Opening

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The Spongebob Squarepants Movie

The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (2004)

tomatometer

68

Average Rating: 6.2/10
Reviews Counted: 125
Fresh: 85 | Rotten: 40

Surreally goofy and entertaining for both children and their parents.

67

Average Rating: 6.1/10
Critic Reviews: 36
Fresh: 24 | Rotten: 12

Surreally goofy and entertaining for both children and their parents.

audience

74

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 219,072

My Rating

Movie Info

Something nefarious is afloat in the depths of Bikini Bottom: King Neptune's crown has been stolen, and the prime suspect is Mr. Krabs, SpongeBob's boss at Mr. Krabs' Krabby Patties. Despite the overwhelming evidence against Mr. Krabs -- not to mention having been turned down for a long-awaited promotion at the restaurant -- SpongeBob (voice of Tom Kenny) refuses to believe that his boss is responsible and teams up with his best friend, Patrick (voice of Bill Fagerbakke), on a mission to Shell

Mar 1, 2005

$85.4M

Paramount Pictures - Official Site External Icon

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Cast

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All Critics (126) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (89) | Rotten (40) | DVD (21)

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie takes on rather too much water during its extended feature-length submersion.

December 1, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety | Comments (2)
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The Nickelodeon cartoon series about an oceanic sponge and his starfish sidekick washes onto the big screen with a tide of weak one-liners, exaggerated reactions, and vaguely nauseating gags.

May 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | Comments (5)
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Anyone expecting anything more risky will be sadly disappointed.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Could SpongeBob, all gangly goodwill and ice cream appetite, be the anarchic savior for our stressed-out times?

November 23, 2004 Full Review Source: Village Voice
Village Voice
Top Critic IconTop Critic

If you are a non-parent and you're entertained by this, wow, good for you.

November 22, 2004 Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | Comments (9)
Ebert & Roeper
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Like the TV show it's based on, it's a daffy, enjoyable creation.

November 21, 2004 Full Review Source: Arizona Republic
Arizona Republic
Top Critic IconTop Critic

The questions that the religious right needs to ask are how and why they ever confused homosexuality with pedophilia. Not only does blurring this issue do gays a disservice, it lets SpongeBob get away with murder.

January 10, 2011 Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | Comments (16)
ColeSmithey.com

Very similar to the edgy animated TV show.

December 29, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

It's never afraid to break out of movie conventions and revert back to its series randomness and sheer Monty Python-esque humor that made it a hit with kids in the first place.

April 29, 2009 Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed
Cinema Crazed

Brilliantly funny, inventive and delirious.

May 20, 2008 Full Review Source: Film4

There are a few laughs for adults in this film. There are a few clever cultural references. Mostly, however, I found it underwhelming.

March 6, 2008 Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope
Laramie Movie Scope

The new feature film has some of the charm of the small-screen original, but it lacks the sustained goofiness of the series.

February 18, 2007 Full Review
Kansas City Star

It's back to the drawing board for the TV show's creators, who have previously proven themselves capable of much better than this soggy and waterlogged miscalculation.

October 11, 2006
Christianity Today

A film for kids, students, stoners, anyone who enjoys a break from reality.

April 1, 2006 Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | Comment (1)
Empire Magazine

hile there is something a little familiar about the use of a journey narrative, and the hint of an uplifting message at the end of the film, the breezy insouciance, gleeful absurdity and wacky innocence of the series remains.

January 17, 2006 Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney Morning Herald

The story is so good-naturedly silly that while not exactly challenging, it should keep even the grown-ups at least smiling.

September 30, 2005 Full Review Source: Three Movie Buffs
Three Movie Buffs

...asks the audience to endure three times as much frenetic potty humor, repetitive jokes and screechy voice acting as they are used to. The result is exhausting.

July 25, 2005 Full Review Source: www.kcactive.com | Comments (3)

SpongeBob's resilient, Pollyana-like nature is hard to resist.

April 13, 2005 Full Review Source: Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

A high enough absurdist quotient to match the colorful jocularity that serves as the main draw for kids.

March 18, 2005 Full Review Source: Now Playing Magazine

Audience Reviews for The Spongebob Squarepants Movie

I'm a huge fan of Spongebob seasons 1-3, which is basically the Golden Age of the show. After this film, the show went downhill and now lacks the smartly written humor it had before. Honestly, almost every episode of the first three seasons are great. I come to this film and vent my anger because it's the turning point of the show... into lame, unfunny, trite. But the film itself is alright; the humor is hit and miss.
September 10, 2012
Market Man
Eric Shankle

Super Reviewer

I grew up with Spongebob Squarepants, at the time of this films release I was in love with Spongebob and Patrick and I was over the moon when I found out there was going to be a film released. The first 3 seasons of the show were the best...and then this was made. After this film the writers were fired and the creator of Spongebob Squarepants left the show to nickelodeon. The show was then driven into the ground and became un-funny and predictable. This film is an under rated animated classic that is close to my heart and the last good material I ever saw of Spongebob Squarepants. Hilarious!
August 16, 2011
Directors Cat
Directors Cat

Super Reviewer

    1. Patrick Star: Are they laughing at us?
    2. SpongeBob SquarePants: No, Patrick, their laughing next to us!
    – Submitted by Chris G (2 months ago)
    1. Squidward Tentacles: [Spongebob in Squidward's Shower] Can't this wait until work?
    2. SpongeBob SquarePants: There's no showers at work!
    – Submitted by Alex A (5 months ago)
    1. Patrick Star: [both dying from lamp] Well Patrick, I guess what they said about us was true.
    2. Mindy the Mermaid: What? That we're attractive?
    – Submitted by Alex A (5 months ago)
    1. King Neptune: Oh sorry, I accidentally put it on 'Real Boy' setting.
    – Submitted by Matthew R (5 months ago)
    1. SpongeBob SquarePants: You don't need a license to drive a patty.
    – Submitted by Matthew R (5 months ago)
    1. Patrick Star: I changed my underwear!
    – Submitted by Izak D (5 months ago)

Discussion Forum

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Latest News on The Spongebob Squarepants Movie

February 28, 2012:
Spongebob Squarepants Will Return to Theaters
Paramount plans a 2014 release for the animated sponge's next film.

May 18, 2005:
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April 21, 2005:
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Although it's obviously too soon to tell if Adam Sandler's next comedy, "Click," will...

Foreign Titles

  • Der SpongeBob-Schwammkopf Film (DE)
  • SpongeBob SquarePants (UK)
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