🔗 Share this article

Would the original fans who chuckled through the initial SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise enduring for a 25 years, following absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such longevity is in part due to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those former students – as well as the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as surprising as the legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative weathered babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob film quickly settles into a comfortably silly rhythm. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of maturity. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands a specific height, a fact that thrills him as it at last qualifies him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, as in the best modern American animation, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Adventure for Swashbuckling Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the legendary pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the film's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly cartoonish effects.

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

Notable scenes feature SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out somehow squarer than before; a cameo from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a penalty guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a reliable addition to the series – and arguably the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie recently, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive saying for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early fans will likely be chuckling all over again.

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