Directors: Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt.
Writer: Gideon Defoe.
Stars: Hugh Grant, Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven.
Review :
Behind only PIXAR, Aardman is the only animation company that I fully trust to bring the best animated entertainment to the big-screen. Being a genuine lover of all of their work, I was thrilled to hear of their adaptation of THE PIRATES. I went in with, as always high expectations, and, as always, I was not disappointed.
THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS centers around a pirate crew captained by none other than the Pirate Captain (voiced by HUGH GRANT), along with his second-in-command The Pirate with a Scarf (voiced by MARTIN FREEMAN). Together, they attempt enter the PIRATE OF THE YEAR AWARDS, in the competition to become THE PIRATE OF THE YEAR.
An absolutely delightful release from the highly talented Aardman Company, THE PIRATES! exceeds in every aspect imaginable. Each character is lovingly crafted with depth, vividness, heart and sheer fun, while it's pure British cast is unique and overly qualified in every way. While I personally loved HUGH GRANT'S character, I found myself to be most invested in MARTIN FREEMAN'S character. Somewhat the voice of reason in the film, The Pirate with a Scarf is the utter heart and intelligence of the band, and definitely one of the most lovable, as is MARTIN himself. All in all this makes them an enjoyable band of misfits to be with throughout it's 88 minute run-time.
Despite being visibly aimed for children and families, THE PIRATES! features hefty amounts of adult friendly humor. Of these are much of the satire, innuendos, and visual gags that had me in stitches with laughter, more than most of the classy and also funny slapstick featured throughout, a more than welcome addition for young audiences. Look out for the Elephant Man in particular.
Aardman doesn't fail to impress when it comes to visuals. Deftly blending their unique stop-motion characters, props and settings with a CGI world make for beautiful eye-candy. Director Peter Lord maintains a consistent feel of gentle comedy with the action sequences storming, as the style of animation is kept throughout the film. From the high seas to groggy London town, THE PIRATES! succeeds with it's imaginative visual style, contributing to an equally entertaining 3D experience.
Lastly, behind all the comedy and hilarity that unfolds throughout the film, THE PIRATES! is ultimately a story of heart and friendship. It's featured in practically all children's films, and can become a bit of an eye-roller after a while, but with this film, this isn't the case. The band of misfits are a terrific showcase of friendship, more so between the Pirate Captain and The Pirate with a Scarf. A relationship reminiscent of that of GUY RITCHIE'S SHERLOCK HOLMES AND JOHN WATSON.
With a pure British cast, stunning visual eye-candy and sight gags, a surprisingly immersive 3D experience, comedy just as golden in every sense, a story and characters with a massive beating heart, THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS is a delightful treat by the magicians of Aardman, and definitely one of the best of the year so far.
Credits by Jesse Ung.
Source image : http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430626/
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