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Could those early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is in part due to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about having Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Groove

Starting with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it finally qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American animation, the real rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.

The Adventure for Swashbuckling Credentials

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned components, consistently highlighting pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.

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

Memorable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out somehow squarer than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to resonate with the six-year-old crowd: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a reliable addition to the franchise – and arguably the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, including 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 original fans will likely be chuckling all over again.

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