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Could those original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a 25 years, following absorbing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such staying power is partly attributed to its broad charm, amusing the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything as surprising as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Vibe

Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that excites him as it at last allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the best modern American cartoons, the real rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting pleasing, properly cartoonish effects.

Whether its freewheeling humor will linger when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Notable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop 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 reliable entry to the series – and perhaps the most humorous pirate-themed movie recently, including a robust Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those early students will probably be snickering anew.

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