Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie review: A squirrel's adventure beyond the ocean depths

The newest action-packed adventure of the SpongeBob SquarePants franchise, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, was released on August 2, 2024, on Netflix. This movie shifts the focus from SpongeBob to his smart and intrepid friend Sandy Cheeks.

Directed by Liza Johnson, known for her work on Elvis & Nixon, the movie blends live-action with animation. In the movie, Sandy discovers that her friends in Bikini Bottom have been kidnapped by a massive excavator from her workplace at the B.O.O.O.T.S. Marine Biology Lab.

The cast of Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie includes Carolyn Lawrence, Tom Kenny, Wanda Sykes, Bill Fagerbakke, Clancy Brown, and Roger Bumpass in major roles.

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Sandy Cheeks takes the lead in the new movie

In Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Sandy Cheeks, a cherished secondary character from the SpongeBob SquarePants series, steps into the spotlight as the lead. Voiced by Carolyn Lawrence, Sandy's adventure begins when she discovers that her Bikini Bottom buddies have been kidnapped by some giant excavator from B.O.O.O.T.S. Marine Biology Lab, where she is employed.

The person behind it all? Sue Nahmee, voiced by Wanda Sykes, has taken them to fund some mysterious project called Sea Pals. Sandy, determined to save her friends, teams up with SpongeBob, and the two take off on a wild, unpredictable cross-country ride from the Pacific Ocean to Texas.

The movie is filled with brilliant sight gags, including SpongeBob turning dehydrated without water and Sandy using her lassoing skills to climb onto a jet passing by.

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Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is a mix of animation and live-action

Now, one of the coolest things about Saving Bikini Bottom is that it merges some CG animation with live-action footage. This gives way to a new, vibrant look at the SpongeBob universe, as was received in both Sponge Out of Water and Sponge on the Run. Johnson's direction shows very clearly in the more comedic moments, which deal with a great amount of absurdity within the SpongeBob universe.

Wanda Sykes as Sue Nahmee has been something of a mixed bag. On paper, she sounds amazing, but in the execution, at times, it can get a little awkward with Sykes not quite fitting some of the animations. Animation does a lot to make these scenes work, though—some nice texture and shadow blending bring them to life.

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Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie has humor and heart for all ages

At its core, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie has the same brand of humor and poignancy that have made SpongeBob SquarePants a long-running favorite for so many.

The movie is packed with some genuinely funny moments—like SpongeBob joyously flailing around a waterpark, he and his friends having a hysterical run-in with rattlesnakes—that will keep younger ones laughing, and there are musical numbers with a touching Cheeks family reunion that injects charm and heart into the story.

Long-term fans will enjoy a deeper exploration of Sandy's character—how she came to be in Bikini Bottom from Galveston, Texas. It's this depth that makes her more than just a sidekick to SpongeBob.

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Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is a great addition to the SpongeBob SquarePants series, something that has been due with Sandy Cheeks. It delivers an action-packed, visually stunning, and frankly very funny movie.

While some of the live-action performances may feel a bit off, the movie pulls off the animation and live-action, delivering plenty of laughs and heart. Its mix of funny visuals, lovable characters, and a story of friendship and courage reminds us why SpongeBob SquarePants has been a beloved show for so long.

Whether you're an original fan or new to Bikini Bottom, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie is a lighthearted respite worth viewing.