The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists!
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''The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!'' (released overseas as ''The Pirates! Band of Misfits'') is a 2012 animated swashbuckler
comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
directed by Peter Lord, co-directed by Jeff Newitt, and written by Gideon Defoe, based on Defoe's 2004 novel '' The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists'' (the first book from '' The Pirates!'' series). Produced by
Sony Pictures Animation Sony Pictures Animation Inc. (also referred to as Sony Animation Studios and abbreviated to SPA) is an American animation studio owned by Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures Entertainment through their Motion Picture Group division and found ...
and Aardman Animations for
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...
, the film stars the voices of Hugh Grant,
David Tennant David John Tennant (; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the Tenth Doctor, tenth and Fourteenth Doctor, fourteenth incarnations of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction series ''Docto ...
, Imelda Staunton, Martin Freeman,
Salma Hayek Salma Valgarma Hayek Pinault ( , ; ; born September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa (1989 TV series), Teresa'' (1989–1991) as well a ...
, and Jeremy Piven, and follows a crew of amateur pirates in their attempt to win the Pirate of the Year competition. The film marks the second and final collaborative project between Sony and Aardman. ''The Pirates!'' was distributed by
Sony Pictures Releasing Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group (formerly known as the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group until 2013, and abbreviated as SPMPG) is a division of Sony Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment to manage its motion picture operatio ...
and was released on 28 March 2012 in the United Kingdom, and on 27 April 2012 in the United States. The film received generally positive reviews, and was a modest box office success, earning $123 million against a budget as high as $55 million. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It was the second film from Sony Pictures Animation to be nominated after '' Surf's Up''.


Plot

In 1837
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
,
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
is told that the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
dominates the ocean, aside from pirates, whom she despises. Meanwhile, the Pirate Captain, who leads a quirky band of amateur pirates, enters the annual Pirate of the Year competition, where the victor is determined by who can plunder the most treasure. After several failed attempts to raid mundane ships, they come across '' HMS Beagle'' and capture its sole occupant,
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
. Recognizing the crew's pet "parrot", Polly, as the last dodo bird alive, Darwin recommends that they enter her in the Scientist of the Year competition at the
Royal Society of London The Royal Society, formally The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, is a learned society and the United Kingdom's national academy of sciences. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, r ...
, and the Captain agrees. Allowing the Captain and his crew to stay at his house for the night, Darwin tries to steal Polly for himself with the help of his trained
chimpanzee The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close rel ...
, Mr. Bobo, but their plan fails. The next day, the pirates enter the competition while disguised as scientists, and the dodo display wins the top prize, which turns out to be a meeting with Queen Victoria. The Queen requests that Polly be put in her petting zoo, but the Captain refuses and accidentally reveals his true identity. Just as the Captain is about to be executed, Darwin informs the Queen that Polly has been hidden and only the Captain knows where. The Queen
pardon A pardon is a government decision to allow a person to be relieved of some or all of the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. A pardon may be granted before or after conviction for the crime, depending on the laws of the j ...
s the Captain of his crimes and orders Darwin to find Polly by any means necessary. Darwin and Mr. Bobo get the Captain intoxicated at a tavern and attempt to steal Polly. The Captain chases them into the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
, where the Queen awaits. She offers the Captain enough treasure to ensure his win for Pirate of the Year in exchange for Polly. The Captain accepts the offer and returns to his crew. At the Pirate of the Year ceremony, the Pirate King announces the Captain as the winner, but his rival, Black Bellamy, reveals the Queen's pardon and explains that a pardon means one is no longer a pirate. The Pirate King has the Captain stripped of his treasure and pirate attire and banned from Blood Island. The Captain then reveals to his crew that he sold Polly to the Queen, causing them to desert him. Back in London, the Captain tries to make a meagre living knitting and selling clothes before he eventually decides to rescue Polly. He reunites with Darwin, who has discovered that the Queen is part of a clandestine society of world leaders who dine on
endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
creatures and Polly is to be the main course at their next banquet. The Captain and Darwin steal an airship and locate the Queen's flagship, the ''QV1'', while Mr. Bobo retrieves the crew. Aboard the ''QV1'', the Captain and Darwin find Polly just in time but are confronted by the Queen. Mr. Bobo and the crew come to their rescue, but while fighting the Queen, they accidentally combine the ship's stash of
baking soda Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda (or simply “bicarb” especially in the UK) is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt (chemistry), salt compose ...
with
vinegar Vinegar () is an aqueous solution of diluted acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains from 5% to 18% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting ...
, causing a fierce explosion that breaks the ship in two. The Queen makes a bid to flee with Polly in the airship, but Polly fights back, causing the Queen to drop her. The Captain catches her and the pirates escape. The Captain is placed under the highest bounty ever seen among pirates, restoring his reputation. Darwin stays on an island to study more exotic creatures, while the Pirate Captain continues his adventures with his crew, now accompanied by Mr. Bobo.


