Like Blackadder or Monty Python for kids, the latest Aardman adventure follows the foolhardy voyage of the Pirate Captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) and his haphazard crew.
The band of miscreants are perceived as laughable by the entire pirate community and the Pirate Captain is keen to change all that by clinching the prize for Pirate of the Year - which of course means that the plucky buccaneers must head out on a nautical quest for treasure.
After unsuccessfully storming nine ships which are more plagueful than plunderful, the crew finally strike gold when they stumble across scientist and avid explorer Charles Darwin (voiced by David Tennant). Darwin hastily identifies that the Captain's "fat" parrot, Polly - the "feathery heart and soul of the ship" - is in fact a dodo which would win them unspeakable riches if presented to scientists in London.
The Pirate Captain sees pound signs and is keen to set a course for the capital in attempt to not only boost his bounty and scoop the coveted Pirate of the Year award, but also to embark on the crew's "most educational adventure yet!". Unfortunately for the pirates and their crumbling ship, going to London means facing the mighty Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton), who has a world-renowned penchant for putting pirates' heads on a block and also secretly enjoys dining on rare animals.
Directed by animation heavyweights, Peter Lord and Jeff Newitt, The Pirates! is five years in the making and the exquisite detail, from the expressive people to the busy backdrops, really demonstrates the hard work that's gone into forming the feature-length creation.
On its own, Sony Animation has never quite managed to live up to the sheer brilliance of Pixar, but when teamed up with Aardman it has proven again and again that the results are masterful. The story line is brimming with quintessentially British whimsy and quick one-liners are swiftly delivered by some of Britain's best comedy actors.
Films about leering pirates who sail the seven seas, hunting for treasure and striking down landlubbers, is an all-too-familiar premise, but this jolly jaunt, based on the book by Gideon Defoe, turns the traditional tale topsy turvy. For once, being a pirate is not about getting scurvy or running people through, it is about sporting a great big bushy beard and enjoying the delights of "Ham Nite".
Verdict: The Pirates! has innuendos galore for the older generation and thanks to cameos from Brian Blessed, Lenny Henry and Salma Hayek - not to mention great comical characters in the form of Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate (Ashley Jensen), Albino Pirate (Russell Tovey) and BoBo, the self-subtitled chimp - the gags just keep on sailing. It is yet another Aardman triumph that will keep fond fans of the Wallace & Gromit adventures firmly afloat. 7/10
