Movie Review: THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS

THE PIRATES: BAND OF MISFITS

PG

2012

"Avast! I'm a pirate captain, and I'm here for your gold!"

-- Pirate Captain

The Pirates! Band of Misfits is a 2012 stop-motion animation film directed by Jeff Newitt & Peter Lord. The film tells the story of the bumbling Pirate Captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) who has led his crew on many adventures but has somehow managed to steal absolutely no booty. As the annual "Pirate of the Year" awards descend upon the seas, the Pirate Captain desperately attempts to find a way to win the award for the first time. He has quite a bit of competition from some of the best captains on the seven seas, but his crew is determined to help him bring home the trophy. After a string of unsuccessful attempts at plundering, the crew meets a scientist named Charles Darwin (voiced by David Tennant) who identifies the crew's parrot Polly as actually being a dodo, which the world thought to be extinct. He informs the crew that a scientists' convention might pay handsomely for such a find, so the Pirate Captain makes sail for London, knowing full well that the pirate-hating Queen Victoria (voiced by Imelda Staunton) may lay in wait.

Those of you who have been reading my reviews for quite a while will know that I'm a bit of a fan of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and those films got me interested in the idea of pirate movies altogether. So, when I heard about an upcoming animated film featuring a ragtag group of pirates sailing for adventure, you can be sure that I was terribly excited to see it. The Pirates! Band of Misfits even managed to pull the number five spot on my ten most anticipated films of 2012. That's saying quite a bit. And so, I impatiently awaited my opportunity to see the film, which has finally come.

I have to say that I feel a little letdown by the film, which didn't necessarily prove to be as funny as I thought it could be. Although there are plenty of moments where the film offers a smile or a chuckle, I was honestly hoping for something a little bit stronger. The film has been well-received by most critics, and it currently holds an eighty-six percent approval rating on Rottentomatoes.com. That's strong, I suppose. I mean, I did find the film utterly entertaining, and it definitely kept my interest from start to finish. Some of the jokes and gags were incredibly inventive and intelligent. They help keep the story moving along nicely, and for that, the screenplay should be commended. There just isn't a ton of depth to the storyline and the dialogue, and that itself is a bit of a knock against the screenplay. It's entertaining, but there was definitely room for improvement.

Luckily, we as the audience are getting a rather strong vocal cast for the film. Grant plays the Pirate Captain fantastically, bringing quite a bit of emotion to the character that could have easily fallen into typical caricature. I also thought that Tennant and Staunton did well. We're also getting a number of smaller vocal performances from some big-time actors. Be on the listen for the likes of Martin Freeman, Salma Hayek, Anton Yelchin, Brendan Gleeson and a slightly misplaced Jeremy Piven. But this is definitely Grant's effort, and it's a very strong effort and worth enjoying.

I do have to commend the animation crew for crafting some of the best stop-motion animation I've ever seen in a film. We're starting to see a resurgence in the stop-motion field, and I think each subsequent film will provide a little more of a piece to the puzzle, and it starts here with The Pirates! Band of Misfits. It's a visually beautiful film, and for that reason alone, it's worth watching.

At the end of the day, The Pirates! Band of Misfits is a fun film that's good for a chuckle and a few laughs, and the animation itself is astoundingly beautiful. Still, the film as a whole feels just a little bit flat, and although you'll be smiling at film's end, I'd challenge any viewer to try to remember the film a week from now. It just doesn't have that retaining factor to bring it into the upper echelon of animated films.

Movie Review Summary

Grade: B

Should You Watch It? Yes

Movie Review: PUSS IN BOOTS

PUSS IN BOOTS

PG
2011


"That's a lot of heel for a guy, don't you think?"
-- Kitty Softpaws

Puss in Boots is a 2011 animated film directed by Chris Miller that serves as a spinoff for the titular character who gained fame in the Shrek franchise. The film begins with Puss (Antonio Banderas) learning of the existence of magic beans that will lead to an enchanted castle in the sky which houses a Golden Goose that lays golden eggs. Puss has spent his whole life looking for these beans, but after years of fruitless searching, he had given up the quest. Now, however, he is told that two ruffians named Jack (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jill (Amy Sedaris) are in possession of the beans. When Puss goes to steal them away, he runs into another cat attempting to do the same. After a brief scuffle, he learns that this cat is named Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek), and she is working with an egg named Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis), with whom Puss has a storied past. He reluctantly agrees to help them find Jack and Jill, and the trio sets out to find their fame and fortune.

The talk for a Puss in Boots spinoff film has been going pretty steadily since his first appearance in 2004's Shrek 2, so it was only a matter of time until Dreamworks actually took the time to make the film. By waiting until after finishing the Shrek franchise (supposedly), they had the opportunity to distance themselves from the Shrek character while still bringing the nostalgia of having one of that franchise's funnier characters grace the screen in his own light. I was a strong proponent of the idea of a spinoff for Puss, but when I first saw teaser trailers for the film, I started to wonder whether Dreamworks could pull it off. Having bled the Shrek franchise for all it was worth (the first two films both scored 89% approval ratings on Rottentomatoes.com, but the third and fourth scored 41% and 58%, respectively), I was just a tad bit concerned that they'd be able to renew that energy with this film.

Thankfully, Dreamworks was able to deliver a well-made film that's sure to satisfy audiences. To reference Rottentomatoes.com once again, their critical consensus for the film reads the following:

It isn't deep or groundbreaking, but what it lacks in profundity, Puss in Boots more than makes up for with an abundance of wit, visual sparkle, and effervescent charm.

I'd have to say those were my thoughts exactly. It wasn't bringing anything terribly new to the table, but it was intelligent enough to keep me interested throughout its entire run-time. One reason the Shrek franchise proved to be so successful was the fact that it catered to both children and adults, offering a wide range of humor types in order to keep all audiences involved with the story. Puss in Boots follows that same vein, bringing enough slapstick comedy to keep the kiddies occupied while the parents can lean back and enjoy the wit and clever wordplay.

The cast rounds out relatively nicely as well. Banderas brings the same A-game he brought to the character in his first three go-arounds, but it's the supporting cast that helps bring this film to a higher level than the last couple of Shrek flicks. Hayek and Galifianakis share a great rapport with Banderas throughout the film, and the inclusion of Thornton is a pleasant surprise. Oh, and for those of you paying very close attention, we actually get a small vocal performance from Guillermo del Toro. So keep those listening ears on high alert.

Overall, Puss in Boots is a fun film that's good for a chunk of laughs. It's not breaking any barriers or bringing anything terribly new, and at the end of the day, the story is still a tad predictable and easy to figure out. Still, the animation is top-notch and the laughs are plentiful, so just sit back, relax and enjoy this one. Don't try to out-think it; you'll find yourself hating it. Just enjoy it for what it is, and I'd bet you'll have yourself a good time.

Movie Review Summary
Grade: B
1.5 Thumbs Up