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Would the original fans who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series enduring for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is partly due to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – as well as the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie thinks nothing of making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out payments to music icons like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Vibe

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's alternative long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film quickly settles into a comfortably goofy groove. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that thrills him as it at last allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest modern American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the corkscrew narrative.

The Adventure for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the legendary swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned elements, forever showcasing satisfying, authentically cartoonish visuals.

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

Notable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than ever; 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.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the franchise – and perhaps the most humorous Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, including a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those original fans will probably be chuckling anew.

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