs into having the character recast if he didn’t keep his mouth shut (no pun intended).

Despite the negative reception of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it’s strong opening weekend at the box office encourages plans for a Deadpool standalone movie. Ryan would be attached to the project along with X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner. The spin-off would ignore the version that was presented in Origins: Wolverine and return the character back to his well-known comic suits, with a slapstick tone and plenty of fourth wall breaks. This project would be in the work for the next two years, with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick helming the script, Tim Miller attached to make his feature directorial debut with it, and Ryan Reynolds being in the background to make sure everything was coming together.

The project would later be halted again after Green Lantern released in 2011, which starred Ryan Reynolds himself and was a critical and financial disappointment. Fox executives were already nervous about releasing a superhero film that was R-rated and the fact that Ryan himself as had quite a losing streak with comic book movies such as Blade: Trinity, X-Men: Origins Wolverine, and now Green Lantern didn’t help wonders either.

After Ryan and Tim Miller had several meetings with Fox, the studio did agree to give them a low-six-figure budget to product some test footage to see if a R-Rated Deadpool film could translate on the big screen. Miller would use CGI from his animation company Blur Studio in 2012, with Ryan voicing Deadpool himself. When presenting the footage to Fox, it did not convince them to greenlight the film. Just like that, the production was halted once again.

In the same year of 2012, The Avengers released in May and became the third highest-grossing film of all time. While some attached to the Deadpool project thought that would help pick serious momentum after it being in development hell for nearly a decade up to that point, Fox became even more doubtful of a R-Rated Deadpool movie working. Because of that, Fox began exploring ways to include Deadpool in an Avengers-like team-up film. Considering the fact that this was still years before Disney would own Fox, it would be pretty difficult to find popular Marvel superheroes outside of ones that Fox already own such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four to make a movie like that work. Yet again, it seems as though the project was still far away from having any actual development.

Despite having plenty of supporters over a Deadpool movie, even from some highly notable directors in Hollywood such as James Cameron and David Fincher, Fox still did not want to pull the trigger and give the proper and faithful Deadpool movie that his fans have been wanting for years now. It was at this point where it seems like a Deadpool movie was just never going to see the light of day. Due to a mix of studio politics and results of prior projects with some of the crew attached to it, it just felt like a Deadpool movie was never meant to be. Already so much time and effort had been wasted to a movie that was never officially greenlighted and it might be better off for everyone to just move on to other things. But then in July of 2014, the unthinkable happened.

Right around the time of Comic-Con in 2014, that test footage that Ryan Reynolds and Tim Miller made together two years prior got leaked all over the internet. The test footage mostly acted as a template to the opening action sequence in the final finished film. Deadpool is on a highway where he makes quips, slice and dices up some bad guys, flips the car open, and turns to the camera to break the fourth wall, with the cherry on top being Deadpool dropping an F bomb at the end along with Angel in the Morning playing in the background.

This leaked test footage absolutely BROKE the internet! Everyone and their mother went absolute BANANAS over it! THAT right there was Deadpool! Those two minutes of test footage along felt more like Deadpool than ANY scene with him in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This got Marvel fans so fired up and excited that it led to plenty assuming that a Deadpool movie was in the works. Despite Fox denying Ryan and friends a chance to make a hard R Deadpool movie for the past decade now, they just had to yes now, right?! With the MASSIVE acclaim this two minute-long test footage alone got, this had to be a sign that a Deadpool movie was made to exist. And as it turns out, that was exactly what the cast and crew needed to get Fox to FINALLY say Yes!

About a month after the test footage was leaked, Fox confirmed that a Deadpool movie would be in the works and they gave it a release date of February 12, 2016. At long last, Ryan Reynolds, Tim Miller, and everyone else who has been attached to this project for so long would finally get a chance to make the Deadpool movie they have wanted to make since at least the mid 2000s. All it took was for someone to leak test footage to get Fox to finally greenlight the project.

