The Pirates! Band of Misfits

2012

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

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.

86%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 151

60%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 85,836

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Movie Info

In The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Hugh Grant stars in his first animated role as the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain - a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side (Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey, and Ashley Jensen), and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award. It's a quest that takes our heroes from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Along the way they battle a diabolical queen (Imelda Staunton) and team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist (David Tennant), but never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure! -- (C) Sony

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Cast

Hugh Grant
as The Pirate Captain
Brendan Gleeson
as The Pirate with Gout
Martin Freeman
as The Pirate with a Scarf
David Tennant
as Charles Darwin
Imelda Staunton
as Queen Victoria
Brian Blessed
as The Pirate King
Jeremy Piven
as Black Bellamy
Salma Hayek
as Cutlass Liz
Lenny Henry
as Peg-Leg Hastings
Anton Yelchin
as The Albino Pirate
Ashley Jensen
as The Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate
Al Roker
as The Pirate who Likes Sunsets and Kittens
Mike Cooper
as Admiral
David Schneider
as Scarlett Morgan
Tom Doggart
as Additional Voices
Sophie Jerrold
as Additional Voices
Sophie Laughton
as Additional Voices
Peter Lord
as Additional Voices
Kayvan Novak
as Additional Voices
David Schaal
as Additional Voices
Ben Whitehead
as Additional Voices
Gavin Greenaway
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News & Interviews for The Pirates! Band of Misfits

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Critics Consensus: The Pirates! Band of Misfits Is Certified Fresh
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Critic Reviews for The Pirates! Band of Misfits

All Critics (151) | Top Critics (33)

  • The action is beautifully staged, delightful, and exciting.

    May 7, 2012 | Full Review…

    Bruce Diones

    New Yorker
    Top Critic

  • The filmmakers have said they are already dreaming up a sequel. They needn't hurry. Whatever treasures these pirates have are well buried.

    Apr 28, 2012 | Rating: 2/4 | Full Review…

    Stephen Whitty

    Newark Star-Ledger
    Top Critic

  • To paraphrase a certain man with a certain luxuriant beard, it's only impossible to enjoy if you stop to think about it.

    Apr 27, 2012 | Full Review…

    William Goss

    Film.com
    Top Critic

  • Pirates are right up there with vampires, werewolves and people saying "LOL" out loud on the list of Played-Out Pop Culture Phenomena, but leave it to Aardman Animation to find the remaining reservoirs of fun in a bunch of seafaring scalawags.

    Apr 27, 2012 | Full Review…

    Alonso Duralde

    TheWrap
    Top Critic

  • This pirate tale is a misguided adventure that doesn't fully set sail.

    Apr 27, 2012 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

    Jody Mitori

    St. Louis Post-Dispatch
    Top Critic

  • Designed to please all generations of irreverent humour-lovers, The Pirates! Band of Misfits may not be heart-warming (it is about nasty, scurvy pirates!) but it's breezy rollicking fun.

    Apr 27, 2012 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

    Jennie Punter

    Globe and Mail
    Top Critic
View All Critic Reviews (151)

Audience Reviews for The Pirates! Band of Misfits

  • Jun 10, 2019
    Given the name, it took me a long time to understand that this wasn't a sequel to something. But I watched it anyway, because I was short on 2012 movies for my best to worst list. Adventure with Scientists! will probably end up somewhere around the middle of that list.
    Gimly M Super Reviewer
  • Sep 28, 2016
    Cute, adventurous, funny and clever -- without being too cute, adventurous, funny or clever. The animation is delightful and the voice acting is well-done (for the most part), with particularly appealing performances by Imelda Staunton (Queen Victoria) and Hugh Grant (The Pirate Captain). It's a fun family film with something to enjoy for everyone.
    Christian C Super Reviewer
  • Jan 12, 2014
    In 1837, Queen Victoria is none too amused with pirates. At the same time Pirate Captain likes his chances for winning that year's prestigious Pirate of the Year Award. But it turns out locating the requisite booty is much harder than he originally imagined, considering the most valuable thing he can find is a scientist, Charles Darwin, who informs him that he may in fact own a priceless dodo bird. "The Pirates! Band of Misfists" starts promisingly enough with the nonsensical pirate award. But the rest of it sadly fails to live up to the usual levels of Aaardman ingenuity, even with its tenth hour steampunk, instead relying on silly anachronisms for most of its humor. With the exception of the pub scene, the movie does little to take advantage of its time period. I mean if you are going to invoke Charles Darwin, there has to be more to it than just depicting him as a nerdy virgin, even if he does get married in 1839. However, the movie does get points for employing the boisterous Brian Blessed as one of the voices, as Martin Freeman even manages to get typecast as a sidekick in an animated film.
    Walter M Super Reviewer
  • Jul 02, 2013
    A rather cute tale of fringe pirates with funny puns, a gruesome twist from Queen Victoria voiced by evil incarnate, Imelda Staunton, and some impressive, near-unrecognizable voicework by Hugh Grant. Nevertheless, the gaping ellipses of claymation mouths makes me a little queasy, so I just wasn't terribly into it.
    Alice S Super Reviewer
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