Godzilla vs. Kong - Review

Adam Wingard (“You’re Next,” “The Guest”) might just be the smartest person to ever work on Warner Bros.’ MonsterVerse. This cinematic universe of films all based around Godzilla and his Kaiju friends has had its ups and downs ever since it tentatively started with Gareth Edwards’s 2014 “Godzilla.” While the films haven’t been awful per se, they’ve always left audiences wanting a bit more. “Godzilla (2014)” could’ve used more Godzilla, “Kong Skull Island” felt a bit too serious (if cheesily so), and even to its defenders, “Godzilla King of the Monsters” had far too much human subplots for a movie built on Kaiju chaos.

The reason that Wingard, the director of “Godzilla vs. Kong” seems to be the smartest person to work on this series yet, is that he understands this. “GvK” feels like a final draft of a gloriously action-packed thesis statement on Kaiju films. The previous ones got certain things right, and this one combines it all into one thrilling package that might just be the best one yet.

First things first: yes, this is a movie where the prime attraction is seeing a monkey the size of the Sears tower fight an equally large radioactive laser spewing lizard. If you’re going in expecting anything more, then you’re likely an idiot. That doesn’t mean it can’t provide more than your average smash and grab blockbuster, look at “Fury Road” or “John Wick”, but these are the exceptions, not the rule.

When Kong and Godzilla are slugging it out, it’s a glorious showcase of visual effects and cinematography. The action is framed in some excellent ways, whether shooting Kong and Godzilla like their average sized actors or peering up at them from the perspective of one of the many humans caught in their fight. Cinematographer Ben Seresin (“World War Z,” “The Mummy (2017)”), utilizes scope and scale excellently here, as is color. While there doesn’t necessarily seem to be a reason for it, Wingard throws as much neon around as humanly possible, allowing the film to escape the rather drab looks of the previous MonsterVerse films. Its hard to be bored when everything is lit up in bright greens, pinks, and blues.

These phenomenal fights are also underscored, no pun intended, by a thrilling musical score courtesy of Tom Holkenborg (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Alita: Battle Angel”). With every note the strings sing blended with thumping electronic beats, its as if he’s found a way to turn the impacts of fists and feet into a melodic rhythm.

That’s just speaking on the fights though, and while Wingard clearly knows that’s what people came to see, this still has to be a film with a plot, and that’s where the 5 different writers come in; story writers Terry Rossio (“Aladdin (1992),” “Shrek”), Michael Dougherty (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “Krampus”), and Zach Shields (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “Krampus”), and screenwriters Max Borenstein (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “The Terror: Infamy”) and Eric Pearson (“Agent Carter,” “Thor Ragnarok”).

As much as it has been improved from the abysmal characterizations in “King of the Monsters”, the humans and their plots here haven’t been improved by that much. Effectively, there are two “teams” that the film swaps between, one following Kong and one following Godzilla. This allows for the information about each Kaiju to be relayed in a way that avoids infodumping too much, and its even kind of thrilling as these two groups never truly cross paths. However, the Kong side has far more interesting things to work with, as well as just better performances from Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies,” “Battleship”), Rebecca Hall (“Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” “Christine (2016)”), and newcomer Kaylee Hottle. Skarsgård hams it up with just how earnest his Dr. Lind is, landing somewhere around a professor with some rugged Han Solo-like charms. Hall’s Dr. Andrews is more no-nonsense, and her bond with Hottle’s Jia is the lifeblood of the film. There’s a real kind of care that establishes an emotional connection that’s easy to root for. Likewise, Hottle is pulling some pretty great work for her first role. She and Kong have a friendship and connection that’s easy to believe, and she’s yet another example of Hollywood having a deaf character who isn’t some sort of burden and is instead the film’s emotional lifeblood.

Unfortunately, while far more intriguing with its easter eggs and winks at general Kaiju history, the Godzilla team is far less interesting compared to Kong’s. Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things,” “Enola Holmes”) is barely passable, mainly just due to how annoyingly her character is written. Julian Dennison (“Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” “Deadpool 2”) isn’t bad so much as he’s just painfully forgettable, with the only bright spot being Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta,” “Widows”) chewing every piece of the digital scenery he can. He clearly understands what kind of film this is and abandons all subtly to go for the gold in overacting. He’s plain and simple the best part of Godzilla’s plot.

