The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything:
A VeggieTales Movie

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mike Nawrocki
Produced by David Pitts
Phil Vischer
Mike Nawrocki
Paula Marcus
Written by Phil Vischer
Starring Phil Vischer
Mike Nawrocki
Tim Hodge
Cam Clarke
Yuri Lowenthal
Laura Gerow
Alan Lee
Music by Kurt Heinecke
Edited by John Wahba
Production
company
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • January 11, 2008 (2008-01-11)
Running time
 85 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $15 million
Box office $13.2 million

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie is a 2008 American computer-animated family adventure comedy film directed by Mike Nawrocki and written by Phil Vischer. Produced by Big Idea, Inc. and Starz Animation, it is the second film featuring characters from the VeggieTales video series, and was also the first theatrically released computer-animated film to be distributed by Universal Pictures, who would later gain ownership of the VeggieTales franchise through the 2016 acquisition of DreamWorks Animation.

Plot

After attacking and boarding one of the Kingdom of Monterria's ships, the pirate Robert the Terrible captures the Prince Alexander and sends his men in search of Princess Eloise. Eluding the pirates, Eloise and her servant Willory (Archibald Asparagus) emerge and send a device that the king made, called a "Helpseeker," to find heroes to save Alexander.

In modern times, three misfits: the "yes man" George (Pa Grape), the lazy Sedgewick (Mr. Lunt), and the timid Elliot (Larry the Cucumber) are employees at a dinner theater. Although they want to be seen as heroes by their loved ones, as lowly cabin boys they think their dream is unattainable. After wrecking the show, they are fired and thrown into the alley, where the Helpseeker transports them to Monterria.

Meeting Eloise and Willory, the group sets off to Jolly Joe's Tavern where they learn that Robert has kidnapped the prince in the hopes of exacting revenge on the king. Setting sail in search of the whereabouts of Robert's hideout, Robert's men capture Eloise and Willory. The trio pursue the pirates, but not before running from living cheese curls (which results in Sedgewick overcoming his laziness) and a family of rock monsters.

Arriving at a hidden bay outside of Robert's fortress, the trio are attacked by a giant serpent. However, Elliot realizes the guardian is actually a mechanical device and is able to shut the machine down from inside and save his friends. Once inside Robert's fortress, George, Sedgewick, and Elliot rescue the prince and princess but are confronted by Robert. Finding his self-respect, George uses a chandelier to knock Robert down and the group escapes through the fortress's cistern with Robert in hot pursuit. Back in the bay, Robert's ship opens fire on the group's small boat, but the king arrives, sinks Robert's ship and rescues the group.

After receiving medals from the king, the Helpseeker returns Elliot, George, and Sedgewick to the restaurant. Unbeknownst to them, Robert has stowed away on their trip back and attacks the dinner theater set and Sir Frederick, mistaking him for George. In a final showdown, the trio defeats Robert and sends him back to his own time. The audience cheers wildly as they earn the respect they had desired. Offered a second chance to be in the show, Elliot, George, and Sedgewick refuse and leave to pursue adventure elsewhere as the Helpseeker blinks once again.

Cast

Production

Phil Vischer completed the script for this film in 2002 (before Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released). But because of the bankruptcy and buyout of assets of Big Idea Productions, the film wasn't able to start production until late 2005.

The animation was done by Starz Animation in Canada in associates with Big Idea, Inc. in America.

Reception

On the critical response aggregation website Metacritic, The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything received a score of 49/100 based on 13 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 39% rating based on 33 reviews.[1] The consensus on Rotten Tomatoes said, "This Veggietale should please the youngest crowds, but the silly script will tire the more discerning viewer." Despite the mixed reaction, users on the site were more favorable with a 62% rating. The film earned $12.7 million for Universal Studios out of an estimated $15 million budget.[2] The film was released on DVD on October 14, 2008.

The VeggieTales characters (left to right) of Mr. Lunt, Pa Grape, and Larry the Cucumber on the main stage at the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers during the Celebrate Freedom 2007 concert on September 1, 2007 dressed in costume for the promotion of the film.

Songs

References

  1. ↑ "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie, Box Office, IMDb
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