The DVD

Video:
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie is presented in an absolutely breathtaking anamorphic 1.85:1 transfer. Animation like this is all about bright, shiny colors, and the vibrant colors of Bikini Bottom and its inhabitants have never looked better than they do in this transfer. The wide range of colors are all incredibly bright, but never bloom or bleed, and saturation is spot-on throughout. Even the various shades of blue in the underwater environment are well differentiated. The animated scenes are sharply detailed and black levels are deep and rich. Even the scenes that mix live action with animation are beautifully handled here. Shadows and lighting are well delineated while the lack of any noticeable digital artifacts makes this transfer even more impression. Overall this is a top-notch visual presentation for which I could find nary a fault.

Sound:
The audio on this disc is presented in both Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby 2.0 Surround formats, which are nearly as impressive as the visual presentation. While both tracks do a fine job, the obvious choice here is the Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Dialogue is always crisp, clear, and distinct, while spatial separation across the front soundstage is excellent. The surround channels do a nice job of providing an undersea ambience that places you right in the midst of Bikini Bottom. Throughout the film, there are directional effects with bubbling sounds coming from the surround speakers. The presence of these subtle effects make you feel as though you're a part of the undersea world of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. The soundtrack also plays a large role in the film and it is presented nicely on this track, melding seamlessly with the rest of the audio, and never becoming overwhelming. While there are a few moments throughout the film where the LFE channel does kick in quite nicely, my only complaint with this audio presentation is that this low-end frequency could have been a bit more forceful and used even more frequently. Otherwise, this is an excellent track that provides a very enveloping aural experience.

Extras:
Paramount wisely chose not to only include extra features that appeal to the kiddies on this DVD release. Instead, they've provided a nice assortment of bonus material that serves as a fine companion to the film itself.

The main extra feature on this disc is an 18-minute featurette called "The Absorbing Tale Behind The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie." Featuring interviews with most of the principal cast and crew, this feature is more an introduction the world of SpongeBob than a real behind-the-scenes look at the film. For those unfamiliar with the show, it serves as a great way to learn about Bikini Bottom and all that happens there. While there is some talk of what was different about the feature film from the show, it would have been nice to have a bit more depth in this featurette. People who have seen the show (and especially those who watch it religiously) won't find a lot of new information here. It is, however, still an interesting look at the people behind the scenes.

Next up is a 15-minute featurette called "Case of the Sponge 'Bob'" that is really more of a short film than your usual promotional featurette. Hosted by Jean-Michel Cousteau, this little film takes a look at all the real-life counterparts to the undersea creatures that inhabit Bikini Bottom. There is some gorgeous underwater photography, and the amount of actual information in this feature is surprising. Anyone with an interest in sea creatures will love this feature. It's not only a fun little film, but also much more educational than I had expected.

Also included on this disc are 20 minutes worth of Animatics, which showcase entire scenes from the film complete with dialogue from the original artists. It's an interesting feature that shows just how strongly the filmmakers relied on their storyboards when making The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. We also have a short informational feature called "Saving the Surf" that really serves as a promotional piece for the Surf Rider Foundation - an organization dedicated to saving our nation's oceans and beaches. They simply preach the importance of protecting our beaches and provide information on how to become a member.

Finally, we have the teaser trailer for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, as well as trailers for Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events and SpongeBob SquarePants: The Complete Second Season on DVD. Also included on the DVD-Rom portion of the disc is a THQ Game Demo for The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie game.

Final Thoughts:
If you're a parent, this one's a no-brainer. Chances are you took your children to see The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie several times in the theater and swiped this disc up as fast as it hit the store shelves. Despite some missteps, by Creator Stephen Hillenburg, in translating his enormously successful cartoon to the big screen, he still manages to craft an entertaining, clever little film about everyone's favorite square, yellow sponge. You can't go wrong with a disc that provides a nearly perfect audio-visual presentation, and also manages to pack in a nice assortment of extra material. The extra features, while appealing to the younger audiences, are insightful enough to cater to the older crowd as well. While it may not live up to the greatness of its small screen counterpart, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie still comes as highly recommended for anyone in the mood for a little fun.