Despite making strides towards a brighter future for the MonsterVerse, “Godzilla vs. Kong” is by no means a perfect film. Yet, it’s as close as this new MonsterVerse has gotten, and thanks to Wingard direction, the cinematography, music, action, and some of the acting, it might just be the best of this new series. It eschews many of the previous films more glaring flaws (not enough Godzilla, the boring middle of “Skull Island,” the length and too many humans of “King of the Monsters”) and brings it all in under 2 hours. Its leaner and meaner, and while it may be junk food, its bright, colorful, and the kind of junk food that takes your breath away. 4/5

Nobody - Review

 

From “Mr. Show” to “Better Call Saul,” Bob Odenkirk has never shied away from a challenge. The man established himself in the 90’s as one of the shining stars of absurdist comedy and yet somehow managed to successfully transition into character dramas without breaking a sweat. Now, you’re just as likely to see him in a budget indie comedy as you are in a big Oscar drama. However, his boldest career move has just been made, turning him into a bonafide action star.

Odenkirk stars as Hutch, a man with a dark past that gets unearthed as people come after him and his family. The plot is nothing special and has a lot more in common with the paint-by-numbers approach of the yearly Liam Neeson revenge film than the stylized world of John Wick. Odenkirk does a fabulous job with the limited material he’s given though, and it’s a kind of gradual transformation that you believe.

Like the “Wick” films, the real meat of the world comes in the small details. Hutch’s father, his record player, his basement, his secret two-way radio, all these are set-dressings that smartly create a kind of secret world without directly explaining everything to the audience.

These comparisons to “John Wick” are all apt because “Nobody” shares the same writer, Derek Kolstad (“John Wick,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”), and producer, David Leitch (“Atomic Blonde,” “Deadpool 2”), as the Keanu Reeves blockbusters. This means that the action is absolutely top notch, building from a relatively small-scale start in a bus to an extravaganza of explosions, bullets, and makeshift death traps.

Its truly a spectacle to behold, showing off the skills of director Illya Naishuller (“Hardcore Henry”) and made even greater by Odenkirk’s commitment to it all. During numerous scenes, its obvious that the star is straining himself and really giving his all. How much is him and how much is stunt doubles is unknown, but Odenkirk clearly commits 100% of the time.

His performance is also what helps the film feel largely guilt free. As opposed to recent “rampage” movies like the “Death Wish” remake and “Honest Thief,” because Hutch, and more importantly the writer, knows that he isn’t a good person, it means that the violence takes on a more carefree tone. Almost the entire movie exists with its tongue planted firmly in its cheek, from the various deathtraps Hutch assembles, to the absurdity of his monologues.

If there’s anything to fault the film for, it’s its general one note nature. That’s not to say its not an enjoyable piece, it’s a fun blast of action and popcorn thrills propped up with a legitimately great leading performance. Yet, when compared to films like the “Wick” series, its more realistic nature doesn’t hold a candle to the intrigue and mythology of Reeves’s exploits. Is that bad? No, not at all. But it just means it doesn’t grip your brain with both action and intrigue, just action.

Overall, this is an extremely solid piece of genre thrills with an extremely compelling central character and performance. Those looking for a night of outlandish action and thrills should look no further than this “Nobody.” 4/5

Zack Snyder's Justice League - Review

 

Typically, when someone sees the moniker “Director’s Cut” on a film, it’s a label stating this is the director’s true vision. Maybe in the theatrical version some scenes were cut or elements were changed, but rarely do these fundamentally alter the film. There are some exceptions: “Blade Runner: The Final Cut,” the definitive version from Ridley Scott released 25 years after the original theatrical run, and “Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut,” original director Richard Donner’s version of the film he was replaced on mid-way through production, also released 25 years after the original.

Yet both of these films still resemble their original theatrical counterparts in some way, Donner’s just less so. There really hasn’t been a “Director’s Cut” like “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” if you can really call this film just a “Director’s Cut.” Plain and simple, even if he hadn’t left the project in 2017, there’s no way this sprawling 4-hour-long 4:3 superhero opus would be what Warner Bros. released in theatres 4 years ago. Yet somehow here it is, warts and all, plopped down on HBO Max for the public to ogle over.

Its impossible to judge this film without first understanding why its such a big deal. For those who aren’t aware, Zack Snyder, the director of “Man of Steel” and “Batman vs. Superman,” among other action heavy films, was slated to direct “Justice League” and was midway through filming until his daughter, Autumn, tragically took her own life in May of 2017. Snyder announced he would be leaving the project to spend time with his family and Warner Bros., instead of putting the project on hold, hired Joss Whedon (“The Avengers,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) to finish the film in Snyder’s absence.

