The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water

Right now you can watch The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water in Australia on Paramount Plus and Stan, and in the US on fuboTV and Paramount Plus Premium — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Tom Kenny sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Paramount Plus and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water earns its spot. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water from the crowd. Evil pirate Burger Beard is in search of the final page of a magical book that makes any evil plan he writes in it come true, but the final page happens to be the Krabby Patty secret formula. When Burger Beard endangers Bikini Bottom, SpongeBob, Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, Sandy, and Plankton must embark on a quest to retrieve the recipe and save their city...a quest that takes them to the surface world and transforms them into superheroes. The chemistry Tom Kenny and Bill Fagerbakke bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. It was released in 2015. The timing in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Tom Kenny anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.