🔗 Share this article

Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series persisting for a quarter-century, even after experiencing the most surreal of plotlines? This staying power is in part attributed to its broad appeal, tickling the sense of humor of adults – perhaps even those former students – alongside the very young viewers. While it may not feature anything as unexpected as a certain legendary David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie thinks nothing of making a veteran voice actor talk like a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. It seems anything can still in the whimsical world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Groove

Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's other long-running babysitters, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the latest SpongeBob movie soon finds a comfortably silly rhythm. Its script acts as a PG-rated treatise on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a detail that thrills him as it at last allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An initial, trippy gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the best contemporary American cartoons, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's mission to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the suddenly ever-present Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the film's aesthetic remains a charming bricolage of digital animation and hand-crafted components, consistently showcasing pleasing, authentically cartoonish visuals.

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

Notable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment sure to delight the six-year-old crowd: our hero being forced into never-ending dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable addition to the franchise – and perhaps the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a hearty Davy Jones joke and a cheekily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will probably be snickering anew.

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