It has never been stated who exactly was the one who leaked the footage. Ryan Reynolds has gone on records saying that he, miller, and the writers had previously discussed leaking the test footage themselves, with Ryan initially thinking Miller had done it but that was also never confirmed. He later believed the leak came from someone at Fox but no name has ever come out on who was responsible for the test footage coming out. Even so, Fox did agree to have an R-rated Deadpool movie made but Ryan and crew would have to do with a much smaller budget compared to most superhero films out there.

Deadpool finally released in February of 2016 to strong critical acclaim from critics and fans alike. It was able to gross over 782 million dollars worldwide, becoming the highest grossing X-Men film and the highest grossing R-rated film at the time it came out. Despite the concerns from Fox about an R-rated hurting the sales and quality of the movie, it turned out to be a massive hit. One that eventually lead to a sequel two years later and a third one, subtitled Deadpool & Wolverine, that is set to come out at the end of this month.

When looking back on the production history of Deadpool, I think you got an understanding as to why the film’s existence is a miracle in the first place. Not strictly because of it being in development hell for so long and the constant back-and-forth between the studio and Ryan Reynolds himself but the fact that it took leaked test footage to get the film made. All of this was possible because one brave soul out there was able to take time out of their day to leak test footage that went viral all over the internet. If it weren’t for that, there could be a strong chance this film didn’t get made at all.

A strong chance that Ryan Reynolds and Tim Miller wouldn’t be able to make the Deadpool movie they wanted to make. A strong chance that Fox would have passed on hundreds of millions of dollars and found the next big superhero hit franchise for them. A strong chance that the character couldn’t be brought into the MCU and eventually be in a movie alongside Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. This all had a strong chance of NOT happening! And it was able to get that strong chance because of leaked test footage.

Between this and the backlash over Sonic’s movie design, I guess the internet still has some good use for itself after all. I think I have an idea for an upcoming piece right when the holidays roll around.

Recently, DreamWorks Animation has announced that Shrek 5 is planned for a theatrical release for July 1st, 2026. This is an installment that has been rumored to be in the making for years now, with most believing that the sequel was in active development after Puss in Boots: The Last Wish came out, which had an ending where Puss and company arrived at the kingdom of Far, Far Away. There was then a report last year that confirmed that a Shrek 5 and even a planned Donkey movie was in the works, with Eddie Murphy supporting those claims a few weeks ago during the press tour for his latest film, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. And now we have a confirmed planned release of Summer 2026, which will see Shrek getting his fifth installment along with Buzz, Woody, and the gang getting their fifth installment a few weeks earlier with Toy Story 5, which leads me to the other upcoming animated film I’ll be discussing.

Despite believing that Toy Story 4 would be the definite end of the series, Disney announced last year that a Toy Story 5 is in the works, with the return of Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, which is also set for a summer release for June 19th, 2026, about two weeks before Shrek 5 will release. Although never 100% confirmed by Hollywood Reporter themselves, it was announced by Pixar CEO Pete Docter during a Q&A that the film would be directed by Andrew Stanton, who previously directed Finding Nemo, Wall-E and Finding Dory for Pixar along with co-writing the first four Toy Story films.

With Shrek 5 and Toy Story 5 acting as more entries in two long-running beloved animated franchises, you would think they would have the exact same reaction of hype and/or concern among fans of the franchise. However, that has not been the case whatsoever based on the reactions that I have seen.

Whenever you ask someone if they are excited for Shrek 5, they usually respond with…..

And whenever you ask someone if they are excited for Toy Story 5, they usually respond with…

In a way, this is basically like the exact OPPOSITE reactions regarding the last time that Pixar and DreamWorks squared off in the same summer with their most popular animated franchises with Shrek Forever After and Toy Story 3. Last time out, it was the Toy Story sequel that got hype and praise while the Shrek sequel got concern and hate. Talk about the shoe being on the other foot now!

While everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I more than understand concerns for Toy Story 5, I’m quite baffled how lopsided the reactions to the development of Shrek 5 and Toy Story 5 are overall. Both of these are fifth installments to beloved animated franchises, both of these are some of the most popular brand for both Disney and DreamWorks, both are likely going to be massive box office hits at the time it comes out and both are series that once had definite stopping points but continued on strictly due to their financial success and popularity. Which yet again begs the question as to why one movie is receiving more hype and anticipation than another. I’m gonna break down the main reasons as to what I’ve seen online why Shrek 5 is getting hyped and Toy Story 5 is not.

“There are still more stories to be told with Shrek and not for Toy Story!”

Is there though? For what I recall, most of the criticism surrounding the last two Shrek films with Shrek The Third and Shrek Forever After was how the series was starting to run out of ideas and stories of it’s own to tell. Shrek the Third got ripped apart for elements such as having Arthur being helmed as the one to run the throne of Far Far Away, not knowing what to do with Puss and Boots, and having Prince Charming being the lead villain when he already was a villain in the last movie. Shrek Forever After also took flack by stealing the premise of It’s A Wonderful Life and having all the characters go back to square one but in a different timeline. Does that sounds like a franchise that has plenty of room and growth for more stories?

Say what you will about the Toy Story sequels but at least each installment felt like it was taking the characters to the next step in their development and the whole franchise is constantly moving forward instead of backwards. Each entry of Toy Story basically took the themes and messages of it’s previous movie and expanded upon it in the next one. Toy Story 2 had Buzz and Woody switching roles with Woody this time around questioning his own morality, by coming to the realization that one day Andy will grow up and won’t need him anymore. Toy Story 3 expanded upon that and have it build to a climax which saw Woody and the toys learning to move on. Toy Story 4 expanded upon that by having Woody finding a happy ending of it’s own after letting Andy and his fellow toys have there’s. You can save what you want about the execution of those ideas or whether or not they justified their own existence enough but at least the series always feels like it has it’s head set straight forward instead of constantly looking back. That is something that I can NOT say about the previous two Shrek films.

Perhaps Shrek 5 will find an engaging story of it’s own whereas the previous two installments fell flat. Until then, I have yet to think of a big reason for there being more stories to tell with Shrek than there is with Toy Story.

“There’s a larger year gap between the last installment with Shrek than Toy Story!”

This is one reason that I actually agree with. There will in fact be a larger yearly gap between Shrek Forever After to Shrek 5 then there will be for Toy Story 4 and Toy Story 5. Shrek Forever After came out in 2010 and Shrek 5 is due to come out in 2026, that’s 16 (!) years in between those two installments. Whereas Toy Story 4 came out in 2019 and Toy Story 5 is due to come out in 2026, making it just 7 years in between those two installments.

Sure, if you dig deeper and count spin-offs such as Lightyear and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, that would just be a four year gap for both. However, when it comes to the main entries of both respected series, it’s a fact that Shrek 5 will benefit or not due to it being a larger year gap than Toy Story 5. In an age where it feels like time has gone faster than you can say to infinity and beyond (2019 was literally FIVE YEARS AGO!), there is a strong point to be made that the anticipation for Shrek 5 does in fact have to do with it being so long since the last main Shrek film came out.

“DreamWorks is better at making sequels than Disney!”

When looking at it in the long term, you might have a point here. DreamWorks tend to always bring their A-game when it comes to their sequels, especially with their Part Twos. Shrek 2, Kung Fu Panda 2, How To Train Your Dragon 2, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish rank up there as DreamWorks Animation absolute best work. And even the likes of Kung Fu Panda 3, How To Train Your Dragon 3, and the Madagascar sequels didn’t turn out so bad either. However, outside of The Last Wish, has DreamWorks really been that great with their sequels in recent memory? Or at least since the 2020s rolled around?

Megamind 2 was a cinematic abomination that was able to united every single human being on the planet with it’s terribleness, Kung Fu Panda 4 was considered the weakest and least necessary of the four Kung Fu Panda movies, and is there anyone outside of young kids and the cartoon community that thought that highly of Trolls World Tour and Trolls Band Together? And did you know that The Croods and The Boss Baby got sequels in the 2020s because I keep forgetting that they exist?