Voice cast

* Hugh Grant as the Pirate Captain * Martin Freeman as the Pirate with a Scarf/Number Two * Imelda Staunton as
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
*
David Tennant David John Tennant (; born 18 April 1971) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for portraying the Tenth Doctor, tenth and Fourteenth Doctor, fourteenth incarnations of The Doctor (Doctor Who), the Doctor in the science fiction series ''Docto ...
as
Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English Natural history#Before 1900, naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all speci ...
* Jeremy Piven as Black Bellamy *
Salma Hayek Salma Valgarma Hayek Pinault ( , ; ; born September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela ''Teresa (1989 TV series), Teresa'' (1989–1991) as well a ...
as Cutlass Liz *
Lenny Henry Sir Lenworth George Henry (born 29 August 1958) is a British Jamaicans, British-Jamaican comedian, actor and writer. He gained success as a Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian and impressionist in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in ' ...
as Peg-Leg Hastings * Brian Blessed as Pirate King * Russell Tovey as Albino Pirate ''(United Kingdom)'' * Anton Yelchin as Albino Pirate ''(United States)'' * Brendan Gleeson as Pirate with Gout * Ashley Jensen as Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate * Ben Whitehead as Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens ''(United Kingdom)'' * Al Roker as Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens ''(United States)'' * Mike Cooper as Admiral Collingwood * David Schneider as Scarlett Morgan Additional voices by Tom Doggart, Sophie Jerrold, Sophie Laughton, Kayvan Novak, David Schaal and director Peter Lord.


Production

Aardman Animations, who primarily use
stop-motion Stop-motion (also known as stop frame animation) is an animation, animated filmmaking and special effects technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appe ...
animation Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...
, extensively used computer graphics to complement and enrich the primarily stop-motion film with visual elements such as sea and scenery. The project was originally envisioned as a CGI animated film, but when Sony executives saw the models of the Pirate Captain and his cabin created as references for the animators, they requested that it be made in stop-motion. Director Peter Lord commented, "With ''Pirates!'', I must say that the new technology has made ''Pirates!'' really liberating to make, easy to make because the fact that you can shoot a lot of green screen stuff, the fact that you can easily extend the sets with CGI, the fact that you can put the sea in there and a beautiful wooden boat that, frankly, would never sail in a million years, you can take that and put it into a beautiful CGI scene and believe it."


Naming

For the release outside the United Kingdom, the film was retitled ''The Pirates! Band of Misfits'', as author/screenwriter Gideon Defoe's books do not have "the same following outside of the United Kingdom", so it was not necessary to keep the original title. Hugh Grant, the voice of the Pirate Captain, said that the studio "didn't think the Americans would like the longer title". Lord's similar response was that "some people reckoned the United Kingdom title wouldn't charm/amuse / work in the United States. Tricky to prove eh?" Quentin Cooper of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
analysed the change of the title and listed several theories. One of them is that the British audience is more tolerant of the eccentricity of the British animators. Another is that the filmmakers did not want to challenge American and other international viewers who do not accept the theory of evolution. He quoted science writer
Jennifer Ouellette Jennifer Ouellette is an American science writer and editor. Career Ouellette's website describes her as a "recovering English major who stumbled into science writing quite by accident as a struggling freelance writer in New York City." Acco ...
's 2010 statement at the Science & Entertainment Exchange that scientists are undesirable in American popular culture, being represented as "the mad scientist or the dweeby nerd that dress funny, have no social skills, play video games, long for unattainable women".


Controversy

In January 2012, it was reported that the latest trailer of ''The Pirates!'' attracted some very negative reactions from the "
leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...
community". In the trailer released in December 2011, the Pirate Captain lands on a ship demanding gold, but is told by a crewmember, "We don't have any gold, old man. This is a leper boat!" before his arm falls off. Lepra Health in Action and some officials from the
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
claimed that the joke depicted leprosy in a derogatory manner, and it "reinforces the misconceptions which lead to stigma and discrimination that prevents people from coming forward for treatment". They demanded an apology and removal of the offending scene, to which Aardman responded: "After reviewing the matter, we decided to change the scene out of respect and sensitivity for those who suffer from leprosy. The last thing anyone intended was to offend anyone..." LHA responded that it was "genuinely delighted that Aardman has decided to amend the film", while the trailer was expected to be pulled down from websites, and the final version of the film has "leper boat" replaced with " plague boat".


