In a parallel universe, if SpongeBob were orange instead of yellow, would he be mean and vicious instead of gentle and kind? After all, who doesn’t want to be around the more loving and compassionate of entities, even if it’s only in a fantasy land under the sea?
The underwater worry this time is Bob’s desire to become a big guy so he can ride a roller coaster at a local amusement park. When he grows to the required height and is admitted onto the ride, his bravery leaves him and sends him on a quest to become a swashbuckler. Even though these are well-trodden lanes, it’s still presented with such innocence that the appeal endures.
As the journey progresses, we meet a progression of weird and wonderful characters, even the bad guy, in this case, the Flying Dutchman (Mark Hamill), is presented as a somewhat friendly foe. Relying on an impressive colour palette and an outlandish sense of presentation, the journey is never less than fun.
Filled with lysergic laughter and more than a few ribald moments, The SpongeBob world is one of inclusion and the relationships presented are based on acceptance and not being afraid of being yourself. With the current reality being about as bleak as memory serves, trading that for a cartoon land filled with humour, laughs, and love sounds like time well spent.
Rob Hudson
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