The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015)

[Plain Old Tele]

Discuss.

[Alpha]

I pretty much said what I wanted to say in the weekend thread.

I think Bubbles the all-knowing dolphin's appearance really summed the movie up for me. It's trying to go for this really wacky and random vibe, which is what made a lot of the original SpongeBob episodes succeeded at. However, the original episodes didn't take it to the point where it was just plain weird.

That was definitely weird, but instead of being funny, it was really cringe-worthy. The seagul vs. dolphin rap battle also had the same feeling.

There were some parts that were funny. The references were great, and Antonio Banderas was campy fun. But overall, it was a letdown because those too-absurd moments were more common than the actual wit and humor.

To sum it up:

- There's a point when absurdity is funny, but when it's overdone, then it's just weird and cringe-worthy. Moments like the talking dolphin God, the rap battle and Sandy being a human-sized realistic CGI squirrel weren't funny, because they became too outlandish even for a SpongeBob movie. I know little kids find talking dolphins and shit like that funny, and this is what this movie's main demographic, but I'm not a child anymore. Seasons 1-3 of SpongeBob still retain the absurdity, but also have the wit and charm to complement it. This had glimmers of that (especially in the beginning), but unfortunately there was too much juvenile humor.

- Besides that, some jokes hit really well. The first 30 minutes are hilarious, and all the jokes hit perfectly.

- The message of "teamwork" becomes really phony after it's repeatedly hammered-in to the audience.

- The time machine subplot is a waste of time. What should've happened is that the Krabby Patty Formula disappeared, Bikini Bottom goes to shit, and so SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and Plankton have to go to shore to find the pirate guy and stop him. The whole "going back into time to get the Krabby Patty Formula" was honestly really boring after a while, and didn't Segway into any other part of the plot. I know SpongeBob is supposed to be random humor, but random humor is hilarious if it doesn't take up a majority of the movie.

- Antonio Banderas was great, campy fun. I felt like they could've done more with his character, though.

- Outstanding 2D animation and great 3D animation.

B-

P.S. - THEY GAVE SANDY BOOBS. That's fucked up, Paramount.

Edited February 7, 2015 by Alpha

[CaptainJackSparrow]

They gave Sandy boobs?

[Wormhole]

The whole "going back into time to get the Krabby Patty Formula" was honestly really boring after a while, and didn't Segway into any other part of the plot. I know SpongeBob is supposed to be random humor, but random humor is hilarious if it doesn't take up a majority of the movie.

 

Again, this isn't true. If they don't go forward in time, they don't meet Bubbles, and they don't go to the surface and get back the formula.

 

I thought Bubbles was great. The rap battle was funny because it subverted typical narrative structure. I expected the movie to end, and bam -- rap battle between talking dolphins and seagulls. And realistic Sandy was one of the best gags in the movie imo. Squidisaurus Rex was another highlight.

 

I enjoyed every minute of it. I don't think it was quite as funny as the 2004 movie, but it was still pretty great. I can't really grade a movie like this because it's just so off-the-wall. There's nothing really to compare it to. Not many films -- even those aimed at kids -- go as balls-out in ignoring narrative structure and typical Hollywood tropes as Spongebob.

[Gopher]

Bigger and bolder (though not as consistent or likely rewatchable) as the 2004 film, which I consider a classic in its own right. It doesn't give a damn about tropes or structure or plot or meaning, and that's exactly what it *should* be doing. The SpongeBob's head and time travel sequences are going to end up being my favorites of the year.

 

I could go either way on the last third but the insanity of the Bikini Bottom narrative alongside Antonio Banderas' insane story always kept me busy laughing.

[Alpha]

Decided to upgrade my grade to a B-. I remember now having a better time during the movie than I thought.

[Goffe]

great humor, but there's no substance whatsoever, even for an animated film.

 

It's also too frenetic for me, kinda similar to The Lego Movie in that regard, it doesn't take its time to breathe. 45/100

Edited February 12, 2015 by Goffe

[AniNate]

This movie isn't for you if you think it should "take time to breathe". That's like asking Quentin Tarantino to tone down the blood and profanity in his films. The relentless absurdity of the TV series is why it remains so popular, and it's sort of a nice change of pace to see a kids movie that doesn't even try to send a message and just goes all out on the humor. Where a lot of lesser movies fail is that they try to have it both ways by having the pandering slapstick while also trying to deliver an "IMPORTANT MORAL" that they hope will justify the movie's existence. But SpongeBob doesn't pretend to anything of the sort; it sets out to be an exercise in pure silliness and doesn't deviate whatsoever.

Edited February 18, 2015 by tribefan695

[Blankments]

I really enjoyed this. Don’t get me wrong; there are definitely some issues with pacing and the fact that it really doesn’t feel like a movie, and the first movie is infinitely better. However, this movie is trippy, weird, and captures the magic of old SpongeBob. And, hey, Sandy actually has a role this time! I mean, I can’t have anything against a movie that puts a Blurred Lines rip-off to travel through time, or has a completely odd rap-battle at the end. Also, I really really loved how they integrated the nostalgia into the movie. I couldn’t stop smiling at the “My Leg!” and the vague references to episodes past. This was a movie made for the fans of the show’s past in addition to the kids of today. It was weird, it was fun, and I laughed a lot. What more can you ask from a SpongeBob movie? A-

[Empire]

B(87)

[Blankments]

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water is one of the most bizarre mainstream movies I've ever seen. It's incredibly disjointed and lacks any real plot, sticking to vignettes. As a side of this, it has a really obnoxious moral that's too obvious. However, it also has extended references to Mad Max: Fury Road and Inside Out despite being released several months before them, along with the best use of Ecstasy of Gold outside of its source material. It's a funny movie, probably with bigger laughs than the original, although that one has more in quantity and is more consistent. The crazy animation this film dabbles in is worth it too, especially considering it was the first mainstream traditional animation wide release in four years upon its release. Also, Antonio Banderas is better than David Hasselhoff. Sponge Out of Water is a poor sequel, but it manages to capture early SpongeBob in a way that hasn't been felt since the first movie, despite its inconsistency. B