However, he did more than just that; at Warner’s behest, Whedon rewrote much of the film to be lighter in tone, reshot much of what Snyder had already shot, and made sure the film was under a 2-hour runtime. All of these were supposed to address complaints many had with recent DC films; length, dark tone, etc., and technically they did. While it technically received the highest RottenTomatoes score than the last few DC films, barring “Wonder Woman (2017),” reactions were far more divisive than Snyder’s previous films. Much was made of the clashing tones between what remained of Snyder’s dark tone and Whedon’s new lighter, quippy work.

As years went on, many were curious what Snyder’s original version would’ve looked like. While it wasn’t ever in a finished state, with effects, sound, and editing needing to be completed, the desire to see Snyder’s version persisted until Warner Bros. announced in 2020 that they would devote $70 million to let Snyder finish his version of the film, to debut on HBO Max. And with that out of the way, here’s the review.

Suffice to say, I’m not a fan of Snyder’s work. I think “300” is a glorified tech demo for his visual style, I find “Man of Steel” to be aggressively mediocre, “Batman vs. Superman” is my “get drunk and make fun of a film” movie of choice, and “Sucker Punch” might very well be one of the worst films I’ve ever seen. Despite this, I truly love “Watchmen,” specifically the 215-minute Ultimate Cut version. I think it’s a work of pure commitment and love of a source material. Sure, its much louder and more obvious about what it wants to say than the comic, but it goes for broke with no compromises.

That sentiment is largely how I feel about “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” a towering 4-hour long epic of a film. Snyder truly goes for the throat in nearly every single aspect of the film, from the aspect ratio so “artsy” it seems like a joke to the segmented nature of the film itself. Truly there is nothing else out there like this film, save for possibly the Donner Cut, and it shows in every aspect.

Plot-wise, the film still follows the basic outline of the 2017 version, albeit far more fleshed out. Following the death of Superman, three Mother Boxes are awoken on Earth. These boxes have the power to, when joined, wipe out and reshape a planet to the joiner’s desires, and Steppenwolf has come to Earth to find them for Darkseid. Batman and Wonder Woman realize this and assemble a team to hopefully stop Steppenwolf before Darkseid arrives.

While this overall plot is the same, there are some key differences. First of all, Cyborg and Flash’s plots are far more fleshed out than in the 2017 version. Cyborg there seemed like a sort of MacGuffin man, designed to access the Mother Boxes and that’s it, whilst Flash was the team’s comic relief. Here the pair are at the heart of the film; Flash, dealing with his father’s incarceration, is in awe of the massively important people suddenly working with him, and Cyborg is dealing with his anger at his father for saving his life by turning him into a part man part machine. Both still serve the same overall purpose, but they have larger parts to the film and actual arcs that are easy to get invested in.

Batman and Aquaman don’t arcs that are nearly as fleshed out, but they’re still there. Batman’s comes more in the second half of the film and deals with his faith in others and in humanity, something initially crippled by the events of “Batman v. Superman” and Aquaman has a rather brief arc about where his allegiances lay, something that would be explored much more in his own 2018 film. Wonder Woman meanwhile doesn’t have much of an arc, if any, merely serving as moral and physical support to the rest of the ensemble.

The performances from the entire cast are all great, showcasing fabulous casting choices for each role. Ben Affleck’s (“Argo,” “Good Will Hunting”) Bruce Wayne is an older and more grizzled take on the billionaire, clearly aged from years of crime fighting and willing to do more damage than a younger Dark Knight would, and less concerned with being a playboy. Jason Momoa (“Game of Thrones,” “See”) might be less bro-y than in his own film, but he’s still able to imbue a character once thought to be a laughing stock with a badass swagger and strength that only he seems to be able to provide. Gal Gadot (“Wonder Woman (2017),” “Ralph Breaks the Internet”), while clearly being the weakest actor of the main cast, still deliver a good performance, embodying the strength and heart that makes Diana such a beloved character. When he does appear, Henry Cavill’s (“Mission Impossible: Fallout,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”) Superman is also an absolute highlight, with the same country boy smile and sense of righteousness that allowed him to save “Man of Steel” from the perils of forgetfulness.

