The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Last Christmas, Aardman Animations delivered a CGI fun ride called Arthur Christmas. They've now returned to their usual plasticine with The Pirates! Band of Misfits, or as it's known in book form, The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists.

The Pirates are inept. Their Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) desires to be Pirate of the Year. But to be Pirate of the Year, he has to outclass such pirates as Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) and Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven). Still,  with names such as Pirate with Gout and Pirate with a Scarf, they aren't very scary.

The Scientist is Charles Darwin (David Tennant). The Pirates try to hijack his ship, the Beagle, but find no gold.  Darwin quickly recognizes the Pirates' "parrot" as the last of the "extinct" Dodo. Such a discovery would make one rich and famous. It sounds good for whoever does it first, except it would make the Pirates legit

Still, it would keep them from the wrath of the Pirate-hating Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton).

In both 3D and Flatscreen formats, this is 88 minutes of farcical family entertainment. Its light-hearted humor and sight gags are sure to enjoy both kids and adults alike. For the adults, they'll also enjoy the verbal jokes, such as the foreshadowing of Brian Blessed's surprise cameo. And the best part is that it's quick; not a single dull moment to be found.

Let these Pirates steal some time from you, and you're sure to benefit. You can call them any names you want, but disappointment should not be one of them.