Leaving this to address the many comments about the movie being intended as the series finale and Vincent Waller's thoughts on the matter: We don't know for sure if the movie was actually 100% supposed to be the series finale. In my research for this video I came across various tertiary sources claiming that it was but I couldn't find any direct quotation from Hillenburg himself or any of the movie/show's crew saying that it was indeed supposed to be the finale. If anyone has proof that Hillenburg or any of the other staff members definitively said that the movie is the clear-cut end of the show then I'd love to see it and I'll update this comment. All I have to go off of is speculation from what Hillenburg and the crew had to say in regards to the change in roles after the production of the movie. Vincent Waller worked on the first season of the show and came back immediately after the movie and worked directly with Hillenburg and many of the crew members from the first 3 seasons. So it's not like his opinion on the matter holds no weight. At the very least he would know the general attitude behind the scenes about the timeline of the show and the movie's place in it. If Hillenburg definitively said (in public or behind the scenes) that the movie is the canonical end, then Waller would have no reason to say that the movie never was the series chronological finale. In fact, in that very same thread that I showed in the video he was asked if Hillenburg said anything about the movie taking place after every episode; and he responded "Not that i am aware." There's a small chance that he just doesn't know for sure the intent behind the movie's place in the show but I doubt it. Again I'm only going off of what I was able to find and if there's anything showing that any of the show's creators have disputed this then I'd love to see it. And just to reiterate my thoughts that I state in the video. I think that Hillenburg knew that the show would keep going on after the movie and was fine with it, but with the chance of it being the last time he would be creatively and directly involved with the characters he decided to step up with it and make something that would leave a lasting impression. Which is why the movie is about what it's about and why it feels like a finale. Personally I do headcanon that the show is the end of SpongeBob's story because it doesn't make sense that Mr. Krabs would just shut down the Krusty Krab 2 and that SpongeBob would settle for going back to being a simple fry cook. It also doesn't make sense that everything would just go back to normal after Plankton learned the Krabby Patty formula. But it doesn't matter because SpongeBob is a very loose and nonsensical show where anything goes and every story more-or-less takes place in a vacuum, completely detached from any sort of chronology. If you still think that the show is the series finale then that's fine and you shouldn't care about the show's "canon" because the show itself doesn't care about its own "canon." Squidward says that he's never had a Krabby Patty in season 3 but in season 2 we see him eat many Krabby Patties, therefore season 3 takes place before season 2 get over it.
I've always seen the Cyclops as embodying the very thing Stephen Hillenburg hated. The Cyclops stole undersea creatures from their natural habitat, and killed them gradually before selling them as cheap knick-knacks in a gift shop. Stephen was a marine biologist and believed in educating anyone curious about undersea life without directly interfering with how they live, so the Cyclops is basically an antithesis to what Stephen Hillenburg believed in.
Spongebob is such an important character to me. We need more "childish" adult characters in media. Spongebob being an adult who likes "kids" stuff like blowing bubbles, jellyfishing, karate: it's a very positive type of character that tells children to grow up, while also telling them they can still like those things that made their childhood special, and they don't have to give into adult stereotypes. He goes to work, he works hard, he's able to pay for his house and food for his snail. He has all the necessary skills for adulthood, while still finding childlike joy in pretty much everything he does.
I always think its frustrating when people brush off as childrens media not having messages, literally every story has a message, especially childrens shows
When I was like 8, I used to play cashier with my cousins and I loved it and couldn't wait until I could get an actual job possibly as a cashier as well. 8 years later I was working at a fast food place, completly miserable and just waiting for the clock to go faster. I once thought about spongebob and how he could find the joy in working this exact job, a joy I once had. Although it didn't make the job any better, it made me look for the joy in it and everything else I did. Never try to revert to a child and ignore responsibilities but always hold on to the childish joy and limitless hope even in the face of unhappy times.
to be honest, this film hits pretty deep to me as an adult with a childlike sense of wonder, in terms of emotional maturity I'm there but I'll be damned if I ever stop loving this or fraggle rock, my boyfriend assures me my youthful spirit is a virtue though :)
Man, this video hit at the perfect time for me. Lately I've been struggling with depression, brought on by similar things you addressed in the video: living alone, working a dead-end job, etc. I've been retreating into my childhood passions to help try to combat that, and lately, for some reason, I'd begun to feel guilty about that and think that I should change things within me to change my situation. But changing most of those things would, to quote Hillenburg, be "trying to fit a square peg into a round hole," and it would sacrifice some of my own childlike nature-which is actually something I like about myself. This video helped me realize that no matter how old I get, it's important to hold onto the things I enjoy and the things that help bring me comfort-no matter how silly they might be perceived as by others. If SpongeBob can find joy and contentment in his situation and help share that warmth with others, so can I. I know this comment itself might sound silly, but seriously, thank you.
I'm pretty sure the Spongebob Movie is the only piece of media I've seen with that intro, and man you're so right. The music and whimsical visuals have always stuck with me as being so magical. Very fruitiger aero, to use an overused term. Kinda ironic how the more overtly magicy Disney logo never filled me with that same feeling.
@@xemiii I think it being only in the SB movie gives it even more weight. And I agree with the Disney bit, since it’s in most movies it loses its charm. Lilo & Stitch is an exception; iirc it has a little remix. And also, being the best Disney movie
I miss some dvd menus but I hate one with a burning passion Primeval series 2 menus they are really bad. the thing moves on its own so if you don't click fast enough you miss the ability to chose the episodes & instead have the scenes or special features. You really have to use it to understand how bad it is. Pretty sure it was on both volumes but it may have only been volume 2.
I never really gave it much thought before but the spongebob, patrick and squidward dynamic is like a sibling relationship with spongebob being the youngest, patrick being the middle child and squidward being the oldest spongebob is young and impressionable and more open to new ideas patrick thinks he knows everything and will try and push his ideas onto spongebob and squidward just wants to be left alone and will sometimes need to go in and correct some of the information that patrick gives or play into it in a way that benefits him
I disagree about squidward having a bigger role in the movie, I think Squidward has already had a conclusive ark thanks to 'Band Geeks', and Squidward and Spongebobs dynamic is explored quite a bit with the show. Meanwhile, SpongeBob and Patricks dynamic is rarely ACTUALLY threatened, save for dumb one off disagreements.
