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Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series persisting for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such longevity is in part attributed to its wide-ranging charm, amusing the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about having Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Groove

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film soon settles into a comfortably goofy groove. Its script serves as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, psychedelic laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting plotting.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the movie's visual style remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish effects.

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

Memorable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow squarer than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to resonate with the younger audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early students will probably be chuckling all over again.

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