History YMMV / TheSpongeBobSquarePantsMovie

** [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, of course. One notable example would be when [=SpongeBob=] imagines Patrick having [[LegFocus long, woman legs with fishnets]] during his singing of "Goofy Goober Rock." [=SpongeBob=] even [[DistractedByTheSexy gets all wide eyed and excited when Patrick does the splits with said legs.]]

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: Mind-controlled slaves, disturbing imagery, a few deaths, and a violent hitman. [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick also get [[GRatedDrug drunk off of ice cream]] and wake up with hangovers...er, "[[DrunkOnMilk ice cream headaches]]".

* HarsherInHindsight:
** Plankton mockingly calling Mr. Krabs "old buddy" as he steals the Krabby Patty formula becomes [[KickTheDog even more cruel]] after the later episode "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS5E1FriendOrFoe Friend Or Foe]]" revealed that Krabs and Plankton [[WeUsedToBeFriends were once best friends]].
** With the knowledge that the movie is canonically[[note]]Well, as canon as a show [[NegativeContinuity like this]] can get[[/note]] the last adventure in the timeline, any time Plankton [[PetTheDog pets the dog]] or shows that [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold he has a decent heart underneath]], including [[WesternAnimation/TheSpongebobMovieSpongeOutOfWater the sequel/prequel]], becomes a lot less heartwarming, as no matter what, Plankton will go completely off the deep end and become an outright deranged and hateful monster willing to get his former best friend executed and enslave Bikini Bottom in a {{Dystopia}}.

* AwardSnub: Just like ''WesternAnimation/ThePolarExpress'', The [=SpongeBob=] [=SquarePants=] Movie failed to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, despite the far inferior ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'' managing to do so.

* AwardSnub: Just like ''WesternAnimation/{{The Polar Express}}'', The Spongebob Squarepants Movie failed to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, despite the far inferior ''WesternAnimation/{{Shark Tale}}'' managing to do so.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct:
** [=SpongeBob=] is known for being goofy and immature, but in this movie, Creator/TomKenny does an ''outstanding'' job at [[TearJerker making the audience cry]]. Especially during the gift shop scene.

* ValuesDissonance: When Mr. Krabs tries to explain why [=SpongeBob=] was passed up for the managerial position, several members of the audience try to finish his statement by suggesting various insults; the last of these is "Knucklehead [=McSpazitron=]." Likewise, [=SpongeBob=] repeats the phrase as SelfDeprecation during his speech in the film's climax. While the word "spaz" is seen as a generic insult in the film's native US, to the point where it can be juxtaposed with "dork," "goofball," "ding-a-ling," and "wingnut" without issue, in the UK, it's a hugely offensive ableist slur.

* AccidentalAesop: [=SpongeBob=] not only saves the day without abandoning his child-like behavior but embraces it by the end and can be an efficient manager of the Krusty Krab 2 regardless. A potential reading of this could be "Growing up doesn't mean having to abandon things you enjoy that may come across as immature; as long as you can do what needs to be done, it's OK to enjoy things that make you happy even if you're supposed to have outgrown them."

* MemeticMutation:
** [[http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/g33PYjkPy0s/maxresdefault.jpg Surprised Patrick]][[labelnote:Explanation]]Patrick's bug-eyed reaction to seeing the Frogfish and Patty Wagon get eaten by a giant trench eel. The image became both a popular reaction image to express disbelief and a popular source of parodies and edits thanks to its over-the-top look.[[/labelnote]]
** To a lesser extent, [[https://newfastuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/aFvSKuY.png Mr. Krabs choking Patrick while Spongebob worriedly looks on]] has become a recurring meme, with the former two representing two fighting factions and Spongebob being an outside bystander disturbed by the conflict.
** The scene of [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick trying not to sing the Goofy Goober song in the Tug Thug has become a meme, usually to represent groups of people being unable to correct {{Fandom Enraging Misconception}}s.
** I FUCKING LOVE [X] I WANT TO FUCKING [Y][[labelnote:Explanation]]A screencap of [=SpongeBob=] excitedly shouting at Squidward after mistakenly thinking that he was made the owner of the Krusty Krab 2, which became a popular exploitable in TheNewTwenties after having this caption attached to it, where X is something that the poster enjoys and Y is an elaboration on why they enjoy it.[[/labelnote]]

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Did the Siamese twins cave during the "baby hunt," or did they see [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick about to sing the Goofy Goober theme song and take the fall for them (in the PC version of the video game, they do help the duo out)?

* GodNeverSaidThat: It's assumed by many that the movie was meant to be the chronological finale for the series, with every episode after Season 4 actually happening ''before'' the film in the timeline. However, as actual WordOfGod states (by the current showrunner Vincent Waller and other crew members), the show runs on NegativeContinuity and thus, anything can happen that revokes this possibility. Mindy's appearance in Season 12 and Dennis' in Season 13 acts as confirmation.

* GodNeverSaidThat: It's assumed by many that the movie was meant to be the chronological finale for the series, with every episode after Season 4 actually happening ''before'' the film in the timeline. However, as actual WordOfGod states (by the current showrunner Vincent Waller and other crew members), the show runs on NegativeContinuity and thus, anything can happen that revokes this possibility. Mindy's appearance in Season 12 and Dennis' in Season 13 acts as confirmation.

* ValuesDissonance: When Mr. Krabs tries to explain why [=SpongeBob=] was passed up for the managerial position, several members of the audience try to finish his statement by suggesting various insults; the last of these is "Knucklehead [=McSpazatron=]." Likewise, [=SpongeBob=] repeats the phrase as SelfDeprecation during his speech in the film's climax. While the word "spaz" is seen as a generic insult in the film's native US, to the point where it can be juxtaposed with "dork," "goofball," "ding-a-ling," and "wingnut" without issue, in the UK, it's a hugely offensive ableist slur.

