Film Name: 神奇海盗团 / The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! / The Pirates! Band of Misfits
We owe a debt of gratitude to the visionary who brought us this British animated film, allowing us to escape the aesthetic fatigue of American 3D animation and witness the dazzling brilliance of Aardman Studios’ world-class clay animation! Masterpieces like “Wallace & Gromit,” “Chicken Run,” and “Shaun the Sheep” all originate from this studio. It stands as a British national treasure—a commercial animation studio with artistic integrity and an artistic animation studio with commercial success that Hollywood has tried in vain to recruit despite lavish offers.
The most astonishing aspect of “The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!” is how Atman Studios brings clay animation to life with such breathtaking artistry. The opening scene, where pirates gather in a tavern and star pirates make their grand entrance, is so visually stunning it nearly makes you jump out of your seat. The visually striking shots, combined with pirate characters that blur the line between real and fake, and the jaw-dropping imagination, instantly captivate you—drawing you into the film and its wonderfully textured characters.
The essence of clay animation lies in its unique rhythmic movements and facial expressions. No matter how flexible the clay figures are, they can never match the freedom of computer-generated 3D characters to bend every joint or flex every facial muscle at will. Consequently, their motions and expressions are inherently constrained—to some degree, rigid. Unlike CG animation, which can freely set expressions and movements to achieve a fluid beauty, clay animation often exhibits a characteristic rhythm unique to stop-motion—what I call the “freezing of moments”: actions are often very fast, followed by a fixed state, then another series of rapid movements, repeating this pattern. This creates a visual experience marked by a highly jumpy rhythm. When watching an excellent clay animation like “The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!” you must pay special attention to this staccato rhythm.
Several elements are notoriously difficult to depict in clay animation: water, fire, smoke, and so on. This film tackles them all. First, the pirate ship frequently sails the seas, and whenever it docks, depicting the spray becomes paramount. Similarly, when the scientists’ glasses fall into a bowl, three small splashes appear. Naturally, the film treats these two types of water distinctly: real water for the ship’s spray, and clay-based water for the bowl scene. Secondly, when the pirate ship fires its cannons, the film includes close-ups of the muzzle, primarily to depict the explosive effects of fire and smoke. The film also innovatively incorporates computer-generated ghosts with a clay-like texture, adding a fresh touch.
The meticulousness of the film’s set design is nothing short of magnificent. Not only are the settings numerous, but each is intricately designed, brimming with dazzling details. Every significant prop ultimately appears in the end credits sequence, so be sure not to miss it. Particularly noteworthy is the figurehead meant for the pirate ship’s prow, which instead surfaces in the captain’s cabin—a detail that inevitably sparks speculation about the captain’s “interests.” The film offers minimal romantic subtext for the captain, the highly feminine figurehead is one example. The captain’s teasing remark “You must not have a girlfriend” in front of Darwin’s gloomy house is another. The captain accidentally barging into the bathroom of his female subordinate disguised as a man is yet another. In a sense, why the captain could so enthusiastically pretend to be a chef and converse with the queen for so long on her cruise ship might also be seen as a flirtatious expression of “sexual interest.”
From a narrative perspective, the film ultimately explores a story of values concerning gain and loss. When a person pursues wealth and honor, they often lose their authentic self and the precious bonds of family and friendship around them. Yet when they abandon that pursuit, they rediscover camaraderie and ultimately achieve recognition and honor. This holds true for both the pirate captain and the scientist Darwin. As for Queen Victoria, she serves not only as the film’s primary antagonist but remains a villain throughout. Though she despises pirates most of all, she consistently operates by pirate logic—the real pirates possess far more humanity than she does. In fact, multiple films from the Adamant company feature such villainous female antagonists, revealing a corporate culture devoid of feminist sensibilities, even bordering on anti-feminist.
While portraying a pirate crew united by distinct personalities and unwavering loyalty, the film also explores a particular philosophy of leadership. The captain is not the conventional ideal leader: he cannot provide wealth for his crew, he often acts on impulse, he craves glory and loves to show off, yet he can be cowardly and evasive at times… Yet this very captain commands a crew of utterly devoted followers, especially his second-in-command, who stands as his most trusted comrade-in-arms. Why would they follow someone with such obvious flaws? Because his virtues are equally pronounced: he charges into danger first and treats everyone on board—even the pet—as family. Thus, the crew doesn’t follow the captain for so-called glory, but for the sense of belonging that comes with family. His charisma lies precisely in his unsophisticated, generous, and righteous heroism.
Adamant’s portrayal of this captain shares a similar spirit with “Wallace & Gromit.” There, the male lead is also a carefree, somewhat helpless character who needs others to look after him. Yet in turn, he showers his dog with affection, which is why the dog remains utterly loyal to him. In “The Pirates! Band of Misfits,” the second-in-command is essentially the leader dog, serving as the captain’s assistant, strategist, and more. He must anticipate potential dangers for his less calculating master and sometimes even attend to the captain’s daily needs. Yet he does so without complaint, tirelessly and devotedly. Adamant seems particularly fond of this kind of character dynamic.
Darwin serves as the film’s central figure and an exceptionally innovative character. On one hand, the captain’s primary activities are all initiated and interconnected by Darwin—such as attending the scientists’ conference, meeting the queen, and retrieving his pet. On the other hand, Darwin himself possesses a rich emotional arc—harboring a secret crush on the queen, being a scientific madman, yearning for fame, and seeking redemption. The film cleverly comedicizes this historically real figure, naturally assigning Darwin a monkey assistant. This highly intelligent little character, who communicates thoughts via signboards (somewhat reminiscent of Elizabeth from “Gintama”), significantly enhances the plot. A particularly humorous touch is how strikingly similar Darwin and the monkey look—perhaps “proving” the theory of evolution itself. As the captain quips, “You two aren’t brothers, are you?”
In essence, this is a clay-animated tale brimming with comedic charm yet profoundly moving. Its emotional resonance stems from a timeless theme: friendship. As audiences journey with the endearing Captain to grasp that friendship surpasses wealth and honor, every character achieves a profound elevation. Nearly every detail in the film echoes earlier elements, creating countless moments ripe for reflection. Of course, the film isn’t flawless. Personally, I feel the action sequence between the Captain and the Queen on the cruise ship at the end seems a bit rushed compared to the chase scenes at Darwin’s house and in London. Also, the Pirate King’s use of a seashell as his entrance prop doesn’t seem to serve any particularly important purpose.
Another point worth noting is that pirates are supposed to be brutal, yet the pirates in “The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!” are adorable. When pirates become cute creatures, much like the docile lions in “Madagascar,” the film loses the wild charm inherent to their profession. Aside from the ship, a few flags, and some setup scenes that hint at their pirate identity, they’ve become remarkably worldly and easygoing. The captain is easily pushed onto the executioner’s block by the queen, only to be saved by Darwin’s self-serving intervention. In other words, our captain is too adorable to even protect himself. Upon reflection, what exactly have these pirates ever stolen? Beyond having their inherently wild pirate souls stolen away, they seem to have gained little else of substance—material or spiritual.
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