🔗 Share this article The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants Film Critique – An Adventurous Helping of Giggle-Provoking Silliness Would the original fans who chuckled through the first SpongeBob adventures have predicted the series enduring for a 25 years, even after experiencing the most surreal of narrative twists? Such staying power is partly attributed to its wide-ranging appeal, amusing the funny bones of adults – possibly even those former students – as well as the youngest viewers. Although it can't claim anything quite as surprising as a certain memorable David Hasselhoff appearance in the 2004 film, this fourth feature thinks nothing of making Clancy Brown talk like a pirate while handing out payments to stars like Barbra Streisand. This proves anything can still in the zany world of Bikini Bottom. An Established Goofy Groove Kicking off with a holiday short starring Paramount's alternative long-running family favorites, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the new SpongeBob film quickly finds a recognizably silly rhythm. Its storyline acts as a PG-rated treatise on the pros and cons of growing up. This iteration of SpongeBob (again brought to life by Tom Kenny) now stands 36 clams high, a fact that excites him as it finally allows him to ride his fantasy coaster. (An early, trippy gag: our enthusiastic hero's imagined loop-the-loops.) Yet, like the finest modern American animation, the true rollercoaster is the corkscrew plotting. The Quest for Swashbuckling Credentials SpongeBob's quest to secure the fabled swashbuckler certificate that will declare him a “big guy” brings him into conflict with the ghostly Flying Dutchman, voiced by the suddenly ubiquitous Mark Hamill. While the Dutchman's ship adds a grander scope, the movie's visual style remains a delightful bricolage of digital animation and hand-turned components, forever showcasing satisfying, authentically animated visuals. If its freewheeling humor will resonate when the lights come up is debatable, but it's a solid SpongeBob movie. Notable moments include SpongeBob wedging himself into an air conditioner and coming out inexplicably more rectangular 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 forced into endless dishwashing. The Verdict Ultimately, Search for SquarePants is a solid addition to the franchise – and arguably the funniest pirate-themed movie in years, including a hearty Davy Jones joke and a saltily innuendo-laden saying for SpongeBob's pal 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 debuts on December 19th in the US, 20 December in Ireland, and December 26th in Australia and the UK.