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Would the early viewers who laughed through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series persisting for a 25 years, following experiencing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is in part due to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. While it can't claim anything as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly finds a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script serves as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a detail that excites him as it at last qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy gag: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest contemporary American animation, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.

The Adventure for Swashbuckling Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing pleasing, properly animated effects.

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

Memorable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the series – and arguably the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, including a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those original fans will likely be chuckling anew.

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