The SpongeBob and Patrick bit made me realize why those two really work, I knew SpongeBob though Patrick was smart when he wasn’t, but them sharing weird interests, SpongeBob looking up to Patrick and him being a good friend in turn to SpongeBob just makes them work at characters and as best friends
8:36 Makes me think of the genuinely upset reaction Squidward has in the episode Pizza Delivery, he may not always show it but he truly cares about SpongeBob and dislikes seeing him upset
That and when you’re a kid you don’t feel like anything changes. 29-30 years later and I still wish VHS and DVD were a viable option to rent things instead of constant streaming and that there was genuine color and mirth in marketing again.
Kids today wish that too tho, like the aspect of being able to go to a blockbuster and have a movie night that families actually enjoy feels so much nicer of an idea than everyone just binge watching things by themselves in their room
@@JimMilton-ej6zi not really. Kids love their netflix, google play and Fortnite battle passes They might want to own a Blueray of their favorite movie/game but they are also completely happy with all of their live services
the first spongebob movie just felt like there was a purpose, most if not huge pieces of the puzzle were already formed, The art to this day still looks great, so great it was carried over to season 4. I wish i could say the same for sponge out of water, i really did enjoy the beginning, the first half was great, minus the live action and the birds, they were abysmal, the pairing of spongebob and plankton at least was unique, and had plankton be a more protagonistic role, but the fact an ordinary washed up pirate frycook, SOMEHOW gained information about the krabby patty, and how without it bikini bottom ceases to exist was what brought it down for me. I'd only watch sponge on the run for the gorgeous animation: that's it, could care less about the plot and spongebob, although having the lost city of atlantis being las vegas was a really good bit and i wish we got more of that honestly.
It's honestly weird how nowdays Krusty Krab is portrayed as, like, the most important thing in the universe, not just to SpongeBob personaly. I enjoy a lot of the post-2015 episodes of the show, but that aspect feels very detached from what Krusty Krab was meant to be originally.
True, that honestly kinda started with the first movie. The Krusty Krab went from a pretty good restaurant that only SpongeBob, Plankton, and Mr Krabs really cared about to the key to taking over Bikini Bottom. I get that it was to give the movie higher stakes but it’s definitely where you can see the power creep start to set in.
i'd argue that only happend in post 2018 stuff and the dark era beetween the end of season 5 and the start of post 2015 era but yeah, the krusty krab feels like the only staple of the show at times, y'know how all plankton does is try to steal the formula even season 1 had that one beach episode where he tried to manipulate spongebob so he could build stuff in there more episodes should focus on similar premises as this rather than just the secret formula
@@ssg-eggunner I think it comes down to the fact that SpongeBob has been going for so long that many locations of the show have gotten an "iconic" status now. Every kid who watched SpongeBob WISHED they had a chance to visit the Krusty Krab and eat a krabby patty. I think that affects how Krusty Krab is being conceptualized nowadays.
I feel like I have just unlocked some sort of Spongebob enlightenment. It's a series that is a bit older than I am and I have never understood its themes and its core better than I do now. Someone send this video to the current writers.
"Kids these days don't know what they're missing." Me, Gen Z, absolutely loves the Spongebob movie, hooked on classics like Back to the Future, The Iron Giant, et cetera, obsessed with retro video games and consoles:
you put into words why i love this movie so much. while the current show runner says it was never intended to be the finale to the show, contradicting hillenburg, it definitely wrapped up spongebob's character arc. like you've said, spongebob is socially trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, and i'd argue that description fits very closely with neurodivergent experiences. hell, even in intervies with hillenburg, he said while he didn't intend for spongebob to be neurodivergent, he welcomed it and loved the interpretation. spongebob wanted to be taken seriously without having to sacrifice important aspects of himself. while spongebob as a series is basically a comedy, generally seasons 1 through 3 to me felt like trying to be accepted as who he is was a huge part of the tone. a lot of the conflict came from spongebob's goofy strangeness clashing with everyone else's percieved notions of being mature or responsible, ESPECIALLY with squidward. the movie tackling that is an amazing book-end for the series when you look at it like that. the series didn't put you down for having child-like interests, or being naive or whatnot. it encouraged it, and the movie put spongebob through the wringer for him to come out even stronger. spongebob has so many unique and amazing qualities i've never noticed until i was an adult, and while i know a lot of it wasn't intentional, it always makes me happy to see other people feel similar or reach similar conclusions
@@tracark2255he's talking about the era after the creator 's death in 2018, nick broke all of stephen's wishes like (to not make more spongebob episodes just to make profit)
SpongeBob has always been a neurodivergent icon because of the way he is Outcast of society,living happily the way he likes and wants to? That dream to be free despite being disabled.it’s something a large group of people can relate to
I think the second movie felt more like the ultimate conclusion. They even completed Planktons Story arc with him finally accepting Krabs, turned good and Returns the Formular to him after they beat Antonio Banderas.
it may not've been the intended ending but I kinda wish it was.. everything afterwards feels like mindless, heartless pablum compared to old SpongeBob and this movie
then riddle me this: if season 4 is mindless and started the downfall of the show, how did we get episodes like have you seen this snail, krusty towers,wishing you well and other episodes and the episode that start's off the season is fear of a krabby patty HOW ARE THESE EPISODES MINDLESS
@@Spongyreviews1999I will admit that Dumped is easily the worst season 2 episode for me, but you can't tell me the rest of classic SpongeBob somehow worse than other season 4 episodes like Squid Wood, Good Neighbors and The Thing.
