Pirates: 3D Show

I believe this is also the film that is used in the Pirate 4D show at Thorpe park, just outside of London. Rumours over the past few years have suggested it is to be replaced, but it has not been yet. A fun family entertainer, that has lost its ability to surprise due to being around too long. It contains a number of extra effects in addition to the usual 3D displays such as buzzing seats and water squirted at you in synchronisation to the film. The overall experience is good, and the presence of well known stars such as Leslie Nielsen (the king of spoof), and Monty Python's finest, Eric Idle, add to the credibility, but with them both playing supportive roles to a young boy, this does little to add to the depth of the characters. In truth, it is a real short, made to entertain theme park guests, and as such should not be compared to a movie or TV show, but if it is to be compared, then the acting is very cardboardy and lacking in any conviction.

Pirates 4D (as it is called over here in the U.K.) is the latest attraction to be found at the London theme park Thorpe Park. For 15 fun packed minutes the audience are literally transported into the movie, with a whole host of effects to keep the entire family happy. Bats, Bees and spiders all seem to come out of the screen and terrify everybody! The plot itself is very simple Captain Lucky (Leslie Nielsen)and his crew of no good pirates (including Eric Idle in long wig) venture to an exotic island to find the customary treasure. Unfortunately a young boy with a vengeance has other ideas! Warning you are guaranteed to get soaked to the bone at this attraction!

I agree Pirates 4D isn't completely brilliant. I loved it though first time when I went to Thorpe Park, but the next time I wasn't as impressed. The sets and costumes are colourful, it goes at a good pace and the music was decent. And the effects are good, such as the buzzing seats and the water, and the acting of Leslie Nielson and Eric Idle is credible. The most memorable parts were the talking parrot, who was hilarious, and the bees, since I have a phobia of bees and wasps I was screaming hysterically. However, the story is nothing special and the writing is a little crummy. Also the characters lack depth and the film ends rather abruptly. Overall, it is worthwhile but it could have been better at the same time. 6/10 Bethany Cox

I saw the movie as part of the 'Pirate 4-D' attraction at Thorpe Park, England. It was preceded, while everybody was filling up the auditorium, by a talking parrot doll at the front that gave out the usual safety brief, etc.

The parrot was, unfortunately, soon to be demonstrated to be the most amusing part of the show.

Okay, so the 3-D element of the 15 minute 'spectacular' was actually pretty good. There's a couple of 3-D wasps that fly at you and they're all animated quite impressively. Oddly enough, the water jets, wind jets and moving seats in the auditorium that qualify it for the bizarre '4-D' part of the title work reasonably well.

But what's the point if the movie itself is abysmal? I'm not being harsh either - the acting, scripting, 'comedy', camera-work, soundtrack; it's all as wooden as the scenery. You're not supposed to want to strangle the main character (some whining boy called 'Davey'), are you?

I can accept that it is aimed at kids and therefore presumably most of the money has gone on the 'ride' aspect of the movie. But why patronize children? It's like the film-makers knew that nobody was really going to take the movie seriously enough to critique it, but why is that an excuse for shoddy workmanship?

Still, I did like the wasps.

This is NOT an Oscar contender, nor would anyone going to see it believe it would be. So there's no surprise there. So many prior reviews attack this on artistic merit. So what? Do you really look for artistic merit in a spectacle? Or do you look for an entertainment value from a property which isn't going to rival the classic comedies but is guaranteed to thrill and amuse your kids?

Bottom line: It's fun for the kids, it's entertaining on a physical level, and if the price isn't too steep for you it's worth the while.

Leslie Nielsen is indeed funny here - though not in a way that a typical adult will find funny - and Eric Idle is similarly amusing.

I saw it at the theater at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, NV, and found it fun and no more or less than that.