The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Arriving almost eleven years after its first big-screen adaptation with The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, one of the most popular Nickelodeon series of all time has ventured onto the silver screen again.

Directed by Paul Tibbitt, Sponge Out of Water returns to Bikini Bottom, the story begins with Mr Square Pants and co learning that the infamous Krabby Patty formula – Krusty Krab’s signature recipe – has been stolen.

Krusty Krab’s nemesis, Plankton, is the first suspect, though it quickly becomes clear that he’s innocent. As things get desperate in Bikini Bottom, he’s even eventually convinced by SpongeBob to join the search for the missing recipe, with their adventure eventually leading the rag-tag team to ruthless pirate, Burger Beard – voiced by one Antonio Banderas – and forcing them to step out of the water and onto land.

Entertainingly silly, though at times perhaps a little testing, SpongeBob Out of Water is mainly targeted at the series’ existing fan-base; for those unfamiliar with the character and the story – whose seemingly abstract premise is hard enough to digest – might find it a bit hard to find any value in the film’s goofiness. It’s definitely a strange world to get sucked into, however, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth dipping your toes. Told through a series of more traditional and old-style animation storytelling methods and once again using live-action settings,  there’s a cheerful, optimistic and at times even psychedelically euphoric quality about that is sure make the film appealing to both adults and children alike.

The jokes are aplenty and the humour is definitely one of its strongest points.  However, the story does falter a bit in the third act – once SpongeBob and his buddies wash-up ashore and turn themselves into a group of modern-day superheroes – and the film loses energy and momentum. Nevertheless, the franchise has proven that it’s still going strong and, even though it might not win over any new fans, it will keep the old ones – which there are plenty of – very happy and satisfied.