If anyone’s performances deserve outright praise, its Ray Fisher (“True Detective”) and Ezra Miller (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”). Fisher’s Cyborg is a tortured soul with a lot to deal with and a conflicted sense of self. Fisher’s performance communicates this greatly, and it allows the film to truly serve as a showpiece for the character slowly coming out of his own shadow and realizing who he is. Miller, meanwhile, turns what could be just a comedic role into a delightful one. His Flash is still the youngest and most immature of the group, but he knows when and how to use his skills to help the group effectively. His youth and optimism are balanced against the jaded nature of Batman and the rest of the group to create an effective portrayal of someone who knows the odds are against them but still tried their hardest despite this. Also deserving praise is Ciarán Hinds (“Tinker Tailor Solider Spy,” “First Man”) who voices Stepphenwolf with a deep growl and a murderous intent. Yet, despite the roughness of his voice, Snyder’s vision for the character and Hinds performance create a villain who, if not empathetic, is one that is always enjoyable to see on screen, either for the performance of vastly improved visual design.

Thankfully, that’s where Snyder’s version vastly improves upon the 2017. Whereas the crunched production of the original forced much of the visuals to be rushed, Snyder’s version has quite excellent effects. Whether it’s the elaborate sets for sequences like the Kryptonian ship of Steppenwolf’s lair, or the improved visuals for Cyborg and Steppenwolf. Overall, the film just looks far more pleasing, with Snyder’s color-correction creating a dark world that doesn’t feel nearly as foreboding as his previous efforts.

Despite its 4-hour runtime, the film also feels quite brisk. Maybe it’s because the tone feels far more hopeful than Snyder’s pervious works or even the 2017 version, or maybe its Snyder’s desire to truly have his heroes feel like gods among men. Batman’s arc of trusting in others and becoming a more hopeful person lends the entire film an air of lightness. It simply doesn’t feel nearly as overly foreboding as it could have.

Tom Holkenborg (“Mad Max Fury Road,” “Deadpool”) returns to compose a brand-new score after he was let go from the 2017 version in favor of Danny Elfman and his score has a far more thumping and electronic base to it. Some moments heavily reuse past scores, like Hans Zimmer’s now ubiquitous “What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving the World?” theme, but Holkenborg also creates a score all his own that perfectly underscores Snyder’s dramatic moments and the thunderously action-packed ones.

Despite the vast improvements over the 2017 version and Snyder’s own previous works, this is still by no means a perfect film. The climactic fight is still, no matter whether you watch it in the same ratio as “Citizen Kane” or “Hobbs and Shaw,” still a bunch of CGI heroes punching mindless baddies. This is also where the film begins to mirror the 2017 version quite a bit, and it becomes less enjoyable as a result. There are differences absolutely, but they pale in comparison to adding in entirely new arcs and scenes.

Chris Terrio’s (“Argo,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”) script is also, for the most part, fine. He understands Snyder’s love of these characters and the desire to place them on their godly pedestals but not every line lands, and it becomes apparent that, in a 4-hour movie, almost every line gets used even when they weren’t exactly golden to begin with. And nothing, nothing, can prepare you for the true awfulness that is this film’s “Knightmare” sequence. Being a dream doesn’t excuse it being terrible.

“Zack Snyder’s Justice League” is absolutely one man’s vision, warts and all, and that’s something to be celebrated. So rarely does a director get to turn in their definitive version of a work when making something with a property as lucrative as this. His vision might not be golden, but its certainly a spectacle to behold. It’s a definite improvement over the 2017 version, because Snyder knows why people love these characters like Whedon knew with the Avengers.

People flock to Marvel films because they make Captain America or Thor feel just like us, despite their abilities and stories. Superman, Batman, Aquaman, they aren’t like that. These are people put on pedestals, these are gods amongst men. Snyder understands this and knows how to portray them in a way deserving of their status.

It’s impossible to separate this film from its director or the history behind it. Snyder left the project to mourn his daughter and returned to create a film about hope and faith, with two father-child relationships at its very core. When one character says “Dad, whatever happens I want you to know, your kid was one of them, Dad. One of the best of the best” its hard not to see a father trying to hold on to what’s left of his daughter. And that, at the end of the day, is what makes Snyder’s League work despite all its flaws. Like the average people these heroes protect, it may stumble, and it may fall, but it’s got the big beating heart right where it counts. 3.5/5

Raya and the Last Dragon - Review

 

Let’s be honest, even for those who are huge fans of Disney, their animated outputs haven’t exactly been amazing as of late. “Frozen 2” was for many a let-down, even as it attempted to do some more interesting things within the formula, and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” was much of the same, a film that tried to do interesting things bogged down by a formula. Many would argue the last time Disney themselves made a truly great animated film was 5 years ago with either “Moana” or “Zootopia.”

