The pirates

"The Pirates" is an entertaining and epic South Korean comedy-action film in the key of "Cutthroat Island" and "Pirates of the Caribbean". It tells the fictional tale of several groups looking for the precious and significant Ming Emperor's Seal of State which was swallowed by a giant whale. A group of mountain bandits led by a former soldier and rebel, a righteous group of pirates led by the smart woman Yeo-wol and an evil group of pirates that teams up with a pitiless army clash on their quest for fame, redemption and wealth.

Even though the story is rather predictable, the acting performances are spectacular enough to get the viewers emotionally involved. Especially Son Ye-jin convinces as tough female pirate with a strong moral compass. The various settings from spectacular fight scenes in a military camp over vivid chase sequences in a coastal village to spectacular naval battles make this movie a gripping roller-coaster ride. The colourful costumes only add to this and bring the fourteenth century to life in a mostly genuine way. The special effects are slightly exaggerated but nevertheless well-executed and the deep-sea sequences involving whales are beautiful and ethereal. This potpourri of stunning elements makes this film one of the best pirate movies in a very long time without reinventing the genre but rather focusing on its strengths in form of spectacular settings, breathtaking effects and solid acting performances.

Genre fans should ignore the uninspired sequels of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise that are childish and hollow slapstick spectacles. "The Pirates" is a creative, diversified and energizing film that offers something for every taste including spectacular fight scenes, dramatic and emotional passages, romantic relationships, some sinister suspense and a balanced dose of humoristic elements. Get your rum ready, get together with some of your friends and enjoy this stylish blockbuster with a smile upon your face.

This movie has it all... a great cast, lots of action, adventure, kick-ass pirates, a hilarious band of thieves, really nasty villains, comedy, romance, and a story about honor. It mixes true historical events with fantasy.

China has sent a royal seal and the new name for the korean nation, but the ship is wreaked in a storm and the royal seal is swallowed by a whale. Now the thieves, the pirates, and the mercenaries hired by the royal court are in a race to find the royal seal.

I love this movie and didn't want it to end.

I somehow expected this to be a slapstick comedy. Instead, it was an awesome action adventure comedy (but not slapstick). The photography and visuals are impressive, with some incredible jaw-dropping action scenes. The pirate battle scenes especially were very good! Think 'Pirates of the Caribbean' vs 'Moby Dick'. This was a truly fascinating, action-packed thrill ride and a hell of a lot of fun!!

This movie is just mindblowing. I have never seen a movie like this where pirates and bandits are bought together. When we heard the word "Bandit or pirates'' one thing that instantly comes to mind, there will be bloodshed, evil, snatching etc. But,in this movie these bandits and pirates are working to make people life better. Apart from this, Bandits vs Pirates concept is really funny where both are trying to catch a whale which swallowed a royal seal. I laugh out my heart, it was so funny and at the same time emotionally touching.

This is a mixed bag. Combining comedy with action and fantasy is not new, but I'm not sure everyone will be able to enjoy this as such. There are a few mood changes and changes in the tone of the movie, swinging from slapstick to "actual" violence (still a movie so obviously not real violence), that has consequences. The story might be confusing for some too, mixing actual history with some fictional stuff. But that's also what makes this entertaining.

All if you let yourself into this. There are some nods to other movies, even if the scenes develop differently (see a big giant wheel). The acting is nice enough, the humor working, if you allow it too (mood/tone changes again). The action is nicely choreographed and helps the movie a lot. Entertaining and fun, while even at two hours it doesn't feel stretched