And if we are talking about the Shrek series alone, there are plenty of people that would agree that the last two Shrek films left plenty to be desired. Shrek the Third was considered at the time to be one of the most disappointing animated sequels of all time and isn’t looked upon that much fondly to this day. Shrek Forever After has seen it’s fair share of reappraisal in the coming years (even I will admit that it has aged better based on a recent re-watch of it) but not enough to where people put it on par with the first two Shrek movies.

Say what you will about the track record of sequels for Disney and Pixar but in regards to Toy Story, all four of them receive widespread critical acclaim and enormous box office success! Some might have their haters (most notably Toy Story 4) but they were able to please critics and audience at the time of the release and even now. If Pixar was able to deliver four well received Toy Story films thus far, why not trust them to do it again?

I don’t entirely disagree that DreamWorks sequels tend to stand out more than most sequels from Disney but if we are going by the recent track record and the last two installments from Shrek, there should be just as much if not more skepticism surrounding Shrek 5 as there is with Toy Story 5.

“Toy Story 4 and 5 do not need to exist and Toy Story 3 was suppose to be the true ending!”

You mean like how Shrek 4 and 5 don’t need to exist? Or how Shrek Forever After was suppose to be the true ending as well? So much so that the literal marketing and trailers propped the 4th Shrek film as being the legit final chapter of the story! Did we all just forget about that?!

I’m not going to argue with those that feel like Toy Story 4 and 5 don’t need to exist but like what was the point of say Shrek Forever After and 5 existing outside of dollar signs. They could have ended the story with Shrek The Third as most stories tend to end after a trilogy but they made a 4th one because the Shrek brand was still popular. Yes, you can argue that it was made to write the sins of the previous installment and successfully did so but that doesn’t mean it had to exist. And if you are able to take that into account, Shrek Forever After was designed and promoted as THE FINAL CHAPTER! of the story of Shrek. Do any of you remember the marketing for Toy Story 3 and 4 putting so much emphasis on those being the final chapter of their own respective franchise because I sure don’t?!?!

If you think that Toy Story 4 and 5 don’t need to exist because Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending, that’s totally fine and fair. But, let’s stop this notion that Shrek 5 completely justifies it’s existence alone when the last one made it 100% clear that it was fully intended to be the last one. Nothing remains sacred in Hollywood and it’s pointless to deny that is the same case with Shrek 5.

“Toy Story 5 only exists to make money!”

Repeat after me: ALL MOVIES EXIST TO MAKE MONEY! Not only all movies but ESPECIALLY studio IP movies! There is not a single second of development for these two films or ANY film for that matter where the studio execs are NOT thinking of all the money that they will make by banking on families and nostalgic adults! It’s not an opinion, that’s just a fact!

Toy Story 5 exists because Disney and Pixar are at a time where they need multiple box office hits in a row to justify still playing their films in theaters and it’s best to develop new films based off IPs that have already been successful. Shrek 5 exists because DreamWorks and Universal want another Shrek movie and want to make more sequels to perhaps make up for recent box office losses such as Trolls Band Together and Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Both of these statements can be correct and there is no shame in admitting!

At the end of the day, it’s all business in Hollywood! If Shrek 5 and Toy Story 5 make a ton of money during the summer two years from now, then it will be a success in the eyes of studio executives regardless of the actual quality of the film. Yes, Toy Story 5 only exists to make money but guess what, the same thing can be said for Shrek 5 as well.

In Conclusion

I know nothing I say can change one’s mind if they are super excited for Shrek 5 and super dreading for Toy Story 5. However, I want to at least get some points across as to the reasons that one is receiving much more hype than the other makes little to no sense to me. It’s okay to be excited for one movie and not for another but at least know why you feel the way you do in regards to Shrek 5 and Toy Story 5.

It’s bad enough we now live in an age where losers on the internet are always wanting to start a culture war on any new movie, show, or game that comes out nowadays. (There are literally folks claiming that Nintendo has gone “woke” because Zelda, the title character of Nintendo’s most successful non-Mario franchise, is getting her own game!) The last thing we need is another one in regards to these two long-running animated franchises that we all grew up with. A fun debate and comparison is all well and good but not when it starts to get needlessly cruel, mean spirited, and political for no reason.