Well, the wait is over because “Raya and the Last Dragon” is here. Despite facing some massive behind the scenes changes just last year (the directors changed, as did the lead voice actress), “Raya” comes out far better than one might expect given that kind of behind-the-scenes turmoil. “Justice League” this is not, and it represents the biggest strides Disney has yet made to perfect their “princess” movie formula in a modern age.

Set in the land of Kumandra, shaped like a dragon, the film follows Raya as she seeks out the pieces of a Dragon Orb that could potentially help restore peace to the land. She’s joined by Sisu, a dragon, and a ragtag group of various other fighters in an attempt to succeed in their mission.

Without a doubt, the clear highlight of the film is Kelly Marie Tran (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Sorry for your Loss”) as Raya. It’s hard to believe she wasn’t the first choice for the role, as she brings a powerful emotional energy to the character. She’s fierce and also a little bit silly and over-protective. It’s the kind of performance where its clear Tran has put the effort in to think about how the film’s events and Raya’s life would have affected her and it’s a better performance for it.

Likewise, Awkwafina (“The Farewell,” “Crazy Rich Asians”) is also great as the dragon Sisu. Given that a role like this could have easily turned into the “comedian” sidekick role that Disney loves to shove into their movies, there’s a somberness to her performance once more is learned about her backstory. Awkwafina really brings a kind of dramatic touch to the character that makes it easy to empathize and really love Sisu.

The supporting cast all fill their roles well; Izaac Wang (“Good Boys”), Daniel Dae Kim (:Ost,” “Hawaii Five-0”), Benedict Wong (“Doctor Strange,” “Marco Polo”), and Sandra Oh (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Killing Eve”) all perform their roles well; however the standout of this supporting cast is absolutely Gemma Chan (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Humans”) as Namaari, Raya’s nemesis from the Fang lands. The pair have established history within the film, and their two differing perspectives make it an extremely engaging rivalry to watch. Namaari also has arguably more of an arc than Raya, and Chan’s performance showcases a warrior who is terrified to step out of line but equally scared of what not stepping out could mean. It’s thrilling stuff.

One of the big reasons these characters come across as so engaging, besides the voice work, is because the script from Qui Nguyen (“Dispatches from Elsewhere,” “Peg + Cat”) and Adele Lim (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Digimon: Digital Monsters”) puts in the work to build this world and their backstories so authentically. While there are still plenty of jokes and lighthearted moments, “Raya” is the closest Disney has gotten in a long time to creating a drama. There are plenty of dark and somber moments that will surprise people. This isn’t a through-and-through comedy like “Wreck-It Ralph” or “Zootopia,” and it’s better for it.

“Raya” also stands out musically, with James Newton-Howard (“Treasure Planet,” “The Dark Knight”) returning to work with Disney for the first time in almost two decades. His score is incredible, blending various Southeast Asian instruments with an electronic baseline that creates a vibrant and pulse-pounding score. This mixes wonderfully with what truly is one of the most gorgeous animated world’s Disney has ever produced.

Clearly the restrictions of working from home hasn’t harmed the animator’s skills in any way, because beyond the textual worldbuilding, the world of Kumandra crackles with life and personality. Each of the various lands; Fang, Spine, Heart, Talon, and Tail, are all distinctly different and make up a gorgeous world full of energy. Disney has created one of its most expansive and fully realized original worlds yet.

That worldbuilding does factor into what might be the film’s biggest issue. How much this issue bothers you might vary but given how much effort has been put into building this world, its easy to see a film that is longer than the 107 minutes version we’ve been given. Really, this is an filmmaker’s dream, directors Don Hall (“Big Hero 6,” “Moana”) and Carlos López Estrada (“Blindspotting,” “Summertime”) have created a film and world so rich and engaging that it leaves audiences wanting more.

We haven’t even gotten into discussing the action, which is easily the best Disney has ever made. While “Big Hero 6” might come close, there’s a visceral impact to the sword fighting and action sequences in “Raya” that will leave audiences wincing with each hit. This pairs excellently with the gorgeous cinematography to further establish how amazing this film is to simply watch on every level.

