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Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such longevity is in part attributed to its broad charm, amusing the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about having Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a comfortably goofy groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a grander scope, the film's visual style remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-crafted elements, forever highlighting satisfying, authentically animated effects.

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

Memorable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the series – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's certain: those original fans will probably be snickering all over again.

Release Dates: 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.