The Pirates! Band of Misfits

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The Pirates! Band of Misfits

PG

2012

1h 28m

Kids & Family

Adventure

Comedy

Animation

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

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151 Reviews

60%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Accompanied by his ragtag crew, an enthusiastic pirate captain (Hugh Grant) sails the high seas and dreams of besting his bitter rivals, Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek), in a quest to win the coveted title of Pirate of the Year. The captain's quest takes him and his comrades from the exotic shores of Blood Island to Victorian London's foggy streets. Along the way, they battle a clever queen and join forces with a young scientist named Charles Darwin (David Tennant).

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Critics Consensus

It may not quite scale Aardman's customary delirious heights, but The Pirates! still represents some of the smartest, most skillfully animated fare that modern cinema has to offer.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

It's a fun frolic young and old alike should enjoy equally, filled with sights and sounds so richly rewarding one almost has to see it twice to be able to appreciate them all.

Rated: 3/4

May 15, 2012

Full Review

Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

The action is beautifully staged, delightful, and exciting.

May 7, 2012

Full Review

Steven D. Greydanus

Decent Films

Gadzooks, is this movie bonkers. I mean, really.

Rated: B+

May 3, 2012

Full Review

Iván Kazi

EscribiendoCine

Among its many merits, the film returns the pirate theme to comedy and to children's audiences. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 8/10

Jun 14, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Enjoyable enough to retain one’s interest during the brief 88-minute runtime but not quite memorable enough to make a lasting impression.

Rated: 2.5/4

Dec 4, 2022

Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Why is The Pirates missing much of what helped elevate Aardman to its vaunted standing in the animation world?

Rated: 3/4

Nov 26, 2022

Full Review

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BadNews R

The Pirates! Band of Misfits is one of those claymation-style animated films that falls right in the middle—not bad, not great, just… okay. It’s not something I’d ever revisit, but it’s not something I’d call terrible either. If anything, it leans slightly into the “good” category thanks to its creativity and charm. The story follows a quirky pirate captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) and his ragtag crew on their journey to win the coveted title of Pirate of the Year. Instead of focusing on treasure hunts or big battles, the film leans into its silliness, and for the most part, that works. Hugh Grant does a great job giving the captain personality, and supporting characters like Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) and even the villainous Queen Victoria add some fun moments. The problem is that the movie feels very surface-level. While the animation is colorful and the jokes are playful, it doesn’t have the substance or layered storytelling that makes a family movie appealing to all ages. It’s the type of film that might entertain small kids—think early elementary school age—but for teens, adults, or parents, it probably won’t stick. At the end of the day, The Pirates! Band of Misfits is a pleasant one-time watch, but it’s not memorable or engaging enough to leave you wanting more. It lacks the heart and spark needed to elevate it beyond “just okay.” ⭐ Verdict: A fun but forgettable claymation adventure.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/07/25

Full Review

Abraham S

To be honest I thought it was a great movie! It did get pretty boring but I still love stop motion with all my heart and Aardman is the goat, so yeah I can't hate to much.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/26/25

Full Review

Pedro Henrique C

The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) is a very beautiful and pleasant animation to watch, although it is not very funny, the story itself manages to deliver good entertainment to the audience. This is the first time I'm watching this movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/19/25

Full Review

Faiz D

I loved Chicken Run, and this one's another winner from Peter Lord.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/13/25

Full Review

Jaime A

This movie may not be as good as other Ardmans movies, but this movie is funny, entertaining and watchable, I laughed and laughed, the comedy of the movie is one of the best.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/26/25

Full Review

LUIS LETACIO C

É engraçado em alguns momentos, mas em outros deu muita vontade de pular cenas. No geral é legal e senti como se fosse um filme de sessão da tarde

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/25

Full Review

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Peter Lord

Director

Hugh Grant

The Pirate Captain

Martin Freeman

The Pirate With a Scarf

Imelda Staunton

Queen Victoria

David Tennant

Charles Darwin

Jeremy Piven

Black Bellamy

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Stick 'Em Up

2:35

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Ham Nite!

3:05

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - He's a Pirate!

2:58

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Attacking Charles Darwin

2:23

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - A Pirate No More

2:08

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Runaway Bathtub

2:17

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Here's Polly!

2:20

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Welcome Back, Captain

2:56

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - I'm Not Crying

2:04

The Pirates! Band of Misfits: Official Clip - Dodo is Off the Menu

2:28

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Synopsis

Accompanied by his ragtag crew, an enthusiastic pirate captain (Hugh Grant) sails the high seas and dreams of besting his bitter rivals, Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek), in a quest to win the coveted title of Pirate of the Year. The captain's quest takes him and his comrades from the exotic shores of Blood Island to Victorian London's foggy streets. Along the way, they battle a clever queen and join forces with a young scientist named Charles Darwin (David Tennant).

Director: Peter Lord
Producer: Peter Lord, David Sproxton, Julie Lockhart
Screenwriter: Gideon Defoe
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Aardman Animations
Rating: PG (Rude Humor|Mild Action|Some Language)
Genre: Kids & Family, Adventure, Comedy, Animation
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 27, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 28, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA): $375.9K
Runtime: 1h 28m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

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