I have nothing against Shrek or Toy Story. I’ve loved both series when I was a kid and I still have fond memories for them as well! I hope nothing but the very best for Shrek 5 and Toy Story 5 when they come out in summer of 2026. However, I do think there is plenty of room for worry and concern considering how they exist more because of the business side of things and not for the artistic side. Which yet again makes me wonder why most folks are propping up Shrek 5 but not Toy Story 5? I guess we will all find out the answer together in two years!

Regardless, Toy Story 5 will release on June 19th, 2026 and Shrek 5 will release on July 1st, 2026!

SpongeBob SquarePants returned in movie form on February 6th, 2015, 11 years after the first movie, with The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. It was directed by Paul Tibbitt, who also received story credit alongside SpongeBob SquarePants creator, Steven Hillenberg, with the screenplay writing by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger. The story was adapted from an idea conceived of Tibitt and Hillenburg, which the pair wanted to develop an idea that could only work strictly in movie form. Similar to the first film, the final act places the animated characters in live-action world but the animated characters became completely CGI animated in the live-action world. Those scenes themselves were directed by Mike Mitchell. This film was also Hillenburg’s proper return to the franchise after leaving as the show runner of the series after the release of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. While he still did review episodes and delivered suggestions from time-to-time, Sponge Out of Water would be his first time involved in the creative and writing process for SpongeBob since his departure. This film is dedicated to Ernest Borgnine, the voice of Mermaid Man, who died in 2023. This was also the final film role for Tim Conway, the voice of Barnacle Boy, who died in 2019.

The film, like it’s predecessor, received mostly positive reviews from critics, having the highest critical approval rating of any SpongeBob film to date on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the fans and audiences were more mixed on it, with most being frustrated at the film’s misleading title and marketing campaign, which made it feel like the whole movie would take place out of water and have the characters becoming superheroes but that’s really only for the final act of the movie. Even so, it was a big hit at the box office, earning over $325 million worldwide against it’s $60-74 million budget, making it the third highest-grossing Nickelodeon film to date and the 6th highest grossing animated film of 2015.

When it comes to how most folks responded to Sponge Out of Water, you can basically put them in the category of the good, bad, and the meh. There were those that thought it was genuine return to form for the franchise and thought it was the second leash on life it needed after the inconsistent quality since the first three seasons and movie. There were those that thought it was a complete dud and yet another reminder as to how far SpongeBob has fallen. And there was those that found it to be inoffensive but nothing that warranted making a whole movie out of. Because of that, I feel like it’s best to separate my thoughts of this movie into those three specific categories. The good, the bad, and the meh! It’s only fair that I point out every single pro, con, and in between I can think of when looking back at Sponge Out of Water nearly 10 (!) years later!

The Good

1.) The Animation

The animation is genuinely great though out this entire film, with the same classic 2D style hand drawn animation ripped straight from the show along with the proper 3D transition for the live-action bits of the film. Not only does it show off some unique visuals that make it worthy for the big screen but it’s able to perfectly translate the style of animation that the show is known for but make it work as a movie, even more so than the first SpongeBob movie did.

2.) Funny Spoofs

If I could think of one main reason as to why the crew wanted to put this story on the big screen, it would have to do with the amount of pop culture references and spoofs they could fit in there. At it’s core, there’s about three main spoofs that Sponge Out Of Water does it’s own spin on and each spoof basically acts as it’s own distinct act. You got the first act that plays like a more kid-friendly version of Mad Max, you have the second act that feels like SpongeBob and Plankton stepping into the realm of 2001: A Space Odyseey, and the third act (the one that the majority of the advertisements focused on) that is basically Avengers: Assemble but with SpongeBob characters. While doing those spoofs certainly played a factor into the film’s uneven pacing and storytelling and it probably could have done with just choosing one or two movies to spoof, I can imagine the cast and crew were having fun putting their own stamp of some of the most beloved film franchises out there.

