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Could those early viewers who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series enduring for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most surreal of narrative twists? This staying power is partly attributed to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. Although it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while dispensing payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its script serves as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons 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 finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, trippy gag: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest modern American animation, the real rollercoaster is the corkscrew plotting.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the movie's visual style remains a charming bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly animated visuals.

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

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and emerging inexplicably more rectangular than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the younger audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the series – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will probably be snickering anew.

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