Movie Review: The Pirates - Band of Misfits

From the very first time I saw the trailer for The Pirates - Band of Misfits, I was excited. A huge Wallace and Gromit fan, (but not so much a Chicken Run fan) I was optimistic that this would not be another one of those movies, you know the ones, where the trailer is great but the movie itself is, just 'meh'.
I would love to say that this movie was good. But alas, I cannot.
This movie was not good.
The movie was awesome!

I was initially concerned that my children (7 and 11) would have perhaps been too old for this movie, as the cinema was buzzing with very small children, given the G rating. But I guess that is the beauty of this, and other one of Aardman creations, they have genuine appeal for all ages.

Sure, the smaller children got a kick out of the quirky clay animation, but the layered humour ensured all audience members laughed, albeit, at different times. The inclusion of the Charles Darwin, and Queen Victoria characters was a masterful addition, and provided platforms for some rather amusing witticism. With characters like Captain Pirate, Pirate with Scarf (aka Number Two), The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate, The Pirate with Gout, and The Albino Pirate, it was always going to be a funny, clever movie.

From the opening scenes, I marvelled at the resemblance between the 'Number Two' character, and Tim from The Office. So it came as no surprise to discover that it was Martin Freeman who provided the voice for this character. Being a fan of the UK Office, this was a big plus for me. Salma Heyak and Jeremy Piven are pushed, in promotional material, as being important characters, but these characters were minimal and could have easily been voiced by unknown actors, with the results still being the same.

My only real criticism of this film was the inclusion of a handful of 'swears'. While a realist, I would not be thrilled if my pre-schooler parroted the term 'arse' or 'trollop'.

But for me, this film was a riot. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of 'thinking' humour, and for parents who are nauseated by the prospect of enduring yet another Ice Age, or Madagascar movie.

Must be a good movie, I am quite frugal, but I would pay money again to see it :)
4 out of 5


http://www.thepiratesmovie.com.au/

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