AP photo
This image released by Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon shows the characters Patrick Star, voiced by Bill Fagerbakke, left, and SpongeBob SquarePants, voiced by Tom Kenny, in a scene from ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search For SquarePants.’

December is packed with a variety of films that cater to different tastes, from animated features and thrillers to musicals and comedies. Whether you’re looking for family-friendly entertainment or something more intense, this month offers a rich selection of movies to enjoy.

Where did I land? How about the snarky world of Spongebob SquarePants.

“The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” is exactly the kind of SpongeBob adventure you expect — bright, bizarre and blissfully unconcerned with the laws of physics, logic or adult dignity. And honestly, that’s the magic.

What makes the movie work is its commitment to sincerity. SpongeBob’s relentless positivity isn’t just a punchline; it’s the emotional engine of the story. Even when the plot veers into full-on absurdity (and it does, proudly), the heart underneath keeps it grounded.

The humor lands in that sweet spot where kids laugh at the slapstick and adults laugh at the existential jokes they definitely weren’t supposed to relate to. The pacing is brisk, the gags are plentiful and the animation is polished without losing the hand-drawn charm of the original series.

Is it ridiculous? Absolutely. Is it delightful? Also yes. If you’re a longtime fan, it feels like a warm return to form. If you’re new to SpongeBob, it’s a surprisingly accessible entry point — a reminder that joy doesn’t have to be complicated.

The film kicks off with SpongeBob realizing he’s lost something important (in classic SpongeBob fashion, it’s usually something obvious, like… his pants). Again.

Because apparently the writers have decided that the pinnacle of underwater storytelling is watching a sentient kitchen sponge misplace his wardrobe for the 400th time. From there, we’re launched into an “epic quest” that feels like someone fed a GPS into a blender and called the result a plot.

What follows is a surprisingly epic quest across Bikini Bottom and beyond, with the kind of imaginative worldbuilding the franchise has always excelled at. Every location feels like a visual sugar rush, and every character gets a moment to shine.

Patrick, as always, contributes absolutely nothing except vibes. Squidward spends the entire movie radiating the energy of a man who deeply regrets every career choice that led him to this moment. And Mr. Krabs is still one bad day away from charging admission to breathe the air inside the Krusty Krab.

The jokes come fast, loud, and occasionally funny — like the writers threw spaghetti at the wall and animated whatever stuck. The animation is bright enough to sear your retinas, which is helpful because it distracts you from the fact that the story makes about as much sense as a jellyfish with a mortgage.

And yet … it’s SpongeBob. It’s ridiculous, chaotic and aggressively unserious — and somehow that’s the charm. You don’t watch this movie for plot coherence. You watch it because you want to turn your brain off and let a yellow sponge scream about pants for 90 minutes.

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if you took a perfectly normal day in Bikini Bottom, cranked the chaos dial to 11, and then asked, “What if we made this a feature-length film?”, congratulations — you’ve basically imagined “The Search for SquarePants.”

SpongeBob wants to prove he’s a “big guy,” so he follows the Flying Dutchman, a ghostly pirate, into the Underworld, dragging Patrick along for the ride. The adventure spirals into a mix of silliness, danger, and heart as familiar characters — Mr. Krabs, Squidward and Gary — join the rescue mission.

The cast of voices and crew includes: Tom Kenny as SpongeBob; Bill Fagerbakke as Patrick; Clancy Brown as Mr. Krabs; Rodger Bumpass as Squidward; Mark Hamill as The Flying Dutchman; and directed by Derek Drymon.

It’s nonsense. It’s loud. It’s weird. And honestly? It’s kind of fun in spite of itself. It’s goofy, heartfelt, and unapologetically weird. In other words, it’s SpongeBob at his best. Which is why we watch, expecting nothing less.

Rating: PG

Runtime: 96 minutes

Grade: A-

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Greg Williams is a reporter and Weekend Editor for The Sentinel. A Mifflin County native, he has been writing for The Sentinel since 1991.