The Pirates! Band of MisfitsDirector: Peter Lord, Jeff Newitt
Cast: Hugh Grant, David Tennant, Imelda Staunton
Rated: PG
Running time: 88 minutes
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Wallace and Gromit, Shawn the Sheep, Chicken Run. Those who know the names know the quality that they represent. Those who don't know should immediately find out - post haste if you have children. This is relevant because the style of stop-motion claymation is unmistakable and is back in the latest pleasant adventure from the Aardman team.
The story is based on Gideon Defoe's book The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists in which a silly bunch of, well, misfit pirates sail the seven seas. Their leader is The Pirate Captain (all crew have equally silly names) and he is determined to win a Pirate of the Year competition. Now how, you ask, could a silly pirate win a competition against obviously superior rivals? Why, only by zany adventure, of course. Such adventure involves the invading of Charles Darwin's boat, a villainous Queen Victoria and a parrot, which is actually a dodo bird.
Another point of interest is the soundtrack that opens with the Pogues' "Fiesta" and even has a Flight of the Concords song. I suppose after "Muppet of a man" won an Oscar, we can expect a lot more of that in our movie-going future.
Those familiar with Aardman will be familiar with the story bumbling-leading-man-makes-mistakes-alienates-friends-but-friends-help-in-nick-of-time-everything-works-out plot. Sure, that's as tired as most parents after a full Saturday afternoon. In the end, the visuals are so friendly it's difficult not to enjoy yourself at this one.
