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Would the original fans who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? This staying power is partly attributed to its broad charm, amusing the sense of humor of grown-ups – possibly even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Groove

Starting with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon settles into a comfortably silly groove. Its script serves as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a fact that thrills him as it finally qualifies him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, as in the best modern American cartoons, the real rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.

The Quest for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever highlighting satisfying, authentically animated visuals.

If its spitballing humor will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Notable moments feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early students will likely be snickering anew.

Release Dates: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants debuts on 19 December in the US, December 20th in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.