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Could those original fans who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is partly due to its broad charm, tickling the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Vibe

Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly settles into a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it finally qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digimation and hand-turned components, consistently highlighting pleasing, properly cartoonish effects.

Whether its freewheeling humor will resonate after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty 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 most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early students will likely be chuckling all over again.

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