“Raya and the Last Dragon” proves that Disney still has plenty of ways to evolve, by delivering one of its most mature and dramatic films yet, with great action and worldbuilding, without losing that Disney charm and lightheartedness. Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, and Gemma Chan all deliver incredible voice work in this gorgeous world that leaves you wanting more. This is Disney at its best. 4.5/5

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge On The Run - Review

 

Few things are as inescapable as SpongeBob. Even if you’ve never seen the show, you’ve seen the video games, toys, clothing, candy, movies, etc. Yet, for all the criticisms of the show’s waning quality and the titular character’s annoying laugh, the series’ output has remained remarkably consistent throughout its over 20 yearlong existence.

The same can be said for the latest film, “Sponge on the Run” as it recycles plot elements from earlier episodes and combines it with celebrity cameos and a surrealist sense of humor to create an effective and entertaining little slice of goofy cinema.

Every voice actor here is in top form, and thankfully, unlike the previous two films, all of the main cast gets their time to shine. Patrick, Mr. Krabs, Sandy, Squidward, Plankton, and Karen are all here and voiced by their original actors, delivering performances that are exactly on par with the regular series. Tom Kenny is clearly the star, as he is the sponge at the center of it all, and he gets the most emotional material to work with (as emotional as a SpongeBob movie can get, anyway).

It’s the celebrity cameos that are the most worth discussing. Awkwafina (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Farewell”) is here in a bit role voicing a recurring robot, Danny Trejo (“Machete,” “Spy Kids”) pops in for a couple moments as a ghost pirate El Diablo. Snoop Dogg has a moment to sing a song, and Tiffany Haddish (“Girl’s Trip,” “Night School”) has a delightfully absurd joke about her name.

Yet, out of all of them, Keanu Reeves (“The Matrix,” “John Wick”) steals the show. This isn’t just because of his ineffable “Keanu”-ness, but it’s because he’s a far larger part of the plot than any of the advertising might have suggested. He’s a source of almost self-parody, portraying the kind of guides that he needed in his 90’s action flicks, and he’s clearly having an absolute blast doing so.

However, the two largest pieces of this undersea cinematic adventure that fans will be most curious about have yet to be discussed: the plot and the humor. Thankfully, both are preserved well, without ever reaching the highest peaks of the series’ past. The plot is more straightforward than in the previous film, which essentially was a series of gags loosely tied together. While there are momentary diversions here that could’ve been cut away without affecting the plot, it’s all far simpler than before, with a through line that’s easy to follow, even as its being covered in gags of all kinds.

It also contains some of the best gags of the show’s last decade. It’s no coincidence that this is one of the weirder adventures and one of the funnier ones. Undersea casinos, robotic assistants, zombie ghost pirates, snail anti-aging cream, it’s all par for the course in this slice of the sea, and for those fond of surrealist Looney Tunes style gags or already fans of the series, it’s an absolute delight.

While it’s hard to completely recommend the film to those unfamiliar with the characters, it’s the new animation style that is almost completely worth the entire viewing experience. Mikros Image, who also animated “Captain Underpants”, has shown that it can translate iconic 2D characters to 3D animation extremely well, and “Sponge on the Run” is no exception. The film pops with color and dimension, giving an almost “3D in 2D” effect to the entire film. It’s a sheer delight watching the characters stretch and squash in more emotive ways than the TV series has in the last 15 years. Mikros also plays with frame rates and detail levels to pop between a silky-smooth modern look and an antiquated stop-motion style. It’s a gorgeous film in every respect, successfully translating the simplistic character designs into a flawless CGI style that is the new gold standard for 2D characters in 3D.

If there are criticisms to make, it’s mostly in the third act. The big confrontation feels extremely forced, and the flashback moments reek of studio meddling. It’s such a clear advertising ploy for the upcoming spin-off series that it’s impossible not to groan at its inclusion, even if you’re a longtime fan. Also, while it is a better overall film than the second SpongeBob cinematic adventure, it still can’t match the original in heart, emotion, or sheer cleverness.

For longtime fans and those who love surrealist, absurdism humor, or just absolutely gorgeous animation, “Sponge on the Run” is a blast, and a full, no holds barred recommendation. For everyone else, it is a delightfully silly time that they should be cautiously optimistic about. For better and for worse, it’s still pure SpongeBob, and it’s the best the series has been, on the big or small screen, in years. 3.5/5