I can’t remember the last time I was excited about anything related to one of my favorite cartoons as a kid. Actually yes I can. Ahem
“Spongebob” became a cultural icon in the early 2000s for a reason. The combination of fluid animation, hilarious writing, and unforgettable characters accompanied by incredible voice talent cemented the show as a classic.
But a lot of people don’t realize that the (pelvic) thrust of the show’s success had a lot to do with the man who created it: Stephen Hillenburg. The man was fittingly a marine biologist before conceptualizing the show in 1999, and he’s responsible for much of the show’s early success.
Sadly, and for reasons we won’t get into, he departed from the show creatively after the release of the first Spongebob movie in 2005.
After that, the show took a dip in quality due to his absence (though that is ultimately subjective). Despite this, the show’s laurels allowed it to finish out the decade with increasingly good episodes as the team adapted to a new phase for the show.
This movie signals, I think, a return to form for the people who still make the show. Yes, it caters to an ever-younger audience by trading edgier content for cheap laughs. But this trailer shows that the spirit of this character and his oceanic pals is able to find new ways to keep older audiences like me watching.
Also, the animation is terrific. Bring on the new Spongebob movie, Nickelodeon.