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Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is in part attributed to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo 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. This proves everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Vibe

Starting with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American animation, the real rollercoaster is the twisting plotting.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-crafted elements, forever showcasing pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.

Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

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

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the franchise – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early students will probably be snickering all over again.

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