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Would the early viewers who laughed through the initial SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the franchise persisting for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? This longevity is in part attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the sense of humor of grown-ups – perhaps even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything quite as unexpected as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this fourth feature has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Zany Vibe

Starting with a festive short featuring Paramount's alternative weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob movie soon settles into a recognizably goofy rhythm. Its script serves as a family-friendly exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of maturity. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, trippy laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the best modern American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the movie's visual style remains a delightful mix of digital animation and hand-turned elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly animated effects.

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

Memorable moments feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a penalty sure to resonate with the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid addition to the franchise – and perhaps the most humorous pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those original fans will likely be chuckling anew.

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