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Could those original fans who laughed through the initial SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series persisting for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most surreal of narrative twists? This staying power is in part attributed to its broad charm, amusing the sense of humor of grown-ups – possibly even those former students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Groove

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon finds a recognizably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it finally qualifies him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, like the best modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew plotting.

The Adventure 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 ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, authentically cartoonish effects.

If its freewheeling humor will resonate when the lights come up is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the younger audience: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early fans will likely be snickering all over again.

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