Review of The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012) by Tyler M — 28 Aug 2012

In a very interesting movie to come from the Aardman canon, the silly Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) and his misfit crew may have been on the briny blue for many years, but there are also some of the most unsuccesful swashbucklers in history. That's all about to change when the Captain develops a plan to win the Pirate of the Year award against two surly scalliwags, Black Bellamy (Jeremy Pivens) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek). The winner needs to get a massive amount of booty, but when he harbors an exotic and rare dodo bird that interests scientist Charles Darwin (Dr. Who himself, David Tennant) to go to Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton) in London, who hates pirates.

Aardman is a really interesting animation company, their first film Chicken Run is a fantastic feature film with bold animation, witty humor and great performances (especially along the way of Miranda Richardson as Mrs. Tweedy). Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit I never saw, but it is an interesting-looking movie. Flushed Away is an additionally fun movie. And now, Aardman has made a Pirate movie that doesn't actually star Johnny Depp!

The Pirates has silly and corny moments aplenty in this movie, and usually I don't like corny movies, but this one was bordering on "so stupid, I loved it." It really is. Those who love Pirates, or love Aardman will find lots of joy in this movie.

Hugh Grant does an excellent job voicing the main character. The man described as "having a boyish haircut on an old face" is a Golden Globe Award winning British actor who was in Bridget Jones' Diary, Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Notting Hill. This being his first animated escapade is of course fun and heroic. Hopefully, we'll see more of Grant in the animated future. The other actors, including David Tennant, Brendan Gleeson, Martin Freeman, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven and Brian Blessed are all good, and of course a wonderfully evil Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria.

The animation is great and I daresay next to Brave is the best animation in an animated film of 2012. The sillyness and aloof tomfoolery is abundant here as the animators took great care in the production design/character design. Aardman has got the goods and I hope they release more films like this in the future.

With great animation, good voice acting, not the best plot, and inspired set pieces, The Pirates may not be for everyone, it will be a "Plunderful time" for those who look past its overall cheesiness.

**1/2 out of ****.

FINAL VERDICT: 76%.