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Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise enduring for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? This longevity is in part attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Groove

Starting with a holiday short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly finds a recognizably goofy groove. Its script acts as a PG-rated treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that excites him as it finally qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the corkscrew narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a larger scale, the film's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting pleasing, properly cartoonish effects.

Whether its spitballing humor will linger after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable entry to the series – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those early students will probably be snickering anew.

Coming to Theaters: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants arrives on 19 December in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.