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Could those original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise persisting for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? This staying power is in part due to its wide-ranging appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – possibly even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. Although it may not feature anything as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Groove

Kicking off with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a comfortably silly rhythm. Its script acts as a family-friendly treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a detail that thrills him as it finally qualifies him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest contemporary American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the corkscrew plotting.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's quest 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 currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the movie's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digimation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing pleasing, properly cartoonish visuals.

If its spitballing humor will resonate after the credits is up for discussion, but it's a strong SpongeBob movie.

Notable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out somehow more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie recently, including a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those original students will likely be chuckling all over again.

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