WHAT’S IT ABOUT
Plankton’s tangled love story with his sentient computer wife goes sideways when she takes a stand and decides to destroy the world without him.
MOVIESinMO REVIEW
Not even a year later, after “The Sandy Cheeks Movie” hit Netflix, and we now get another SpongeBob spin-off with “Plankton: The Movie.” It’s a bit strange seeing so many of these underwater cartoon movies coming out so quickly like someone’s trying really hard to milk this franchise. While the Sandy movie was decent fun, this one takes a different approach by focusing on a villain instead of a hero. Thankfully, Plankton makes for an entertaining main character, and though the movie struggles with its ending (like many animated films do), it’s still pretty funny and gives the voice actor plenty of chances to shine. The movie kicks off with the main yellow character singing before Plankton interrupts, reminding everyone that this is HIS movie—though the yellow guy still shows up a lot because, well, he’s the fan favorite. We learn that Plankton is married to a computer named Karen, which might be news to casual viewers who haven’t kept up with the TV show. The story centers on trouble in Plankton and Karen’s marriage. Karen wants to transform their restaurant (the Chum Bucket) into a trendy fusion place, but Plankton just wants to stick to his life’s mission: stealing the secret recipe from the competing restaurant and taking over the world. When Plankton refuses to change his ways, Karen gets mad, removes her “empathy chip,” and goes full evil. Using a giant magnet, Karen pulls the entire underwater town up and builds herself a massive metal body so she can head to the surface and conquer Earth. Plankton gets upset—not because she’s evil, but because he always dreamed they’d take over the world together as a team. Plankton remains obsessed with stealing the secret recipe from Mr. Krabs. When his “Operation Success” plan is launched, Karen tries to convince him to give up fighting and focus on improving their restaurant instead. Their disagreement leads to a split, with Karen turning into three evil personalities that threaten to destroy everything. Freaking out, Plankton teams up with his yellow nemesis, who uses hypnosis to dig into Plankton’s past and find the root of his problems. We get to see how Plankton and Karen first met, when she was just made from a calculator, roller skate, and potato. This journey into the past sends Plankton on a mission to save both his marriage and the town. The movie looks great—possibly the best the 3D animation has ever looked in this series. It also cleverly mixes in different animation styles during flashbacks and musical numbers, using 2D animation that feels nostalgic and fits well with the story. Unlike previous movies that take the characters to strange new places, this one stays mostly in the familiar underwater town we know. This makes it feel more like an extra-long TV episode rather than some big, out-of-place adventure—and that actually works in its favor. The film shines brightest when exploring Plankton’s history and personal life. We visit his college days (his happiest time) and even get a tour of his “basement of failures.” The voice acting for Plankton is wonderfully over-the-top and always good for laughs, with some added dramatic moments that give new depth to the character. There are several musical numbers throughout the movie, including a standout power ballad called “I’m a Jerk” that’s funny whether you’re familiar with musical clichés or not. The director has fun playing with various animation styles to explore memory sequences, including 80s-style flat animation, old-school black and white, anime split-screens, and trippy 70s psychedelic visuals. The movie doesn’t feature much of the other popular supporting characters like Patrick the starfish or Squidward, which seems like a missed opportunity for more humor. And like many animated films these days, it can’t resist ending with a huge chaotic action sequence, mixing up the promising story about empathy with a bunch of large-scale cartoon violence. The side characters eventually join the adventure, including Sandy and her friends, who make the mistake of introducing the yellow main character to coffee (and he’s already hyperactive enough without caffeine!). These community scenes are fun, but they sometimes feel disconnected from the main story. “Plankton: The Movie” doesn’t need deep analysis or character studies. It’s packed with jokes ranging from silly to cleverly self-aware, including a bit where Plankton “directs” his own movie through voiceover and several nods to other famous films. The movie manages to be both ridiculous and heartfelt, giving us more background on Plankton and Karen without completely changing who they are. Plankton doesn’t suddenly become good, and the world isn’t drastically different by the end—it’s just another day in this underwater world, which is exactly how it should be. If you’re looking for a fun animated movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, has some catchy songs, and showcases different animation styles while telling a simple but entertaining story, “Plankton: The Movie” delivers exactly what you’d expect. It’s worth watching whether you’re a longtime fan or just looking for something light and amusing.
OUR RATING – A CHUM BUCKET 7.5