“Spongebob Squarepants” has been around since 1999. That’s 16 years. The show has spawned endless merchandise, 9 seasons, 2 movies, became an income powerhouse for Nickelodeon and is still making audiences laugh. During all that time, you cannot help but think that it has not remained the same since ts inception. You would be correct.

Many adult viewers, including myself, would say that “Spongebob” lost its edge sometime around

2004, after the first movie. Creator Stephen Hillenburg and some key producers left the franchise and

the series slowly turned into a “what-do-we-have-left?” cartoon. Elements of being slightly disturbing,

like creepy painted animation cells, were integral in shows like “Ren & Stimpy” and “Rocko's Modern

Life” and made “Spongebob” similarly great, but are now forgotten.

Over the years, the show slowly turned into its own stereotype – Patrick is insulting, Squidward is

tortured, relentlessly, and Spongebob Squarepants lost a lot of steam. So, is this film an attempt to

redeem the show? I would say so.

When I saw the trailers for this movie, I did not like what I was seeing. The premise of the art design

was the question, “What if Spongebob was in the real world?” I saw that as a betrayal to the essence of the show. He lives in a pineapple, under the sea!

Despite that, there is much more 2D animation, than 3D. Almost two whole acts are devoted to the

underwater, classic style of “Spongebob,” with the jokes geared more towards adults. The animation is stylized and I laughed more than I thought I would. Hillenburg and other producers returned to give the old and new generations of fans to regain the original spirit of “Spongebob” and it paid off.

“Spongebob” has never really been known for its diverse stories and plots. The focus of the show

primarily takes place at the Krusty Krab, with several stories centered around Plankton's attempt to

steal the Krabby Patty secret formula, with Spongebob and Mr. Krabs defending it, every time. The

conflict itself is the main story of the series. “Out of Water” takes this and elongates it.

While the name of the show is “Spongebob Squarepants”, the film, for the most part, focuses on

Plankton's role as the villain, something that was never really explored, except once in the classic

episode “F.U.N.” but Plankton acts as if it is required for him to be evil, like the story demands. In a

scene where he literally goes into Spongebob's brain, he is horrified of things that are cute and sweet

and it seems there is no chance for him to see the error of his ways. That is an interesting dynamic for a villain.

By the third act, Spongebob and his friends go on land to retrieve the secret formula from Antonio

Banderas playing a pirate. Interesting cast choice. While he does give it his all, I found myself more

interested in the complex nature of Plankton's character, rather than this outside story they were trying to shoehorn into the plot.

Several families were in the theater with their kids and I noticed that, during the 2D animation scenes,

the parents were laughing more than their kids and vice versa for the 3D scenes. Are children these

days less interested in the old style of “Spongebob?” Is 3D really going to be the way cartoons are

done, now, to satisfy kids of this generation? I am curious, because “Spongebob” was renewed for a

tenth season. While they would not make the entire season in 3D, I have to wonder if the popularity or

interest will still be there. Maybe 3D is here to stay and adults will just have to get used to it. What is

also curious is the timing where this film was released. This seems like a summer movie, rather than

a mid winter movie and I cannot help but think the creators of “Spongebob” needed this release to

remind audiences it is still funny. Hopefully, it will receive the box office turnout it deserves.

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