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Could those early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the series persisting for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such longevity is in part due to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while dispensing payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Starting with a holiday short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon settles into a recognizably silly rhythm. Its storyline serves as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that excites him as it at last qualifies him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American animation, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's mission to secure the fabled pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-crafted components, consistently showcasing satisfying, properly cartoonish effects.

Whether its freewheeling humor will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, 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 novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to resonate with the younger audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those early students will probably be chuckling anew.

Release Dates: 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.