[7.50/10] The Pirates! Band of Misfits [3D] (2012)

The Pirates!
Band of Misfits [3D] (2012)

Brief review: One of the creators of the unique and hilarious "Chicken Run", Peter Lord, along with "Flushed Away"'s head animator, Jeff Newitt, bring us yet another brilliantly-executed stop-motion animated film, produced and released by Aardman Animations, who also gave us the amazing "Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit". The movie displays enough originality and creativity to save itself from being 'you typical pirate affair', and delivers many clever jokes for the adults as well as some silly but funny slapstick for the youngsters. What makes "Pirates!" even more enjoyable and entertaining is the adventurous nature of it, the superbly colorful characters, and last but not least, the ingeniously hilarious, yet inventive action scenes it proudly boasts. Clay animation is extremely difficult to execute and usually takes months, if not years, to put together, and both directors deserve credit for the remarkable job they've done on this truly stellar project. Visually and technically, "Band of Misfits" is quite astonishing and near flawless - the amount of detail is amazing, the clay work is pitch-perfect, and the colors are pastelly, yet vibrant and saturated. The competent use of 3D works in the film's favor and certainly adds depth to the already magnificent visuals. The voice casting is spot-on, with Hugh Grant being the absolute standout with his first-ever voice performance as Captain Pirate.

Overall summary: It lacks the genuine wit and quirky charm of "Chicken Run", but "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" is every bit as visually delightful as Aardman Studios' previous claymation flicks, and has enough fresh ideas, bright humor and whimsicality to shine on its own merits.