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Could those early viewers who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the series persisting for a 25 years, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is partly attributed to its broad appeal, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. While it can't claim anything quite as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about making a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Vibe

Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film quickly finds a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version 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, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American animation, the real thrill ride is the corkscrew narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's visual style remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-crafted components, consistently showcasing satisfying, properly animated effects.

If its spitballing silliness will linger when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and emerging somehow squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early students will probably be snickering all over again.

Coming to Theaters: 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.