The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
SpongeBob sets out to prove his bravery by joining the Flying Dutchman on a ghost-pirate quest to the deepest depths of the sea. It is a breezy, silly adventure that stays true to the show's humor, with a handful of spooky images and slapstick moments that bump it just above the gentlest shelf.
Comfortable for most kids 6 and up; sensitive 5-year-olds can join with a grown-up alongside for the ghost and underworld scenes.
If you’d rather skip
SpongeBob blows a hornpipe and a glowing portal opens in the floor; a full-sized ghost ship rises out of it and several ghost pirates rush toward the characters, accompanied by dramatic music and lighting.
SpongeBob faces a series of monster battles in a ghostly deep-sea underworld setting; creatures snap and threaten, and the Flying Dutchman's crew is consistently portrayed with menace, though the comedy tone keeps things from feeling truly dangerous.
Sword fights, cannonballs, and energy blasts result in ghost pirates losing heads or limbs, which quickly grow back; a brief fantasy sequence shows a sea creature cut in half.