A below-average pirate captain (voiced by Hugh Grant) seeks to win the elusive Pirate of the Year award but faces some strong competition in The Pirates! Band of Misfits.

From the folks who brought us Wallace and Gromit, the story is feather-light but strong enough to introduce the characters and establish their conflicts, which are pretty predictable. It's more of a comedy than an adventure, appealing to both children and adults.

Such a film should be a crowd pleaser at the box office. Audiences love pirate movies. Toss in some quirky characters, like a twisted Queen Victoria and Charles Darwin, and you have an evolutionary success.

The film is an enjoyable 90 minutes. The voice casting was mostly on merit and not on stunt casting, making the film that much better in my opinion. I'm a big fan of this Claymation process, and it's even better with CGI.

This is perhaps the most enjoyable pirate movie since the first Pirates of the Caribbean film featuring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow.

It's not trying to achieve true animation greatness, but it's worth going to see. The flick-o-meter gives The Pirates! Band of Misfits four out of five.

Dinner: Captain D's

Why not precede your pirate movie with a serving of seafood at this fast-food establishment?

Showtimes: Movies 278

Ready to see The Pirates! Band of Misfits? Then sail over to Movies 278, 185 Metromont Road, Hiram. For more theater information and links to showtimes and pricing, click here or call 678-513-4400.