SpongeBob is about living a happy life. To SpongeBob, there is no prose in the world; everything is beautiful and poetic to him. We all need to be more like SpongeBob
To this day I sing along to the goofy goober song off the top of my lungs. Someone bringing a DVD of this movie for me and my friends to watch it was the highlight of my college years.
I watched this movie with my dad a couple days ago, he didn’t expect the beginning at all, he thought it was gonna be a cool pirate movie, only to be betrayed a minute later lol. He had never seen it before, and he’s not a big cartoon fan so I expected him to just roll his eyes for the most part, but it turned out a lot of the jokes made him chuckle. It was blast watching it with him, and I understood more jokes since I’ve matured, as there was a surprising amount of adult jokes in there, more than I remember. By the end of it, I asked what he thought of it, he said it was “okay”. That might not sound like a big deal if you don’t know him, but he’s hard to impress when it comes to cartoons/movies, and that was the best response I’ve ever gotten out of him. I love SpongeBob. :)
I don't think you could ever get "too deep" into something made by Hillenburg, he had a lot of care for that series, especially when he already wanted the show to be relatable to adults. so I wouldn't be surprised at all if there's all these narratives woven into the childlike script.
23:15 “the one thing that kids hate the most is being treated like a kid” To treat someone as a kid is to treat them without respect, to view them as stupid and annoying, so it makes sense that when a kid grows up they want to be treated with respect, to be viewed as an intellectual equal who is enjoyable to hang out with. This is likely the cause of some kids desire to abandon what they still enjoy and toxic masculinity, a response of “I deserve respect and admiration because I am in no way shape or form a kid” to the point where they might perpetuate the cycle just to prove “I can’t be a child because I am treating this person as a child and I am nothing like this person”.
this still happens today with the eternal trend of generation hate and there's one manipulation tactic that is used alot in online arguments where the opponent is called "child" to downplay their opnion or argument think of it as a politician trying to associate the other with hitler
Easily one of the best video essays to come out of this movie. The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie will always be one of my all time favorites, and there's no way I'm alone on that.
14:30 he wasn't "stepped down" but resigned on his violition, see the wikipedia page "Consequently, he resigned as the showrunner[72] and appointed his trusted staff member Paul Tibbitt to the role". The citation is a huffpost article titled ""SpongeBob Turns 10 Valued At $8 Billion". He basically figured they would end it on their own eventually once he left its not like he was oustered or fired neccesarily
@@notahumanbeing6892 He was "STEPPED" down. Like he didn't step down, he was stepped down forcefully. Its like difference between saying someone resigned or "was resigned" sort of polite way of saying fired
@@LEOSATVRN You misunderstood me, I am saying he stepped down not that he was "stepped down" it was phrased to make it sound like the 'company stepped him down'
I still get emotional during the scene when Spongebob and Patrick are being fried by the lamp. Especially when they sing their favorite song as they dry up
I personally believe the movie is the spiritual finale of SpongeBob, like if it is going to end this is exactly what a finale should be to something so iconic and golden. It really is less about the production and placement and more so how the story should thematically conclude
About the goal of spongebob. I must admit that is a cartoon that never sticked in my mind since i stopped watching it. It s like i remember it once in a whiile and every time i say like "oh it s so important one of the best cartoons etc", but then i forget about it again. And i think that the main reason is that it never thought me anything. It was just about the laughs. The characters are not that defined, they just live. Spongebob seems to just happen.
I remember the release of this film. Arguably one of if not the best family films of its era; and in my opinion, probably still the best. This is probably one of the last examples of a family film respecting its adult audience in addition to its primary.
Loved this and loved the movie as a kid. I appreciate the deeper analysis. Sometimes I wonder if the writers project their own experiences on the characters they create
I actually love the first spongebob movie so much. I feel like it is the spiritual ending to the spongebob universe. The episodes after the first movie are just not the same. I feel like this movie was the major turning point of spongebob as a whole.
I'm sorry man, just know that it's never too late in the eyes of the lord, alcohol isn't exactly sinful but if it's harming you, I know that with enough faith you'll overcome this, in fact I'm 6 months sober from energy drinks now and I used to inhale about 3 of them everyday, I don't even desire them anymore, christ loves you brother, you can beat this✝
18:28, xD great transition there. 20:48, or a Knucklehead Mcspazatron..don't forget about that! 24:16, hey. That's cool. 25:58, I feel it's more about Plankton coming to terms that even the people he hate may actually be good friends if he had given them a chance instead of chasing down some stupid food recipe while the "narrator" basically stole his title of being an evil genius and is what Plankton is if he were to do it alone 100%. Well to answer that mustache thing, I am growing one but I had to trim it down so I can fit into my Spider-Gwen mask whenever I go to cosplay events. It's been very tricky though I'm gonna need a mask for future events.
The Goldbergs has a similar message, one that really resonated with me back in middle school. Adam, the main character is pretty similar to me. Loves kids stuff and still wants the latest action figures, but he’s looked down on or told to “move on.” But eventually his dad tells him he’s actually cool the way he is and even his grandfather says to hold onto his childlike wonder. Not the best comment to summarize this, just go watch the show, it’s good (except for season 8-10, it kinda went downhill from there but the first 7 were good.) And Adam is still plenty capable of a lot of stuff! In fact his childlike nature is probably what led him into becoming a writer for a sitcom starring his family! (Again, crappy comment lol but I tried )
A lot of kids shows are made for kids but they're also there to entertain the parents who have to watch it too. With gravity falls you could be a parent watching it with your kid and actually bond over that mystery. I was a kid when i watched it but if i was a parent i would've gotten into it and used it as a way to bond with my kid by watching it weekly together and speculating on the mysteries in it, and that's the best kind of kid show tbh
I’m starting to think that the SpongeBob movie was just SpongeBob dreaming in his head and then he woke up and realize that he never actually owned a Krusty Krab 2
Watching this made me relize how oddly alike me and the square lad is. Im autistic getting my first job at the age of 21 at an arcade. The whole thing with wanting to fit in but like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. Thats exactly what its like for me with multiple people at my job mangers included calling me "innocent" or "navie" or even when i first joined some even thinking i was 15! I allways feel like i have to prove myself snd mabye its the childhood trauma talking but yeah
18:46 BRO THERE'S LIKE ONE JOKE IMAGE WHERE 3 CHARACTERS INCLUDING MR KRABS ARE LOOKING AT SPONGEBOB, AND HAS A CAPTION SAYING "brah tried to fit in 💀😂" NOW EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE
one of the writers, i think it was aaron springer or someone else idk answered this question: "Was the movie supposed to be the ending?" and they said "never was"
Wow, I never knew the belief that the original movie was intended to end the series was just a headcanon. Goes to show how well the movie wraps up the series I guess
If SpongeBob had 374 employee of the month awards that means he had been working at the Krusty Krab for at least 31 years at that point, but SpongeBob was also born in 1986 according to his license; which means SpongeBob was working there for 13 years before he was born.
