I was in the fifth grade when SpongeBob SquarePants premiered back in May 1999, and over the years, I’ve spent countless hours with that absorbent, yellow and porous character at the heart of one of the most iconic Nickelodeon TV shows. One thing I’ve always loved about the show and the various fun movies is the use of live-action actors. Well, that is, until I recently watched Plankton: The Movie with my Netflix subscription.
Don’t get me wrong – watching Plankton’s backstory and complicated relationship with Karen, his sentient computer wife, play out was hilarious and thoughtful and entertaining as can be. However, whenever the villain-turned-hero would leave Bikini Bottom and head above the surface, I was a little freaked out by the humans. And I hope I’m not the only one…
Live-Action Scenes Have Worked Really Well For The SpongeBob Show And Movies Over The Years
Live-action scenes have been a part of the best SpongeBob SquarePants episodes and movies going back to the very beginning, and I’ve loved most, if not all, of them along the way. From the use of real-life sea creatures to David Hasselfhoff having some unforgettable moments in the 2004 movie to Wanda Sykes playing a villain in Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, these outrageously funny scenes have worked for the most part.
They’ve added a chaotic energy to the franchise, made the show and movies stand out against the competition, and created some one-of-a-kind moments that offer a little bit of something for everyone.
But The Various Scenes With Real Actors In Plankton: The Movie Gave Me Some Uncanny Valley Vibes
But, that’s far from the case in Plankton: The Movie. There are a couple of live-action scenes sprinkled throughout the 2025 Netflix movie’s runtime, and they’re honestly incredibly off-putting. I have to admit, these moments gave me some serious uncanny valley vibes. Like, I know these are real people, but there was something about the way they were filmed, the way they moved, that just didn’t seem right.
Sure, I shouldn’t have gone in expecting to see random actors perform on the same level as “The Hoff,” but the scenes just felt so unnatural and not right that they freaked me out and made me turn my head away from the screen. My kids didn’t seem to notice at all, and even liked the whole shot of the guy dropping an ice cream cone on his belly near the end.
Maybe It Was A Combination Of The Actors' Movement Or Dubbed Voices, But I Was So Uneasy Watching These Scenes
Maybe it was the weird frame-rate and motions, maybe it was dubbed-over voices and sound effects (the little girl with a deep growl for a voice terrified me), maybe it’s just the shock of being thrown from animation to live-action that was simply jarring to me this time. Maybe it’s just me. I don’t know, but I hope I’m not the only person who feels this way about it.
These scenes reminded me of the live-action cutscenes from games like Quantum Break and Alan Wake 2. Both of those games made the bold choice of mixing computer graphics and live actors with varying degrees of success. However, this film, for some reason, doesn’t have the same effect.
Don’t get me wrong, Plankton: The Movie was a blast to watch, and I’m glad I saw it with my kids. So, no, the live-action heebie-jeebies weren’t enough to ruin a good time.
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