"blends live action with traditional and 3D animation effortlessly"

As someone who hasn't watched a great deal of the beloved series, I had seen the trailer so I knew what I was in for; I had seen a few episodes here and there, so was eager to see a madcap film and I wasn't disappointed.

So the film opens on a pirate ship, where a pirate by the name of Burger Beard (Antonio Banderas) tells seagulls the story of a faceoff between Spongebob and Plankton over the Krabby Patty formula. As Burger Beard narrates, the film moves seamlessly from live-action to the familiar looking animation from the series, where we see the recited fight between Spongebob and Plankton in Bikini Bottom.

The plot is set in motion when the secret Krabby Patty formula goes missing and Spongebob and Plankton have to work together in order to find the it and restore Bikini Bottom which has descended into a lawless, apocalyptic place.

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water blends live action with traditional and 3D animation effortlessly. It does a great job of giving the hordes of fans a film that they can gravitate to, whilst also giving the uninitiated (like myself) an accessible, fun and engaging piece of cinema.

The final act (showcased in the trailer) where Spongebob and friends come into our world, is fun and doesn't feel forced or unnecessary. It makes sense why they went 3D, and I thought it was brilliant.

The casting of Banderas is a highlight, as the veteran actor plays a terrific pirate and he looks like he really relished the role. As you would expect from Spongebob, there is a fantastic sprinkling of the goofy, silly humour that fans have come to expect from this adored franchise.