About Stephen Hillenburg stepping down, I actually heard some rumours online that he didn't leave the show but instead just became an advisor for it. I'm not really sure TBH ever since the show slowly declined after season 4, maybe Hillenburg was starting to get tired of the marketing of the show but stayed as an advisor anyway.
one thing i have to say is regular show does fell like more of a cartoon made for adults cause it has alot of stuff kids dont understand i could relate to the characters in that show alot
I remember when I was a kid, I used to cry at the part where Spongebob and Patrick dried up at shell city, because I thought it was the end and that Spongebob and Patrick died.
6:42 “SpongeBob looks up to Patrick because he sees Patrick as someone he wants to be” damn, that’s interesting. Because Patrick so clearly admires SpongeBob too, there’s a whole episode about Patrick miming SpongeBob’s routine to try and get the accolades SpongeBob gets.
btw plankton did see spongebob as a threat to his plan which is why he hired dennis to kill him. also plankton isnt really goofy for trying to steal the formula. youd think that it would be easy to steal such a simple item, but remember that mr krabs keeps it under high security and always makes sure that its secure. and plankton did try making his own formula but it never worked out. its not a silly desire to want to steal the formula.
Y'all remember when this came out? Man... Ive seen bits of SpongeBob in the last few years and maybe im just grown up now but it doesnt seem like its as solid as it once was. But this movie!? Man i had it on DVD and a little travel dvd player i watched this movie so many dang times with my little bros on that tiny little tv screen. What A movie
I think That What Makes Spongebob Cool is that when you think about it,Spongebob’s living his dream life. He has a job that he Enjoys and is Compensated for it.He has hobbies that he’s passionate about and That he is able to pretty much live his life and be content with it. Sure his Hobbies Maybe Childish but hey If He’s enjoying it and Not harming anyone and He can Afford to Enjoy it just with friends and family that like him. He is Funny to kids and fascinating to adults
Leaving this to address the many comments about the movie being intended as the series finale and Vincent Waller's thoughts on the matter:
We don't know for sure if the movie was actually 100% supposed to be the series finale. In my research for this video I came across various tertiary sources claiming that it was but I couldn't find any direct quotation from Hillenburg himself or any of the movie/show's crew saying that it was indeed supposed to be the finale. If anyone has proof that Hillenburg or any of the other staff members definitively said that the movie is the clear-cut end of the show then I'd love to see it and I'll update this comment. All I have to go off of is speculation from what Hillenburg and the crew had to say in regards to the change in roles after the production of the movie.
Vincent Waller worked on the first season of the show and came back immediately after the movie and worked directly with Hillenburg and many of the crew members from the first 3 seasons. So it's not like his opinion on the matter holds no weight. At the very least he would know the general attitude behind the scenes about the timeline of the show and the movie's place in it. If Hillenburg definitively said (in public or behind the scenes) that the movie is the canonical end, then Waller would have no reason to say that the movie never was the series chronological finale. In fact, in that very same thread that I showed in the video he was asked if Hillenburg said anything about the movie taking place after every episode; and he responded "Not that i am aware." There's a small chance that he just doesn't know for sure the intent behind the movie's place in the show but I doubt it. Again I'm only going off of what I was able to find and if there's anything showing that any of the show's creators have disputed this then I'd love to see it.
And just to reiterate my thoughts that I state in the video. I think that Hillenburg knew that the show would keep going on after the movie and was fine with it, but with the chance of it being the last time he would be creatively and directly involved with the characters he decided to step up with it and make something that would leave a lasting impression. Which is why the movie is about what it's about and why it feels like a finale. Personally I do headcanon that the show is the end of SpongeBob's story because it doesn't make sense that Mr. Krabs would just shut down the Krusty Krab 2 and that SpongeBob would settle for going back to being a simple fry cook. It also doesn't make sense that everything would just go back to normal after Plankton learned the Krabby Patty formula. But it doesn't matter because SpongeBob is a very loose and nonsensical show where anything goes and every story more-or-less takes place in a vacuum, completely detached from any sort of chronology. If you still think that the show is the series finale then that's fine and you shouldn't care about the show's "canon" because the show itself doesn't care about its own "canon." Squidward says that he's never had a Krabby Patty in season 3 but in season 2 we see him eat many Krabby Patties, therefore season 3 takes place before season 2 get over it.
I've always seen the Cyclops as embodying the very thing Stephen Hillenburg hated. The Cyclops stole undersea creatures from their natural habitat, and killed them gradually before selling them as cheap knick-knacks in a gift shop.
Stephen was a marine biologist and believed in educating anyone curious about undersea life without directly interfering with how they live, so the Cyclops is basically an antithesis to what Stephen Hillenburg believed in.
Gradually killing undersea creatures and selling them in a gift shop... ...sounds familiar.
Damn bro wrote a whole thesis
but that is what a marine biologist does too.
@@93hothead Stephen Hillenburg didn't take creatures out of their habitat and sell them, though.
@@93hothead Marine biologists take undersea creatures to study them, not to sell them.
