Pirates (1986)

25% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
48% of users liked it
(10,216 ratings)

Although the title evokes a swashbuckling adventure, Roman Polanski's Pirates tuns out to be a seagoing tale with a bit of a difference. Captain Red (Walter Matthau) runs a hardy pirate ship with the able assistance of Frog, a dashing young French sailor (Cris Campion). One day Capt. Red is captured… More Although the title evokes a swashbuckling adventure, Roman Polanski's Pirates tuns out to be a seagoing tale with a bit of a difference. Captain Red (Walter Matthau) runs a hardy pirate ship with the able assistance of Frog, a dashing young French sailor (Cris Campion). One day Capt. Red is captured and taken aboard a Spanish galleon, but thanks to his inventiveness, he raises the crew to mutiny, takes over the ship, and kidnaps the daughter of the governor of Maracaibo (Charlotte Lewis, soon to co-star in The Golden Child opposite Eddie Murphy). The question is, can he keep this pace up? ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Play Trailer

Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 2 hr. 4 min.
Directed By: Roman Polanski
Written By: Gérard Brach, John Brownjohn, Roman Polanski
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure

In Theaters: Jul 1, 1986 Wide
Studio: Cannon Film Distributors

Critic Reviews

Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The joke lies in the contrast between the beauty of Polanski's framing and the scurvy visuals being framed
Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily
If Roman Polanski has done a worse film than Pirates I certainly haven't seen it.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Uneven, misunderstood Polanski film deserving another look.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

A.D. V

Quirky, uneven comedy that coming from Polanski I expected a little bit more out of. Now I understand why it doesn't have a legitimite release on DVD.
Pierluigi P

An atypical and charming adventure. It's great to see an auteur like Polanski shaping his vision no matter what genre or tone he's in, but in this case he forgot to apply a little more carefree attitude. some parts are great but still most of the film lacks sparkle and… More
An atypical and charming adventure. It's great to see an auteur like Polanski shaping his vision no matter what genre or tone he's in, but in this case he forgot to apply a little more carefree attitude. some parts are great but still most of the film lacks sparkle and rhythm. Walter Matthau is amazingly cool in his role of a greedy, filthy and wisecracking old pirate.
xGary X

This Polanski pirate adventure bombed at the box office and was slated by critics, but I actually found it great fun. It was probably the first to deconstruct the classic swashbuckler, showing the grimier, more seedy side of piracy. It has loads of humour and period detail in a… More
This Polanski pirate adventure bombed at the box office and was slated by critics, but I actually found it great fun. It was probably the first to deconstruct the classic swashbuckler, showing the grimier, more seedy side of piracy. It has loads of humour and period detail in a similar vein to Richard Lester's The Three Musketeers and Walther Matthau is always great fun to watch. Think of it as "the adventures of Jack Sparrow's dad"!
Dimitris S

Chaotic.Polanski is struggling to control a big extravaganza of immoral surrealism,but my objection stands as to the absence of any point at all.I must give credit to the baffling satire e.g. pirates less smart than a molecule,our hero as a sinister bargainer and the obvious irony of… More
Chaotic.Polanski is struggling to control a big extravaganza of immoral surrealism,but my objection stands as to the absence of any point at all.I must give credit to the baffling satire e.g. pirates less smart than a molecule,our hero as a sinister bargainer and the obvious irony of them all.Mixed feelings but overall a sassy "adventure" film. Hey,we all have our guilty pleasures,don't we?
Alex F

Awful. I'll never understand how could Polanski do this.

Cast

            Walter Matthau as Capt. Thomas Bartholomew Red

            Damien Thomas as Don Alfonso

            Richard Pearson as Padre

            Cris Campion as Frog

            Charlotte Lewis as Dolores

            Olu Jacobs as Boumako

            David Kelly as Surgeon

            Roy Kinnear as Dutch

            Bill Fraser as Governor

            José Santamaría as Master at Arms

            Anthony Peck as Spanish Officer

            Georges Trillat as Pockmarked Sailor

            Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Moonhead

            Sydney Bromley as Drooler

            Josine Comelas as Passenger's Wife

            Richard Dieux as Spanish Officer

            Robert Dorning as Commander of Marines

            Ian Dury as Meat Hook

            Michael Elphick as Sentry

            Daniel Emilfork as Hendrik

            John Gill as Carpenter

            Jacques Maury as Spanish Officer

            Ferdinand "Ferdy" Mayne as Capt. Linares

            Bernard Musson as Passenger

            Cardew Robinson as Lawyer

            Emilio Fernandez as Angelito

            Bill Stewart as Ginge

            Raouf Ben Amor as Armoury Guard

            Angelo Casadei as Sentry

            Denis Fontayne as Sailor

            David Foxxe as Cook

            Carole Fredericks as Surprise

            Allen Horst as Fiddler

            Luc Jamati as Pepito Gonzalez

            Wladyslaw Komar as Jesus

            Bill MacCare as Jailor

            Brian Maxine as Boatswain

            Smilja Mihailovitch as New Duenna

            Georges Montillier as Duenna

            Eugeniusz Priwieziencew as Hunchback

            Antonio Spoletini as Palace Guard

            Anthony Dawson as Spanish Officer
See full cast

Pirates (1986)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

A.D. V

Pierluigi P

xGary X

Dimitris S

Alex F

Cast

Trailers & Clips

More Like This