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Would the early viewers who laughed through the first SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise persisting for a 25 years, even after absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is in part due to its broad charm, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while dispensing payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Vibe

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its script acts as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest modern American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the corkscrew narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a delightful mix of digimation and hand-turned components, consistently showcasing satisfying, properly cartoonish effects.

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

Notable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the younger audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a robust Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those original fans will likely be chuckling anew.

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.