COMING SOON
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
When SpongeBob SquarePants vanishes during a deep-sea adventure, Bikini Bottom descends into chaos. Friends old and new set out across strange oceans and forgotten realms to find him, discovering unexpected courage, loyalty and friendship along the way in a brightly animated quest filled with humour and heart.
Director
Derek Drymon (The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water)
Voices
Tom Kenny • Bill Fagerbakke • Clancy Brown • Rodger Bumpass • Awkwafina
1h 36m • Rated PG • Animation, Adventure, Comedy • USA
The island setting, the modest production, and the humor that often arises from character rather than contrivance work together to keep the film from ever feeling flat. On the flip side, a few feel the pacing is uneven, or that the secondary characters don’t always land. Still, even these criticisms tend to be soft and in the service of a film that is more heartwarming than perfect.
Overall, the consensus sees The Ballad of Wallis Island as a warm, wistful, and soul-soothing film—modest in scope but rich in feeling. It’s not trying to dazzle, but it digs in where it matters: loss, memory, music, human connection. For many, it’s one of the more emotionally satisfying films of 2025.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a quietly charming British comedy-drama directed by James Griffiths, written by and starring Tom Basden and Tim Key, alongside Carey Mulligan. The story centers on Charles, a lonely lottery winner living on a remote Welsh island, who invites his favorite folk duo—Herb McGwyer and Nell Mortimer—to reunite for a private performance. His motive isn’t just fandom; there are unresolved heartbreaks, nostalgia, and grief behind his idealistic gesture.
Critics are largely enamored with the film’s balance of humor and melancholy. Tim Key’s performance as Charles is praised for being endearingly awkward, verbose, and heart-on-sleeve, often using verbal wit to stave off silence. Basden as Herb, and Mulligan as Nell, deliver subtle, emotionally resonant performances, especially when the old romantic and artistic tensions surface—and you begin to feel what’s been lost, as well as what hope might remain. The original music is another highlight; the songs feel lived in, and the film uses them not as spectacle, but as emotional anchors.
Some reviewers point out that the premise is familiar—a fan’s devotee, reunited artists, romantic regrets—but argue that the execution elevates it.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
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The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
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What makes this instalment especially enjoyable is its joyful embrace of everything fans love about SpongeBob, while still offering something fresh. The animation bursts with colour and imagination, the voice performances feel effortless, and the jokes land for both younger viewers and longtime fans. It’s a film designed to be shared across generations — silly, sincere and relentlessly upbeat — delivering the kind of big-screen fun that leaves audiences smiling long after the final bubble drifts away.
Film Notes
A bright, bubbly adventure that celebrates friendship and fearless fun.
The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants unfolds as a playful underwater odyssey that sends Bikini Bottom’s most beloved characters far beyond their comfort zones. When SpongeBob goes missing, the story shifts from familiar antics to a globe-trotting rescue mission, weaving slapstick comedy with moments of genuine emotion as Patrick, Sandy and friends confront what SpongeBob truly means to them. The film balances absurd humour with an adventurous narrative that keeps the pace lively and the stakes surprisingly heartfelt.