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Would the early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is in part due to its broad appeal, amusing the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Groove

Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's other long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon finds a comfortably silly groove. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally qualifies him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the best contemporary American animation, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digimation and hand-turned components, forever highlighting pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.

Whether its freewheeling silliness will resonate after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable entry to the series – and perhaps the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those early students will probably be chuckling all over again.

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