I miss the dense kind hearted Patrick :/
Same
Me too
'Twas good times it was,
I miss the snarky sarcastic Squidward that despite being annoyed with SpongeBob constantly still at least somewhat cared about him
@@knefelek yeah, new squidward is just a hateful nihilist
Spongebob is such an important character to me. We need more "childish" adult characters in media. Spongebob being an adult who likes "kids" stuff like blowing bubbles, jellyfishing, karate: it's a very positive type of character that tells children to grow up, while also telling them they can still like those things that made their childhood special, and they don't have to give into adult stereotypes. He goes to work, he works hard, he's able to pay for his house and food for his snail. He has all the necessary skills for adulthood, while still finding childlike joy in pretty much everything he does.
He's one of my favorite Characters
I love him and Steven hillenburg
The episode “Grandma’s Kisses” is another great example of this.
@@silverluvr102 me too
Realllllllllll
He remembered his password
Agreed
I always think its frustrating when people brush off as childrens media not having messages, literally every story has a message, especially childrens shows
When I was like 8, I used to play cashier with my cousins and I loved it and couldn't wait until I could get an actual job possibly as a cashier as well. 8 years later I was working at a fast food place, completly miserable and just waiting for the clock to go faster. I once thought about spongebob and how he could find the joy in working this exact job, a joy I once had. Although it didn't make the job any better, it made me look for the joy in it and everything else I did. Never try to revert to a child and ignore responsibilities but always hold on to the childish joy and limitless hope even in the face of unhappy times.
I can’t tell you how REALLLL this is yo, respect
I cannot watch this movie without crying out my eyes makes me feel like a small kid every time I watch it
Same
Same
to be honest, this film hits pretty deep to me as an adult with a childlike sense of wonder, in terms of emotional maturity I'm there but I'll be damned if I ever stop loving this or fraggle rock, my boyfriend assures me my youthful spirit is a virtue though :)
Your boyfriend is right! You can be a responsible adult and still be a kid at heart! It’s a positive mindset!
Man, this video hit at the perfect time for me. Lately I've been struggling with depression, brought on by similar things you addressed in the video: living alone, working a dead-end job, etc. I've been retreating into my childhood passions to help try to combat that, and lately, for some reason, I'd begun to feel guilty about that and think that I should change things within me to change my situation. But changing most of those things would, to quote Hillenburg, be "trying to fit a square peg into a round hole," and it would sacrifice some of my own childlike nature-which is actually something I like about myself. This video helped me realize that no matter how old I get, it's important to hold onto the things I enjoy and the things that help bring me comfort-no matter how silly they might be perceived as by others. If SpongeBob can find joy and contentment in his situation and help share that warmth with others, so can I.
I know this comment itself might sound silly, but seriously, thank you.
I think the “Nickelodeon Movies” intro for this movie is the most life changing 16 seconds of media ever made
I'm pretty sure the Spongebob Movie is the only piece of media I've seen with that intro, and man you're so right. The music and whimsical visuals have always stuck with me as being so magical. Very fruitiger aero, to use an overused term. Kinda ironic how the more overtly magicy Disney logo never filled me with that same feeling.
@@xemiii I think it being only in the SB movie gives it even more weight. And I agree with the Disney bit, since it’s in most movies it loses its charm. Lilo & Stitch is an exception; iirc it has a little remix. And also, being the best Disney movie
It is total magic, takes me right back to my cousin's house at 5 years old
@@xemiiiI think every Nickelodeon movie back then used to have a custom intro. I remember the Good Burger intro pretty vividly too
ngl i really miss the old DVD menus for some reason
They really don’t make them like they used to. They’re usually just a still image with no music nowadays.
Me too
I remember when Blu-ray came out and they advertised how it has DVD menus, but on COKE! It was one of the reasons I wanted a PS3
I miss some dvd menus but I hate one with a burning passion Primeval series 2 menus they are really bad. the thing moves on its own so if you don't click fast enough you miss the ability to chose the episodes & instead have the scenes or special features. You really have to use it to understand how bad it is. Pretty sure it was on both volumes but it may have only been volume 2.
Same
I never really gave it much thought before but the spongebob, patrick and squidward dynamic is like a sibling relationship
with spongebob being the youngest, patrick being the middle child and squidward being the oldest
spongebob is young and impressionable and more open to new ideas
patrick thinks he knows everything and will try and push his ideas onto spongebob
and squidward just wants to be left alone and will sometimes need to go in and correct some of the information that patrick gives
or play into it in a way that benefits him
I disagree about squidward having a bigger role in the movie, I think Squidward has already had a conclusive ark thanks to 'Band Geeks', and Squidward and Spongebobs dynamic is explored quite a bit with the show. Meanwhile, SpongeBob and Patricks dynamic is rarely ACTUALLY threatened, save for dumb one off disagreements.
Hmmmm, not a bad point! Reminds me of a similar arc.
SpongeBob & Patricks dynamic wasn’t threatened in the first movie either.
3:22 Actually, he was already working there before SpongeBob was hired so he’s definitely been working there for longer than 31 years.
The SpongeBob and Patrick bit made me realize why those two really work, I knew SpongeBob though Patrick was smart when he wasn’t, but them sharing weird interests, SpongeBob looking up to Patrick and him being a good friend in turn to SpongeBob just makes them work at characters and as best friends
8:36 Makes me think of the genuinely upset reaction Squidward has in the episode Pizza Delivery, he may not always show it but he truly cares about SpongeBob and dislikes seeing him upset
That and when you’re a kid you don’t feel like anything changes. 29-30 years later and I still wish VHS and DVD were a viable option to rent things instead of constant streaming and that there was genuine color and mirth in marketing again.
Kids today wish that too tho, like the aspect of being able to go to a blockbuster and have a movie night that families actually enjoy feels so much nicer of an idea than everyone just binge watching things by themselves in their room
@@JimMilton-ej6zi not really. Kids love their netflix, google play and Fortnite battle passes
They might want to own a Blueray of their favorite movie/game but they are also completely happy with all of their live services
the first spongebob movie just felt like there was a purpose, most if not huge pieces of the puzzle were already formed, The art to this day still looks great, so great it was carried over to season 4.
