🔗 Share this article

Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have envisioned the series enduring for a quarter-century, even after absorbing the most lysergic of plotlines? Such staying power is partly attributed to its broad charm, tickling the funny bones of adults – possibly even those now grown students – as well as the youngest viewers. While it may not feature anything as surprising as the memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature thinks nothing of having a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while dispensing royalty cheques to music icons like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Zany Groove

Starting with a holiday short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie quickly finds a comfortably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated exploration on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that thrills him as it finally allows him to experience his fantasy coaster. (An initial, psychedelic laugh: our enthusiastic hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, as in the finest contemporary American cartoons, the true rollercoaster is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to obtain the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will prove him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ghost ship introduces a grander scope, the movie's aesthetic remains a delightful bricolage of digimation and hand-crafted elements, consistently showcasing pleasing, authentically animated visuals.

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

Memorable scenes feature SpongeBob squeezing himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably squarer than ever; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being subjected to never-ending dishwashing.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants stands as a solid entry to the series – and perhaps the funniest Pirates of the Caribbean movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will probably be snickering all over again.

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.