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Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series enduring for a 25 years, following absorbing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This staying power is partly due to its broad appeal, amusing the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves everything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Groove

Kicking off with a festive short starring Paramount's other long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film soon finds a comfortably silly rhythm. Its script acts as a family-friendly exploration on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that excites him as it at last allows him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the best modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to secure the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the spectral Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, forever showcasing pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.

Whether its spitballing silliness will resonate after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and emerging inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the younger crowd: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid entry to the series – and arguably the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” It's clear: those original students will probably be chuckling anew.

Release Dates: 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.