I wish i could say the same for sponge out of water, i really did enjoy the beginning, the first half was great, minus the live action and the birds, they were abysmal, the pairing of spongebob and plankton at least was unique, and had plankton be a more protagonistic role, but the fact an ordinary washed up pirate frycook, SOMEHOW gained information about the krabby patty, and how without it bikini bottom ceases to exist was what brought it down for me.
I'd only watch sponge on the run for the gorgeous animation: that's it, could care less about the plot and spongebob, although having the lost city of atlantis being las vegas was a really good bit and i wish we got more of that honestly.
It's honestly weird how nowdays Krusty Krab is portrayed as, like, the most important thing in the universe, not just to SpongeBob personaly. I enjoy a lot of the post-2015 episodes of the show, but that aspect feels very detached from what Krusty Krab was meant to be originally.
True, that honestly kinda started with the first movie. The Krusty Krab went from a pretty good restaurant that only SpongeBob, Plankton, and Mr Krabs really cared about to the key to taking over Bikini Bottom. I get that it was to give the movie higher stakes but it’s definitely where you can see the power creep start to set in.
I guess it goes to show how good SpongeBob is at his job
i'd argue that only happend in post 2018 stuff and the dark era beetween the end of season 5 and the start of post 2015 era
but yeah, the krusty krab feels like the only staple of the show at times, y'know how all plankton does is try to steal the formula
even season 1 had that one beach episode where he tried to manipulate spongebob so he could build stuff in there
more episodes should focus on similar premises as this rather than just the secret formula
@@ssg-eggunner I think it comes down to the fact that SpongeBob has been going for so long that many locations of the show have gotten an "iconic" status now. Every kid who watched SpongeBob WISHED they had a chance to visit the Krusty Krab and eat a krabby patty. I think that affects how Krusty Krab is being conceptualized nowadays.
I feel like I have just unlocked some sort of Spongebob enlightenment. It's a series that is a bit older than I am and I have never understood its themes and its core better than I do now. Someone send this video to the current writers.
"Kids these days don't know what they're missing."
Me, Gen Z, absolutely loves the Spongebob movie, hooked on classics like Back to the Future, The Iron Giant, et cetera, obsessed with retro video games and consoles:
you put into words why i love this movie so much. while the current show runner says it was never intended to be the finale to the show, contradicting hillenburg, it definitely wrapped up spongebob's character arc. like you've said, spongebob is socially trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, and i'd argue that description fits very closely with neurodivergent experiences. hell, even in intervies with hillenburg, he said while he didn't intend for spongebob to be neurodivergent, he welcomed it and loved the interpretation. spongebob wanted to be taken seriously without having to sacrifice important aspects of himself. while spongebob as a series is basically a comedy, generally seasons 1 through 3 to me felt like trying to be accepted as who he is was a huge part of the tone. a lot of the conflict came from spongebob's goofy strangeness clashing with everyone else's percieved notions of being mature or responsible, ESPECIALLY with squidward. the movie tackling that is an amazing book-end for the series when you look at it like that. the series didn't put you down for having child-like interests, or being naive or whatnot. it encouraged it, and the movie put spongebob through the wringer for him to come out even stronger.
spongebob has so many unique and amazing qualities i've never noticed until i was an adult, and while i know a lot of it wasn't intentional, it always makes me happy to see other people feel similar or reach similar conclusions
I actually feel bad for poor Stephen having to see his creation being destroyed by the popularity.
???? came back to the show in 2015
@@tracark2255he's talking about the era after the creator 's death in 2018, nick broke all of stephen's wishes like (to not make more spongebob episodes just to make profit)
@@thereallobsangmreal255 hillenburg never said that. All he said that he had no interest of making spin-offs
whoops, yeah you're right
SpongeBob has always been a neurodivergent icon because of the way he is
Outcast of society,living happily the way he likes and wants to? That dream to be free despite being disabled.it’s something a large group of people can relate to
Jesus christ...
True :D
I agree with you 100%.
@@principalmcvicker6530literally
you’re calling SpongeBob disabled? That’s the wildest thing I’ve read in a while
I think the second movie felt more like the ultimate conclusion. They even completed Planktons Story arc with him finally accepting Krabs, turned good and Returns the Formular to him after they beat Antonio Banderas.
I watched this movie like 100 times already but i still flock to these analysis videos like a fly to light
it may not've been the intended ending but I kinda wish it was.. everything afterwards feels like mindless, heartless pablum compared to old SpongeBob and this movie
then riddle me this: if season 4 is mindless and started the downfall of the show, how did we get episodes like have you seen this snail, krusty towers,wishing you well and other episodes and the episode that start's off the season is fear of a krabby patty HOW ARE THESE EPISODES MINDLESS
@@Spongyreviews1999 Those are bits of gold in the turd sandwich.
@@eatatjoes6751 season 4 has barely any bad episodes compared to season 1 and dumped is worse than anything that season 4 throws at you
@@Spongyreviews1999I will admit that Dumped is easily the worst season 2 episode for me, but you can't tell me the rest of classic SpongeBob somehow worse than other season 4 episodes like Squid Wood, Good Neighbors and The Thing.
@@Loner098 squidwood has the squidterk, good neighbors has the newspapaer monster joke, the thing tho? idk
The goofy goober rock song is still the best movie song to ever come out imo
SpongeBob is about living a happy life. To SpongeBob, there is no prose in the world; everything is beautiful and poetic to him. We all need to be more like SpongeBob
To this day I sing along to the goofy goober song off the top of my lungs. Someone bringing a DVD of this movie for me and my friends to watch it was the highlight of my college years.
Squidward is basically Spongebob larping as an "adult."
I watched this movie with my dad a couple days ago, he didn’t expect the beginning at all, he thought it was gonna be a cool pirate movie, only to be betrayed a minute later lol.
