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Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series enduring for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? This longevity is partly attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie thinks nothing of making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while dispensing payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Groove

Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon finds a comfortably goofy groove. Its script serves as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials

SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly cartoonish effects.

Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Memorable moments include 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 punishment sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original students will probably be snickering all over again.

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