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Could those early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series enduring for a quarter-century, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is partly due to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Vibe

Starting with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon settles into a recognizably silly rhythm. Its script acts as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that excites him as it at last qualifies him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting pleasing, authentically cartoonish effects.

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

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the series – and perhaps the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will likely be snickering anew.

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