He had never seen it before, and he’s not a big cartoon fan so I expected him to just roll his eyes for the most part, but it turned out a lot of the jokes made him chuckle. It was blast watching it with him, and I understood more jokes since I’ve matured, as there was a surprising amount of adult jokes in there, more than I remember.
By the end of it, I asked what he thought of it, he said it was “okay”. That might not sound like a big deal if you don’t know him, but he’s hard to impress when it comes to cartoons/movies, and that was the best response I’ve ever gotten out of him. I love SpongeBob. :)
I don't think you could ever get "too deep" into something made by Hillenburg, he had a lot of care for that series, especially when he already wanted the show to be relatable to adults.
so I wouldn't be surprised at all if there's all these narratives woven into the childlike script.
2:05 Oh I Member!
20:47 don't forget a knucklehead mcspazatron
23:15 “the one thing that kids hate the most is being treated like a kid”
To treat someone as a kid is to treat them without respect, to view them as stupid and annoying, so it makes sense that when a kid grows up they want to be treated with respect, to be viewed as an intellectual equal who is enjoyable to hang out with.
This is likely the cause of some kids desire to abandon what they still enjoy and toxic masculinity, a response of “I deserve respect and admiration because I am in no way shape or form a kid” to the point where they might perpetuate the cycle just to prove “I can’t be a child because I am treating this person as a child and I am nothing like this person”.
this still happens today with the eternal trend of generation hate
and there's one manipulation tactic that is used alot in online arguments where the opponent is called "child" to downplay their opnion or argument
think of it as a politician trying to associate the other with hitler
There are two ways to break the cycle. Treat everyone as an adult... or treat everyone as a child.
Easily one of the best video essays to come out of this movie. The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie will always be one of my all time favorites, and there's no way I'm alone on that.
I see a lot of people get this wrong, but Spongebob isn't a 'literal' kid. Mr. Krabs is like 60, a young adult is a kid to him.
14:30 he wasn't "stepped down" but resigned on his violition, see the wikipedia page "Consequently, he resigned as the showrunner[72] and appointed his trusted staff member Paul Tibbitt to the role". The citation is a huffpost article titled ""SpongeBob Turns 10 Valued At $8 Billion". He basically figured they would end it on their own eventually once he left its not like he was oustered or fired neccesarily
stepping down is a way to say resign or quit lmao, you’re “correcting” him with a synonym
@@notahumanbeing6892 He was "STEPPED" down. Like he didn't step down, he was stepped down forcefully. Its like difference between saying someone resigned or "was resigned" sort of polite way of saying fired
Wikipedia 😂😂 didn't you listen to your teachers ?
@@spyczechand stepping down is a conscious choice so he basically resigned bub
@@LEOSATVRN You misunderstood me, I am saying he stepped down not that he was "stepped down" it was phrased to make it sound like the 'company stepped him down'
R.I.P Steve Hillenburg
Innovator, hero, legend
HE WAS NUMBER ONE!!!
I still get emotional during the scene when Spongebob and Patrick are being fried by the lamp. Especially when they sing their favorite song as they dry up
I found your channel 10 months ago for topics completely unrelated to spongebob, and now here I am getting recommended the spongebob videos
I personally believe the movie is the spiritual finale of SpongeBob, like if it is going to end this is exactly what a finale should be to something so iconic and golden. It really is less about the production and placement and more so how the story should thematically conclude
The way he cut off the cyclops section is the most disappointing thing ever
the code name of the thing like 6:46
About the goal of spongebob. I must admit that is a cartoon that never sticked in my mind since i stopped watching it. It s like i remember it once in a whiile and every time i say like "oh it s so important one of the best cartoons etc", but then i forget about it again. And i think that the main reason is that it never thought me anything. It was just about the laughs. The characters are not that defined, they just live. Spongebob seems to just happen.
I remember the release of this film. Arguably one of if not the best family films of its era; and in my opinion, probably still the best.
This is probably one of the last examples of a family film respecting its adult audience in addition to its primary.
Loved this and loved the movie as a kid. I appreciate the deeper analysis. Sometimes I wonder if the writers project their own experiences on the characters they create
they do. one of my favorite episodes where SpongeBob and Patrick learned to cuss is inspired by Derek Drymon’s childhood
I actually love the first spongebob movie so much. I feel like it is the spiritual ending to the spongebob universe. The episodes after the first movie are just not the same. I feel like this movie was the major turning point of spongebob as a whole.
"Nickelodeon wasn't gonna let his best serie go away"
19:29 This resembles more to autism spectrum having an obsession over something is normal in that stadium.
21:06 that punch caught me so off guard 10/10 very effective visuals
Ocean man, the crust is elusive when it casts forth
To the childlike man
You're first, hes first, im first is there another first i should know about!?!
First
meow
Abbot and Costello: "Who's on first?"
@@trevorpacelli8056 idk how that hasn't been adapted to a SpongeBob skit. Patrick is certainly stupid enough lol
Meowwww
Damn really had to hit me with this much nostalgia during my alcoholic relapse.
I'm sorry man, just know that it's never too late in the eyes of the lord, alcohol isn't exactly sinful but if it's harming you, I know that with enough faith you'll overcome this, in fact I'm 6 months sober from energy drinks now and I used to inhale about 3 of them everyday, I don't even desire them anymore, christ loves you brother, you can beat this✝
@@AbrasiousProductionsamen brother!
Ill drink to that!
can't believe it took 20 years for me to realise the living under the rock gag and i had to be told it
18:28, xD great transition there.
20:48, or a Knucklehead Mcspazatron..don't forget about that!
24:16, hey. That's cool.
25:58, I feel it's more about Plankton coming to terms that even the people he hate may actually be good friends if he had given them a chance instead of chasing down some stupid food recipe while the "narrator" basically stole his title of being an evil genius and is what Plankton is if he were to do it alone 100%.
Well to answer that mustache thing, I am growing one but I had to trim it down so I can fit into my Spider-Gwen mask whenever I go to cosplay events. It's been very tricky though I'm gonna need a mask for future events.