Music

The film's score was composed by Theodore Shapiro in his animated feature score debut. The score was released digitally by Madison Gate Records on 24 April 2012, and as a
CD-R CD-R (Compact disc-recordable) is a digital media, digital optical disc data storage device, storage format. A CD-R disc is a compact disc that can only be Write once read many, written once and read arbitrarily many times. CD-R discs (CD-Rs) ...
on-demand on 17 May 2012. The film also includes a number of previously released songs by various artists, including " Swords of a Thousand Men" by Tenpole Tudor, "Ranking Full-Stop" by The Beat, "Fiesta" by
The Pogues The Pogues are an English Celtic punk band founded in King's Cross, London, in 1982, by Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy and Jem Finer. Originally named Pogue Mahone—an anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish phrase :wikt:póg mo thóin, ''p ...
, " London Calling" by
The Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...
, " You Can Get It If You Really Want" by
Jimmy Cliff James Chambers, Jamaican Order of Merit, OM (born 30 July 1944), known professionally as Jimmy Cliff, is a Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae and soul musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and actor. He is the only living reggae musician to hol ...
, " Alright" by
Supergrass Supergrass are an English rock band formed in 1993. For the majority of the band's tenure, the line-up consisted of brothers Gaz (lead vocals, guitar) and Rob Coombes (keyboards), Mick Quinn (bass, backing vocals) and Danny Goffey (drums, ...
, and "I'm Not Crying" by Flight of the Conchords.


Release


Home media

''The Pirates!'' was released on DVD,
Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...
, and Blu-ray 3D on 28 August 2012 in the United States, and on 10 September 2012 in the United Kingdom., The film is accompanied by an 18-minute short stop motion animated film called ''So You Want to Be a Pirate!'', where The Pirate Captain hosts his own talk show about being a true pirate. The short was also released on DVD on 13 August 2012, exclusively at
Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...
stores in the United Kingdom. As a promotion for the release of ''The Pirates!'', Sony attached to every DVD and Blu-ray a code to download a '' LittleBigPlanet 2'' minipack of Sackboy clothing that represents 3 of the characters: The Pirate Captain, Cutlass Liz and Black Bellamy.


Reception


Box office

The film has grossed $123,054,041 worldwide. $26 million came from United Kingdom, $31 million from the United States and Canada, along with around $92 million from other territories, including the United Kingdom. As of 2017, it is the fourth highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time. In North America, it ranked fifth on its opening day, taking in $2,749,959, slightly higher than '' Arthur Christmas'' $2.4 million opening day. The film eventually made $11.1 million on its opening weekend and reached second at the box office behind '' Think Like a Man'' while averaging $3,315 through its 3,358 theatres, on its second weekend, it dropped by 50.6%, ranking fourth with $5,502,482, then to seventh place with $3,143,442, dropping by 42.9%. In the United Kingdom, it opened to third with $3,486,095 behind ''
The Hunger Games ''The Hunger Games'' are a series of Young adult fiction, young adult Dystopian fiction, dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The series consists of a trilogy that follows teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and two ...
'' and '' Wrath of the Titans'', averaging $6,443 through its 554 cinemas, it saw a 1.3% increase on its second weekend with $3,486,280, averaging $6,240 per cinema, and bringing the UK gross to $12,251,022.


Critical response

On review aggregator
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the film has approval rating based on reviews; the average score is . The website's consensus reads, "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."
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gives the film a score of 73 based on 31 reviews, indicating "generally favourable reviews".


Accolades


Cancelled sequel

By August 2011, Aardman had been already working on a sequel idea and by June 2012, a story had been prepared, awaiting Sony’s backing of the project. Eventually, Sony decided not to support the project due to insufficient international earnings. According to Lord, "it got close, but not quite close enough. I was all fired up for doing more. It was such fun to do! We actually have a poster for ''The Pirates! In an Adventure with Cowboys!''. That would have been just great."


References


External links

* – official site (US) * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pirates In An Adventure With Scientists 2012 films 2012 3D films 2012 American animated films 2012 action comedy films 2010s adventure comedy films 2010s children's comedy films 2010s historical comedy films Aardman Animations feature films American 3D films American action adventure films American action comedy films American adventure comedy films American children's animated action films American children's animated adventure films American children's animated comedy films American children's animated fantasy films American fantasy adventure films Advertising and marketing controversies in film Animated film controversies Animation based on real people British 3D films British adventure comedy films British children's adventure films British children's animated films British children's comedy films British children's fantasy films British fantasy adventure films British historical comedy films Claymation films Cultural depictions of Charles Darwin Depictions of Queen Victoria on film Films set in 1837 Animated films set in London Pirate films British swashbuckler films American swashbuckler films 2010s stop-motion animated films Columbia Pictures animated films Columbia Pictures films Sony Pictures Animation films Films directed by Peter Lord Films scored by Theodore Shapiro 3D animated films 2012 directorial debut films The Pirates! 2010s English-language films 2010s British films 2010s British animated films British animated comedy films Animated films set in the 19th century English-language historical comedy films English-language action adventure films English-language action comedy films English-language adventure comedy films