🔗 Share this article

Would the original fans who laughed through the first SpongeBob adventures have envisioned the franchise enduring for a quarter-century, following absorbing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such longevity is partly attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the funny bones of grown-ups – possibly even those now grown students – alongside the very young viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as unexpected as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 movie, this latest movie has no qualms about having a veteran voice actor speak as a pirate while handing out royalty cheques to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything remains possible in the zany world of Bikini Bottom.

An Established Goofy Vibe

Starting with a festive short starring Paramount's other weathered family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly settles into a comfortably goofy rhythm. Its storyline acts as a family-friendly treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This version of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now measures a specific height, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his dream rollercoaster. (An initial, trippy laugh: our overexcitable hero's fantasized loop-the-loops.) However, like the finest modern American animation, the real thrill ride is the twisting narrative.

The Adventure for Pirate Proof

SpongeBob's quest to secure the legendary pirate license that will prove him a “big guy” leads him into a showdown with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the currently ever-present Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ghost ship adds a larger scale, the film's visual style remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-crafted components, consistently highlighting satisfying, properly animated visuals.

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

Memorable scenes include SpongeBob squeezing himself into an AC unit and emerging inexplicably more rectangular than ever; a cameo from a pair of chattering joke-shop false teeth; and a punishment guaranteed to delight the six-year-old audience: our hero being subjected to endless dishwashing.

The Verdict

In the end, Search for SquarePants is a reliable entry to the franchise – and arguably the most humorous pirate-themed movie recently, including a hearty Davy Jones gag and a saltily innuendo-laden catchphrase for SpongeBob's friend Patrick: “The best guys are big guys.” One thing is clear: those early students will likely be chuckling anew.

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