🔗 Share this article

Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob escapades have predicted the franchise enduring for a 25 years, following experiencing the most lysergic of narrative twists? Such staying power is in part attributed to its wide-ranging charm, tickling the funny bones of grown-ups – perhaps even those former students – alongside the youngest viewers. While it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as the legendary David Hasselhoff cameo in the 2004 film, this latest movie has no qualms about making Clancy Brown speak as a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

A Familiar Goofy Vibe

Kicking off with a festive short featuring Paramount's other long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly finds a comfortably silly groove. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated exploration on the advantages and disadvantages of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again voiced by Tom Kenny) now measures 36 clams high, a fact that thrills him as it finally allows him to experience his dream rollercoaster. (An early, psychedelic gag: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest modern American cartoons, the true thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Quest for Pirate Credentials

SpongeBob's quest to obtain the fabled pirate license that will declare him a “big guy” leads him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, brought to life by the currently ubiquitous Mark Hamill. Although the Dutchman's ship introduces a larger scale, the film's aesthetic remains a charming mix of digital animation and hand-crafted components, consistently showcasing pleasing, properly cartoonish effects.

If its freewheeling silliness will resonate after the credits is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie.

Notable moments include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and coming out inexplicably squarer than before; a brief appearance from a pair of chattering novelty false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to resonate with the younger crowd: our hero being forced into endless dishwashing.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, encompassing a robust Davy Jones gag and a saltily suggestive catchphrase for SpongeBob's pal Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is certain: those early fans will probably be chuckling anew.

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