3.) A Neat Twist To The Krabby Patty Formula Story

The whole “Plankton trying to steal the krabby patty formula” is perhaps the most “been there, done that” plot line in the history of SpongeBob. But what if, the moment that Plankton has possessing of it, it slips through his tiny fingers and falls into the hands of a human pirate? A human pirate that has exactly what Plankton wants, total power to do whatever he wants. That is easily the most creative story element of Sponge Out of Water that helps provide nice characterization to both SpongeBob and Plankton. Speaking of which!

4.) The Power of Teamwork

The first SpongeBob film had a very straight forward and obvious message, which is that never doubt yourself just because you are a kid. It might have been simple but it was still heartfelt for any kid my age back then. Sponge Out of Water provides a straight forward and obvious message about teamwork and working together with your friends and even enemies to solve your problems. This is the main motive that drives SpongeBob and Plankton throughout the entire second act and with SpongeBob and all his friends in the third act. It might beat you over the head with it more so than the first film did with its message but any kids movie that has a moral about working together with others is always welcome in my book.

5.) The Trippy Time Travel Sections

Yes, I love the heck out of the time travel sequences in this film! Is it trippy?! Yes! Is it absolutely crazy?! Yes! Does it make any lick of sense?! No, but I don’t care! Plenty of folks probably thought that these bits were a step too far but I don’t care. I like that these scenes went trippy and crazy! I don’t know what the people who thought of these sequences were eating, drinking, or smoking but I want it all!

The Meh

1.) The Humor

This might be subjective but I was honestly expecting Sponge Out of Water to be much more funnier than it was. Aside from some fun gags and spoofs, I found the humor to be rather stale with not a lot of memorable jokes. Most of them feel like rehashes from the show or ones that feel too water downed for little kids. There’s definitely some chuckles along the way but nothing that really made me belly laugh, especially during the moments where the film clearly wants me to belly laugh, such as when SpongeBob is torturing Plankton with the sound of his laughter. I won’t say the movie is completely unfunny but it’s also not completely funny either.

2.) The Action

It’s bizarre how this is a movie that is willing to go so out there in terms of its plot, visuals, and gags but seem to play it very safe when it comes to the action. Sequences such as the opening at the Krusty Krab or when SpongeBob and crew go into full superhero mode should be some of the most stand out sequences in not just the movie but perhaps in SpongeBob history. However, they are mostly just serviceable with the only memorable beats being the ones that you’ve seen in the trailers for it. I’m not expecting stellar choreography or anything like that but still action that felt more creative and imaginative than the action we get in Sponge Out of Water.

3.) The Way Certain Characters Were Handled

Despite all of SpongeBob’s friends being a main selling point for Sponge Out of Water, the majority of the fan favorites such as Patrick and Sandy don’t really get to do much. Heck, outside of SpongeBob and Plankton, hardly any of them get much of anything to do until the last third of the movie. They still do get much more screen time than they did in the first movie, outside of Patrick and Plankton, but it kinda makes me wish that most of them were along the ride with SpongeBob from the start instead of feeling written in at the last second, likely to appease fans that might have been upset by the lack of screen time from them in the first movie. The fact I can barely remember the exact moment where the whole gang got together to go out of water and find the Krabby Patty formula really says something about the way they were handled.

4.) Antonio Banderas

This might just be me but I can’t help but felt the most meh about this movie when it came to Antonio Banderas’s role and his character. I love Antonio Banderas but I don’t think he stands out as well as you would expect in a SpongeBob movie as a live human being. It’s basically a combinations of all the meh qualities of Sponge Out of Water in a nutshell. He could have been funnier, he could have stood out better in the action, and I felt he should have more screen time and/or presence in the actual movie. Antonio is by no means bad or weak in this movie but it feels like he is just there because we needed a big celebrity to play a certain role in this movie. And that should not be the case when it comes to Antonio Banderas of all people.

