Summary
- Sandy Cheeks gets a chance to shine in a supremely silly rescue mission with SpongeBob and friends in tow.
- Goofy musical interludes and a bonkers plot keep the chuckles coming for young fans and die-hard followers.
- The film runs out of steam and slogs for an unfunny and awkward half an hour before picking up pace and ending with glorious zaniness.
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie gives SpongeBob SquarePants’ beloved neighbor and anthropomorphized genius squirrel her very own adventure with the entire gang in tow. Carolyn Lawrence, who’s voiced Sandy with a trademark Texas drawl for a quarter-century, shines in a supremely silly rescue mission that’s meant for the youngest tykes and die-hard fans of the show. Goofy musical interludes keep the chuckles coming when the truly nutty plot grasps for straws. Neophytes won’t have a clue what’s going on, but that’s forgivable in this case. Chuck your mind out the window and enjoy the brainless sight gags and non-stop shenanigans.
A quick primer is probably worthwhile. Sandy Cheeks is a squirrel scientist that lives underwater adjacent to SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) in Bikini Bottom. She wears a diving suit with a big glass helmet to survive alongside the crustacean critters, starfish, etc. Sandy has a robotic horse called Sparky, is a butt-kicking karate expert, emphasizes knowledge, and can pretty much invent anything on the spot. We learn in the lightning fast open that Sandy was initially sent by, drum roll please, B.O.O.T.S. (Bureau Of Official Texas Science), to study the creatures of Bikini Bottom, but became their friends and decided to stay.
Sandy’s morning is ruined when a giant mechanical claw scoops Bikini Bottom out of the water. Its residents try to run and hide in panic, but Sandy cleverly escapes its clutches and also saves a terrified SpongeBob. A clue reveals that B.O.O.T.S. snatched Bikini Bottom. Sandy’s even more confused to discover that the lab has turned into a water theme park. She grabs SpongeBob and decides to hitch a ride on the daily flight to Galveston, Texas. What the heck is going on at B.O.O.T.S.? Sandy doesn’t realize she’s playing right into the hands of its villainous new owner. Sue Nahmee (Wanda Sykes) wants to commercialize Bikini Bottom’s citizens, but especially needs SpongeBob for her nefarious plans.
Related
10 Controversial Episodes of Spongebob Squarepants
It wasn’t all just fun and games in the pineapple under the sea, as these controversial SpongeBob SquarePants episodes proved.
A Proud Texan Squirrel
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
After Bikini Bottom is taken out of the ocean on the order of an evil CEO, SpongeBob and Sandy travel to the latter’s home state of Texas. There, they meet up with Sandy’s family and must find a way to return their home to the sea.
- Release Date
- August 2, 2024
- Director
- Liza Johnson
- Cast
- Carolyn Lawrence , Tom Kenny , Mr. Lawrence , Mary Jo Catlett , Clancy Brown , Bill Fagerbakke , Rodger Bumpass
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Writers
- Kaz , Tom Stern
- Focusing on Sandy Cheeks is a great idea, and she has fun rapport with SpongeBob.
- The animation is vibrant and beautiful, and the ending is a bonkers explosion of fun.
- A silly movie that appeals to children or diehard SpongeBob fans.
- The movie hits an impasse and has a sluggish, unfunny, and useless 30 minutes or so.
Saving Bikini Bottom seamlessly blends CGI and live-action characters. The film has a lot going on in every frame. It’s easy to overlook the time and skill needed to incorporate such elaborate visual effects. Nickelodeon’s production team, responsible for the hit cartoon and three previous films, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and its sequels, Sponge Out of Water and Sponge on the Run, have gotten better with each iteration. Scenes of Sandy and SpongeBob riding a tornado to escape hungry Texan varmints and state troopers are a standout.
We are also introduced to Sandy’s circus performer family and their trusty camper van. Craig Robinson co-stars as the buff Pa Cheeks, Johnny Knoxville as her lassoing brother Randy, and Grey DeLisle voicing the rest of the acrobatic squirrel Cheeks clan. They’re always a whistle away when Sandy needs help.
Related
The 20 Best SpongeBob SquarePants Episodes, Ranked
Let’s rank the 20 best episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants.
A Painful Narrative Detour Almost Sinks SpongeBob
Saving Bikini Bottom hits a narrative roadblock when the squirrel crew and SpongeBob finally arrive at B.O.O.T.S. Sue Nahmee’s evil scheme is so epically dumb, you might lose IQ points thinking about it. Writers Tom Stern (An American Werewolf in Paris) and Kaz, creator of Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show, run out of imaginative juice in a plodding second act that almost brings the pacing to a standstill. Bad jokes run amok as useless filler adds to the runtime. It’s almost painful to watch the live-action lab assistants (Ilia Isorelýs Paulino, Matty Cardarople) bumble about in a hackneyed attempt at physical comedy.
Related
Just How Old Is SpongeBob SquarePants Supposed To Be?
A sponge who owns a home but acts like a child raises the question: how old is SpongeBob? Let’s get to the bikini bottom of that question.
Saving Bikini Bottom Ends in a Gloriously Nutty Way
Fortunately, the CGI leads retake control of the plot and infuse much-needed laughter at just the right time. The climax rights the ship by going full SpongeBob. He plays second fiddle til this point, but you can’t hold a good sponge down for long. An explosion of wackiness showcases what makes his character so delightful. SpongeBob’s infectious personality and weird AF oddities take the screen by storm. The filmmakers might have been on a magic mushrooms trip to concoct such an insane turn of events. It boggles the mind in a good way. You can’t help but be transfixed by the absurdity of what happens. Luckily, there’s a hyper-intelligent squirrel on hand to save the day.
Saving Bikini Bottom is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. It appeals to specific audiences with unbridled relish. Don’t waste your time if you’re not a child, devout SpongeBob follower, or otherwise inebriated on hallucinogens. The film makes no effort to play anything straight or serious. There’s no thinking involved here. It’s a zany excursion from the start and mostly successful in that endeavor.
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is a production of Nickelodeon Movies. It is currently available to stream exclusively on Netflix. You can watch through the link below.