The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

While Nickelodeon's past big-screen versions of its hit kiddie cartoon shows have been a fairly sorry lot, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie proves to be a sprightly, colorful, and fun surprise. The plot revolves around a scheme concocted by the evil Plankton, owner of the dilapidated Chum Bucket eatery in Bikini Bottom, to frame Bob's boss Mr. Krabs, proprietor of the far more successful Krusty Krab, for the theft of King Neptune's crown. SpongeBob and his lunkhead starfish pal Patrick go off on a quest to the notorious Shell City to retrieve the headpiece and prove Krabs' innocence, leading to a series of episodic adventures in which they contend with frequently unfriendly creatures along the way, including a thug hired by Plankton. Parts of the picture seem a bit too reminiscent of Finding Nemo, and the repeated theme of “kid power” has an unfortunately pandering tone, but for the most part the film has an easygoing, gentle sweetness that doesn't cloy, providing 90 minutes of fun for children (that adults will find more charming than not). Recommended. [Note: Available in widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include the 18-minute "making-of" featurette “The Absorbing Tale Behind The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” the facetious featurette on real aquatic life “Case of the Sponge ‘Bob'” (featuring Jean-Michel Cousteau, 14 min.), 20 minutes of animatics (original storyboards and dialogue) featuring narration by creator Stephen Hillenburg, the four-minute segment “Saving the Surf” from the nonprofit ocean/beach preservation group Surfrider Foundation, trailers, and DVD-ROM features including the SpongeBob SquarePants THQ computer game demo. Bottom line: a small but fun extras package for a solid family film.] (F. Swietek)