* ValuesDissonance: When Mr. Krabs tries to explain why [=SpongeBob=] was passed up for the managerial position, several members of the audience try to finish his statement by suggesting various insults; the last of these is "Knucklehead [=McSpazatron=]." While the word "spaz" is seen as a generic insult in the film's native US, to the point where it can be juxtaposed with "dork," "goofball," "ding-a-ling," and "wingnut" without issue, in the UK, it's a hugely offensive ableist slur.

* ValuesDissonance: At one point in the movie, the word "spaz" was uttered. In the UK, it would be seen as an offensive word for disabled, but in the US, it could being someone who is clumsy.

* MoralEventHorizon: Plankton crosses this when he decides to set Plan Z in motion, which includes stealing Neptune's crown, framing Mr. Krabs for it (knowing very well that he'll be ''executed'') and brainwashing/enslaving Bikini Bottom. For all of Plankton's previous stunts at villainy, none had him go as far as to try to have his rival killed.

** [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick, of course. One notable example would be when [=SpongeBob=] imagines Patrick having [[ShesGotLegs long, woman legs with fishnets]] during his singing of "Goofy Goober Rock." [=SpongeBob=] even [[DistractedByTheSexy gets all wide eyed and excited when Patrick does the splits with said legs.]]

* EnsembleDarkHorse: Princess Mindy is beloved by a good chunk of the fanbase for being an [[NiceGirl incredibly kind]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething proactive royal]], who also happens to be "[[{{Moe}} purty]]", as Patrick puts it. And being voiced by none other than ''Creator/ScarlettJohansson'' most certainly helps. Some wished for her to make an appearance in the show itself, but she couldn’t due to a firewall between Nickelodeon and Paramount, preventing characters and locations in the movie from being used (which is why Perch Perkins was orange instead of purple in the show). Fortunately, the firewall was broken in 2015, which resulted in stuff from the movie appearing and the fans’ yearning to see Mindy was eventually obliged when she made a [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/spongebob/images/6/6a/SpongeBob%27s_Big_Birthday_Blowout_378.png voiceless cameo]] in the show's [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] special, "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS12E13SpongeBobsBigBirthdayBlowout SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout]]".

* AccidentalAesop: [=SpongeBob=] not only saves the day without abandoning his child-like behavior, but embraces it by the end, and is able to be an efficient manager of the Krusty Krab 2 regardless. A potential reading of this could be "Growing up doesn't mean having to abandon things you enjoy that may come across as immature; as long as you can do what needs to be done, it's OK to enjoy things that make you happy even if you're supposed to have outgrown them."

** Hearing the part of "Now That We're Men" where [[https://youtu.be/sBLXpubJTTI?t=65 SpongeBob and Patrick are hamboning]] after being picked up by a monster without the visuals can... [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything give a very different picture of what's really happening]].
** Near the end of the movie when Mindy says "Daddy no!" and Plankton responds with "Daddy yes!" sounds like something [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything completely different]] when taken out of context.

* AlternativeJokeInterpretation: During the unveiling of the Krusty Krab 2, Mrs. Puff scoffs at how they paid nine dollars to attend the ceremony, only for Sandy to reveal she had to pay ten. While obviously a joke based on Mr. Krabs' greed, the meaning behind it has been interpreted in different ways. Some fans believe the gag is based on Mr. Krabs charging Sandy more due to his previously-shown [[FantasticRacism disdain for land mammals]], while others believe that he charged Mrs. Puff less because he still harboured feelings for her as shown in "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS2E16GraveyardShiftKrustyLove Krusty Love]]".

** [=SpongeBob=] frees the other characters from Plankton's mind control helmets by [[spoiler:singing a song about accepting his own childishness. No foreshadowing or explanation is in place, save for a throwaway line by Plankton about how the helmets "can't handle this level of rock 'n' roll"]]. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome Not that this makes it any less badass.]]

* SugarWiki/AwesomeArt: While the show was already known for its DerangedAnimation and use of mixed media, the movie really uses the advantage of a bigger budget to make the animation much more fluid and have [[RogerRabbitEffect live-action blend]] far better than the TV show ever did. The end result is easily the best-looking Nickelodeon TV show-based movie ever!

* DelusionConclusion: One theory is that everything that happens after [=SpongeBob=] and Patrick notice the Shell City sign as they dry out under the lamp is a DyingDream the two have.
* EnsembleDarkHorse: Princess Mindy is beloved by a good chunk of the fanbase, for being an [[NiceGirl incredibly kind]] and [[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething proactive royal]], who also happens to be "[[{{Moe}} purty]]", as Patrick puts it. And being voiced by none other than ''Creator/ScarlettJohansson'' most certainly helps. Some wished for her to make an appearance in the show itself, but she couldn’t due to a firewall between Nickelodeon and Paramount, preventing characters and locations in the movie from being used (which is why Perch Perkins was orange instead of purple in the show). Fortunately, the firewall was broken in 2015, which resulted in stuff from the movie appearing and the fans’ yearning to see Mindy was eventually obliged when she made a [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/spongebob/images/6/6a/SpongeBob%27s_Big_Birthday_Blowout_378.png voiceless cameo]] in the show's [[MilestoneCelebration 20th anniversary]] special, "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS12E13SpongeBobsBigBirthdayBlowout SpongeBob's Big Birthday Blowout]]".

** David Hasselhoff is quite fondly remembered.

* SignatureSong: Although the movie has its own soundtrack worth of songs, most people only remember "Goofy Goober Rock" and/or "Now That We're Men". "Best Day Ever" is also popular, especially since it was reused for the series itself.
** With the amount of memes its spawned, [[Music/{{Ween}} "Ocean Man"]] from the credits also counts as this.