Calling all adventure seekers who are looking for a swashbuckling, easy-breezy family flick to watch. The Pirates! Band of Misfits is for you!
Directed by Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt, this work of art is a new creation from the British Aardmans Animation Company that also took on the time-consuming challenge of making captivating Claymation films such as Wallace and Gromit, and Chicken Run. Claymation is a labor-intensive style of stop motion filming. The animators make every character, prop and set from clay, and then take photographs of each fraction of a movement the character or item needs to make. Talk about a time suck! This style of animation can take up to several years to complete to perfection.
There was not a dull moment in this fast-paced comedy! Whether it is making a double take at the peculiar way the characters look or a quick one-liner that could bring about some belly laughs, this different take on the traditional pirate movie will keep you on your toes.
Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) believes he is swanky enough to finally win the Pirate of the Year Award for being the best pirate on the planet. However, there are a few other pirates who believe they are cut out for this prestigious award,too. Other characters like Cutless Liz (Salma Hayek), a rough and tough sea wench, also wants to fight to the death to claim the precious title of Pirate of the Year. This honor is worth more to these sea-fareing scallywags than any amount of plundered booty or loot.
The film makes you walk the plank to a kooky, quirky and crazy journey on the high seas. The film takes place on the streets of Victorian London, England, Blood Island and countless pirate ships while throwing in clever jokes along the way. Avast yourselves of this warning, some jokes may entirely go over kids’ heads, but are sure to shiver the timbers of the more mature mateys in the audience.
Watching the meticulous clay figures glide fluidly while running or engaging in a sword fight on the screen, will equally please the un-patched eye of parents and children alike. There were audible gasps when viewers were fascinated by the textures of Queen Victoria’s almost-tangible feast or Pirate Captain’s luxurious, corpulent, curly beard. True eye candy!
Also, keep a look out for Mister Bobo, a quiet monkey who manages to be the loudest member on the poop deck!
Bianca Valle
Online Editorial Intern
eCoronado.com
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