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Would the early viewers who laughed through the first SpongeBob adventures have predicted the franchise persisting for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such longevity is in part due to its broad charm, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it may not feature anything as surprising as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Groove

Kicking off with a holiday short featuring Paramount's alternative weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon finds a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline serves as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it finally qualifies him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew plotting.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life 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 mix of digital animation and hand-crafted elements, consistently showcasing pleasing, properly animated visuals.

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

Notable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out somehow squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a cheekily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early students will likely be chuckling anew.

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