The Bad

1.) The Nonsensical Plot

The plot for Sponge Out of Water is about as coherent as Joe Biden speaking during a presidential debate. It’s absurdly all over the place, difficult to comprehend or put into words, and I don’t think that even the writers themselves knew what they were doing. It’s overstuffed with so many different ideas and spoofs that its internal logic falls apart at the first second of thought. It’s the same issue that the newer episodes would have to feel like there’s not attempt at telling a story but just feels like a bunch of random nonsense. It may not quite be the worst example of that in regard to SpongeBob but it also doesn’t help wonders here.

2.) Mr. Krabs

For all the talk about this film was about being a return to form for the characters, one character I found to be done very poorly is Mr. Krabs. He blames Plankton for the Krabby Patty formula disappearing even though SpongeBob was right there with them when it happened. Then not only does he not believe them but he literally turns his back on SpongeBob and orders citizens of Bikini Bottom to capture him and the do….God knows what. While I can understand not trusting Plankton at all, the fact that Mr. Krabs would go the extra mile to not believing SpongeBob and wanting vengeance against them doesn’t feel right at all. It felt like such a betrayal to the character to turn on his best employee like that, especially when he has zero reason to doubt him and believe he is not telling the truth.

3.) False Advertising

As I mentioned at the start of this retrospective, perhaps the most controversial element of Sponge Out of Water had to do with the incredibly dishonest marketing campaign. From both the trailers and title of the film alone, you would believe that Sponge Out of Water would actually be about SpongeBob and his friends being well…out of water. However, those sequences don’t actually take place until the final third of the movie, most notably the last 15 to 20 minutes of the film. That might not be the fault of the movie itself but that no doubt had to leave a sour taste in the mouth of some folks. Perhaps a different title or more faithful trailers would have helped this problem out.

4.) Did this need to be a movie?

Despite having the quality animation and clear references to well known film classics out there, I’m not entirely sure that Sponge Out of Water has enough substance to warrant for itself to be a film to be seen in theaters. The plot itself is all over the place as it is and it doesn’t so much feel like a plot for a movie but more of the plots of three to four different SpongeBob episodes smashed together into one film. In many ways, it feels like the films it spoofs off of feel more like a cover to justify this being a feature length film and not because they were actually trying to pay genuine tribute to certain films by giving them the SpongeBob treatment. It might have been a fun cover up but it still feels like a cover up regardless and one that could have been made as either a string of multiple episodes or just as a simple tv movie in general.

In Conclusion

I can totally understand why The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water is as divisive as it is among the fanbase. It contains some of the very best, very worst, and very “meh” parts of all of the SpongeBob movies thus far. That is basically what you get when you go with a whole “throw everything but the kitchen sink” approach to a movie. You will have some moments that stick, some that just don’t, and some that will just fly pass your mind the moment that the movie is over. I can certainly respect Sponge Out of Water for going as far and bonkers as it dares to go but I don’t think it all works as well as it’s suppose to nor do I think it holds a candle due it’s predecessor.

However, it still has most of the characters that I love from the show, some of which got very little to do in the first movie and have more to do here, it’s got some crazy visuals that I thought I would never see in a SpongeBob movie, some of the movie spoofs it provides were quite fun, and there is a moral, while simplistic and predictable, that I think can resonate with kids the way the first film’s “kids rock” message resonated with me. In some senses, Sponge Out of Water feels like Stephen Hillenburg and the crew from the original three seasons and first movie coming together, dipping their toes into the deep blue sea of Bikini Bottom before swimming back all the way underneath the surface.

When looking at it through those lenses, I would give Sponge Out of Water a pass and a mild recommendation to anyone curious. I can’t say for certain it will work for you nor will you find the movie to be necessary but if you are just looking for an excuse to hang with SpongeBob and his friends for an hour and a half with enough visuals and gags to keep you entertained, I think this will do you just fine. If anything, this was at least a start to a much better era of SpongeBob that awaited him, his best one since between 1999-2004. And it’s certainly not the worst SpongeBob movie out there. That is something I will be discussing in a few months from now!

Next Month: The “Other Good” Era (Seasons 9-11)