The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012)

Imagine a place where pirates are heroes, the country is ruled by a tyrant savage Queen where gold and silver is the only thing worth living for. But that is all according to pirates. Reality: Pirates are outlaws, hated by people for their villainous nature and wanted desperately by the Queen of England. Pirating life is a dangerous, hard and sometimes fatal; Except for ham nights. Set in 1837, The story follows the adventures of the ‘The pirate captain’ (as he is known) who leads on a band of misfits and heavily sets his hopes high to win ‘PIRATE OF THE YEAR’ award with his constant pillaging and murdering innocent victims while being despised by his crew mates as the savage private that he really his. Nevertheless , all that is not true; He has a kind heart and he knows he is revered by his crew who adore him to bits - as far as pillaging goes… Well, let’s just say it doesn’t. Whilst trying to prove himself to be a ruthless pirate, while attempting to rob a ship, Pirate Captain has a chance meeting with Charles Darwin (David Tennant) who notices that the ship's parrot, Polly, is in fact the world's last Dodo. Darwin, the Captain and his crew travel to London to show the Scientific community their discovery but all the while they risk bumping into the staunchly anti-pirate, Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton). Aardman are the masters of their art and have produced some of the most enjoyed films of all time. While this film doesn’t quite reach their top ten, it is still of very high quality and can make anyone laugh. The animation is cleverly formed and transfixing; it brings the characters and the story to life - much like Wallace and Gromit. The animation allows the film to easily pass from ‘good’ to ‘fantastic’. Each character is lovingly crafted with depth, vividness and heart, the voice cast is also excellent. Most of the actors are instantly recognizable but David Tennant puts on a convincing accent for his interpretation of Charles Darwin. Despite being visibly aimed for children, THE PIRATES! Feature a hefty amount of adult friendly humour, these include much of the satire, innuendos, and visual gags which carries over from previous Aardmans productions and set’s a high standard for any upcoming blockbuster movie with the same goal in mind. The film almost talks to a range of ages, a film that the whole family can enjoy without the excuse of the content being too young. 8/10