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Could those original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series enduring for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? This longevity is in part attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as the memorable 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 royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Groove

Kicking off with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its script serves as a family-friendly treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the corkscrew plotting.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing satisfying, properly animated effects.

If its spitballing silliness will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow more rectangular than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the younger audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those original students will likely be chuckling all over again.

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.