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Would the original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise persisting for a 25 years, following experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? Such staying power is partly attributed to its broad charm, amusing the funny bones of adults – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie thinks nothing of having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Starting with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie quickly finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American animation, the real rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Adventure for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the film's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-turned components, consistently showcasing pleasing, properly animated visuals.

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

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to resonate with the younger crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early students will likely be chuckling all over again.

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