OOZE IN THE OCEAN

Trails of glowing green slime lead private detectives SpongeBob and Patrick into danger in this goo-noir spinoff.

Thrilled to don trench coats and fedoras for a second case, SpongeBob and sidekick Patrick Star slide into an investigation that takes them from the tough customers of the Salty Spittoon to a face-off with a squad of slimy villains including Man Ray, Jumbo Shrimp, the Atomic Flounder, and giant mutant Sinister Slug—capped by a wild car chase that brings retired crime fighters Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy out of the Shady Shoals Rest Home to help. Other main cast regulars like the Flying Dutchman put in cameos, and the level of humor will likewise be familiar to fans of the TV series: “ ‘Luckily, no customers got hurt,’ SpongeBob observed, ‘since there are never any customers here.’ He laughed at his own joke. ‘DI YI YI YI YI YI!’ ” But as the bad guys turn out to be just trying to steal a car for a joyride and meekly turn themselves in at the end, Lewman doesn’t squeeze out much in the way of either stakes or suspense to engage nonfans of the “man of aquatic action.” The art is limited to murky monochrome vignettes at the chapter heads, with a partial view of the spongy, heavy-lidded gumshoe, feet on desk, used several times.

An underboiled grab for fan dollars.