The
closest the UK will ever have to a Pixar, and to be honest not that far off
really, Bristol-based Aardman Animations have spent years toiling away at
another masterpiece, this time based on the first in a series of ridiculous yet
thoroughly entertaining books by British author Gideon Defoe. Just like Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and everything else Aardman has ever left a plasticine
thumbprint on, Pirates is imbued with
a timeless sense of humour in a world that almost – almost – makes sense, but is
always hilarious.
We follow
the Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant on the finest form he’s been in years) and his
rag-tag band of misfits (including Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson and Ashley
Jensen) along with their definitely-not-a-parrot mascot Polly as they set out
to win the much coveted Pirate of the Year award, against rivals Lenny Henry,
Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven (whose voice really annoyed me as I couldn’t place
it for the entire film). The only problem is... the Pirate Captain is a pretty
useless pirate, with every plundering attempt ending in failure. Fortunately, a
chance encounter with a repressed, desperate Charles Darwin (David Tennant)
leads to all manner of escapades, including entering a scientific competition
and a run-in with a furious Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton, half the cast are
Harry Potter actors).
If I have
to find a flaw, it’s that everything moves by so damn quickly. Every character
is a brilliant creation, yet few are on screen long enough to fully appreciate
them, and often the rapid progression of the plot gives a feeling that some
jokes are left by the wayside, 88 minutes long is nowhere near enough, but one
feels the animators are happier their wrists were not strained further. The one
character who really should have more screen time is the scene-stealing,
self-subtitling monkey.
Choose
film 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment