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%

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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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Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

The Times (UK)

Aug 17, 2026

4/5

Here the kiddie-friendly action is awash with densely gagged left-field adult humour and proudly British references to custard creams and Blue Peter badges.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

May 15, 2012

3/4

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.

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Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

May 7, 2012

The action is beautifully staged, delightful, and exciting.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Dec 4, 2022

2.5/4

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

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Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

Nov 26, 2022

3/4

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

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Sep 20, 2020

3.0/4.0

Purists will no doubt be bothered by Aardman's decision to incorporate digital imagery and 3-D, but they use it well here.

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Nick R

@NocturnalWalrus Aug 25, 2026

A simple, fun, kids romp on the 7 seas.

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Joshua H

@JoshuaHawes Aug 2, 2026

Yeah this was quite fun. The claymation was really well done, some really cool sequences and funny moments. The story wasnt anything to run home about but it was a good time.

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diogo13 T

@Tua_mera Jul 12, 2026

A decent pirate comedy with spectacular claymation. Although it is a visual marvel, the script is somewhat dull, the humor often falls flat, and the film falls short of being memorable.

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Sam S

@MovieExpertSam_182 Mar 7, 2026

A classic Aardman movie about goofy pirates.

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Louis J

@Louis67 Jan 10, 2026

This movie...well I mean. Words cannot describe the joy this film brings to oneself. I hate everyone who gives this less than 5 stars. After reading through reviews, I've noticed a common criticism is that the movie is lazy with its jokes and 'not clever'. MAYBE YOU'RE THE IDIOT. Learn how to spell and get a life. I watched this film for the first time at the age of 6, I read the book too. It encapsulates everything. EVERYTHING. You guys are just morons and you should watch stupid movies for stupid people. Hope you all have a terrible life and I will enjoy mine watching this wonderful piece of fiction designed perfectly might I add. Signing off, Louis A. Jolin. Also you stinking of poops and farts.

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Good boy money

Jan 5, 2026

Pretty cool aardman movie

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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

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

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

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

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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: 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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