April 6, 2025
By Chloe O’Donnell
Staff Writer
After five movies and 15 seasons of the TV show, “SpongeBob SquarePants” finally shifts focus to its sarcastic villain, Plankton. Released on March 7, “Plankton: The Movie” is packed with lighthearted fun.
The film follows Plankton’s journey after his wife, Karen, a clever computer on wheels, abandons him to pursue world domination. Once she leaves, Plankton and SpongeBob form a unique partnership that leads Plankton to relive his relationship with Karen in the hopes of foiling her plan to take over the world.
Fans will appreciate other familiar characters, including Mr. Krabs and Squidward, though only Plankton, SpongeBob and Karen significantly impact the plot. While the additional characters may seem extraneous, they provide a sense of nostalgia and continuity.
The film is worth watching despite its flaws, particularly because of Plankton’s hilarious one-liners.
The film is a charming diversion, but the plot has some weaknesses.
First, it is unclear why Plankton and SpongeBob have become friends after years of lukewarm interactions.
Additionally, Karen’s motivations require further explanation. It is difficult to understand why she cuts ties with her husband after years of tolerating his incompetence. Her character is also underdeveloped since she leaves 14 minutes into the movie.
Furthermore, the film’s seven musical numbers add no value to the plot. The most useless songs are the first and last songs, “Welcome To Bikini Bottom” and “Welcome Back To Bikini Bottom.” Both songs welcome the characters to the underwater town where the movie takes place. These songs are unnecessary because most viewers already recognize the setting, and those who do not will learn about it as the movie progresses.
The film is worth watching despite its flaws, particularly because of Plankton’s hilarious one-liners. His jokes are witty, natural and carefully placed. The other characters are also humorous, but Plankton is the funniest by far.
Another strength of the film is the 3D animation, which contributes to its visual appeal. Most of the characters are crisp and clear, with the unnamed fish being the exception. They look low-quality because they lack texture.
“Plankton: The Movie” is not perfect, but it’s enjoyable and holds viewers’ attention. With recognizable characters and lots of laughs along the way, fans will not want to miss the latest underwater adventures of the fun creatures in the SpongeBob universe.
