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Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the series enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is partly attributed to its broad appeal, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about having Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon finds a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its script serves as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. 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 fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest modern American animation, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Adventure for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.

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

Memorable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and emerging somehow squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable entry to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those original students will probably be snickering 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.