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Could those original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series enduring for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is in part due to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as surprising as a certain memorable 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 music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Groove

Starting with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally qualifies him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted components, forever showcasing satisfying, authentically animated visuals.

Whether its spitballing silliness will linger after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Notable scenes feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment sure to resonate with the younger crowd: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the series – and perhaps the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early fans will likely be snickering anew.

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