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Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series persisting for a 25 years, even after absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is partly due to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as the legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while dispensing payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything remains possible in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Groove

Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a comfortably silly rhythm. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it at last allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the real rollercoaster is the corkscrew plotting.

The Quest for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-crafted components, forever highlighting pleasing, authentically cartoonish visuals.

Whether its freewheeling silliness will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Memorable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the franchise – and arguably the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will probably be chuckling anew.

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.