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Could those early viewers who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the series enduring for a 25 years, following absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is partly due to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Vibe

Kicking off with a festive short featuring Paramount's other weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly settles into a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline serves as a PG-rated 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 thrills him as it at last allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the corkscrew plotting.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned elements, forever highlighting pleasing, authentically cartoonish effects.

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

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment 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 franchise – and perhaps the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, encompassing a hearty 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 students will probably be chuckling all over again.

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