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Could those early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This longevity is partly due to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the funny bones of adults – perhaps even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having 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.

A Familiar Goofy Groove

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly settles into a comfortably silly groove. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it at last qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the corkscrew narrative.

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 spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digimation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish effects.

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

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out somehow more rectangular than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the younger audience: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the series – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early fans will likely be chuckling anew.

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