If you enjoy history minced and deep-fried into a comedic twist of pirates in Victorian London served to you on a silver platter, then The Pirates! Band of Misfits will be an approximate one and a half hours of British-made fun. Although the film lacks in originality and contains some minor inconsistencies, it takes a different perspective to a historical period of time, creating a hilarious plot enjoyable for viewers of all ages.

Reflecting the crafts of animation classic Wallace and Gromit, the movie splices together comedy, animation, and history. After a brief opening scene when Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton) introduces her insanity at a potentially mahogany table’s expense, it’s “welcome to the world of pirates”, where ham nite’s the favorite pastime and a dodo’s the favorite parrot. The pirate captain, known as Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant), leads his motley crew on a series of adventures to prove himself worthy of becoming Pirate of the Year. More accurately termed misadventures, their endeavors at sea reveal the forever-alone clean-shaven Charles Darwin (David Tennant), his sign-holding monkey Mr. Bobo, and Victoria’s steel-plated fashion sense along with her obsession over exotic dishes. Somehow, the plot comes to depend upon the adored dodo, Polly, and of course, the good old-fashioned morals always interred in a bunch of ragtag plunderers.

While the unimaginative plot may not be a breath of fresh air, the animation stands its ground among its more realistic counterparts. The comically large hands and meticulous attention to detail are reminiscent of Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit age, and each frame reflects the painstaking work done by the artists, even with digital aid. Also, the voicing of the characters brings out their three dimensional traits. Speaking with Victorian London accents, the voice actors fit their clay dolls’ array of facial expressions with spectacular accuracy, articulating every punch line. Their ludicrous accents only enhance the buffoonery, meshing beautifully with the farce weaved into the script.

Above all, Pirates! is a family movie. It features jokes scattered all over the spectrum, with rude slapstick humor prevalent for the younger viewers and historical gags for the adults to feel smug over. After all, it’s not everyday you see Jane Austen on the arm of the Elephant Man. Or Queen Victoria wielding swords, for that matter.