Rest in peace Stephen Hillenburg, thanks for the childhood
The whole goofy goobers thing is what I joke about my cats with and I love it
I liked spongebob as a kid for his bravery doing what he wants and his cool vocal range (the blue danube jellyfishing scene sums it up in a nutshell)
The Goldbergs has a similar message, one that really resonated with me back in middle school. Adam, the main character is pretty similar to me. Loves kids stuff and still wants the latest action figures, but he’s looked down on or told to “move on.” But eventually his dad tells him he’s actually cool the way he is and even his grandfather says to hold onto his childlike wonder.
Not the best comment to summarize this, just go watch the show, it’s good (except for season 8-10, it kinda went downhill from there but the first 7 were good.)
And Adam is still plenty capable of a lot of stuff! In fact his childlike nature is probably what led him into becoming a writer for a sitcom starring his family!
(Again, crappy comment lol but I tried )
Wondered where you have been. Good video!
A lot of kids shows are made for kids but they're also there to entertain the parents who have to watch it too. With gravity falls you could be a parent watching it with your kid and actually bond over that mystery. I was a kid when i watched it but if i was a parent i would've gotten into it and used it as a way to bond with my kid by watching it weekly together and speculating on the mysteries in it, and that's the best kind of kid show tbh
Glad your back
7:06 bro called me tf out
I’m starting to think that the SpongeBob movie was just SpongeBob dreaming in his head and then he woke up and realize that he never actually owned a Krusty Krab 2
i wasn't ready for that cut to the PS2
man hearing the music from the spongebob the movie game in the background was super nostalgic. Shit's kinda a bop too
YES! you really hit the nail on the head. all a good kid's show has to do is respect their audience
The SpongeBob movie PS2 game was also a childhood staple of mine
Watching this made me relize how oddly alike me and the square lad is. Im autistic getting my first job at the age of 21 at an arcade. The whole thing with wanting to fit in but like a square peg trying to fit in a round hole. Thats exactly what its like for me with multiple people at my job mangers included calling me "innocent" or "navie" or even when i first joined some even thinking i was 15! I allways feel like i have to prove myself snd mabye its the childhood trauma talking but yeah
I miss the OG Bob , from my childhood memories 😔
the thing with the cyclops and comercialisation actually seems to be right. maybe it is that deep. afterall, hillenberg was a marine biologist.
I mean canonically you're either the fish. Or the skeleton so maturity isnt a matter lol
18:46 BRO
THERE'S LIKE ONE JOKE IMAGE WHERE 3 CHARACTERS INCLUDING MR KRABS ARE LOOKING AT SPONGEBOB, AND HAS A CAPTION SAYING "brah tried to fit in 💀😂"
NOW EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE
one of the writers, i think it was aaron springer or someone else idk answered this question:
"Was the movie supposed to be the ending?" and they said
"never was"
15:32
Watching it on VHS is a whole different vibe
Wow, I never knew the belief that the original movie was intended to end the series was just a headcanon. Goes to show how well the movie wraps up the series I guess
If SpongeBob had 374 employee of the month awards that means he had been working at the Krusty Krab for at least 31 years at that point, but SpongeBob was also born in 1986 according to his license; which means SpongeBob was working there for 13 years before he was born.
18:08
Spongebob wants.....a Driver's Liscence!
I'm surprised they didn't put the My Leg joke in the first movie
You were so real for this
About Stephen Hillenburg stepping down, I actually heard some rumours online that he didn't leave the show but instead just became an advisor for it. I'm not really sure TBH ever since the show slowly declined after season 4, maybe Hillenburg was starting to get tired of the marketing of the show but stayed as an advisor anyway.
one thing i have to say is regular show does fell like more of a cartoon made for adults cause it has alot of stuff kids dont understand i could relate to the characters in that show alot
12:13 nah ur cookin bro keep it up
"OVER-ANALYZING?! LESS THAN 5 HOURS?!"
*UNACCEPTABLE*
I remember when I was a kid, I used to cry at the part where Spongebob and Patrick dried up at shell city, because I thought it was the end and that Spongebob and Patrick died.
15:54 That shot looks so weird. It makes sense. But it's so uncanny seeing a lifelike leg.
6:42 “SpongeBob looks up to Patrick because he sees Patrick as someone he wants to be” damn, that’s interesting. Because Patrick so clearly admires SpongeBob too, there’s a whole episode about Patrick miming SpongeBob’s routine to try and get the accolades SpongeBob gets.
Great video
btw plankton did see spongebob as a threat to his plan which is why he hired dennis to kill him. also plankton isnt really goofy for trying to steal the formula. youd think that it would be easy to steal such a simple item, but remember that mr krabs keeps it under high security and always makes sure that its secure. and plankton did try making his own formula but it never worked out. its not a silly desire to want to steal the formula.
Loved this movie as a kid, never remembered the animation being so great.
Y'all remember when this came out? Man... Ive seen bits of SpongeBob in the last few years and maybe im just grown up now but it doesnt seem like its as solid as it once was. But this movie!? Man i had it on DVD and a little travel dvd player i watched this movie so many dang times with my little bros on that tiny little tv screen. What A movie
Great analysis!
1:38 “nostalgic” lol
Crazy to think one of my favorite movies came out only a month after i was born. I was a $5 movie bin kid though so it makes sense
King Neptune in Neptunes Spatula and King Neptune in the movie are the same character he just got old
If you respect children they we grow up into decent people.
I think That What Makes Spongebob Cool is that when you think about it,Spongebob’s living his dream life.
He has a job that he Enjoys and is Compensated for it.He has hobbies that he’s passionate about and That he is able to pretty much live his life and be content with it.
Sure his Hobbies Maybe Childish but hey If He’s enjoying it and Not harming anyone and He can Afford to Enjoy it just with friends and family that like him.
He is Funny to kids and fascinating to adults
Holy shit when he said the movie turned 20 years old that made me feel so damn old !!!!! I seen this in theaters as a kid 😮