Movie Review: The Pirates! Band of Misfits

They said this movie would be based on the book "The Pirates! In an Adventure With Scientists." That was a lie. I've read the book in question and beyond the inclusion of pirates, a guy based on Charles Darwin, and a monkey who holds signs, there was next to nothing in common. Certainly not the story.

Some changes should be expected. Movies are a much more visual format than books. Heck, movies are a much more visual format than television. I can have TV shows on in the background while working and still know what's happening. I can't do that with movies. I end up missing a lot and having to rewind. Anyway, The Pirates! movie is full of gags that just couldn't be pulled off in a book. So you have to give them credit for making a funny movie instead of just retyping the book. But, I rather liked the gag from the book where the pirates where Bellamy sent them to the far side of the world on a bullshit quest. On the other hand, this movie had some Darwin gags that weren't in the book. And since Gideon Defoe wrote both the movie and the book I don't think I have a damn thing to bitch about.

Uh... did I have a point when I started this? Maybe about how it's not a proper Aardman Entertainment pictures without Nick Park? No... that wasn't it. But this was as close as one would get without his involvement. Maybe about how the end credits should have said

The Pirate Who Produced ... Susan Breen
The Pirate Who Wrote the Music ... Theodore Shapiro
The Pirate Who Made Models ... Kerry Dyer

No. That wasn't it either.

Anyway, good movie, probably gonna get it on DVD. Go read the damn book - it's short.