MPAA Rating: G
Genre: Computer Animates/Adventure/Family
Age range: Ages 3 and up
Runtime: Approx. 85 minutes
Starring: Voices of Mike Nawrocki, Phil Vischer, Cam Clarke, Laura Gerow
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: January 11, 2008
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie - Overview
There's trouble on the high seas way back in the 17th-century. The good king's evil pirate brother, Robert the Terrible, has taken Prince Alexander hostage and is after Princess Eloise. Thankfully, although the king is away, he has not left his children completely defenseless. Eloise uses her father's mystical "Helpseeker" to call for some heroes to come and save the day.
The Helpseeker does not choose the types of heroes everyone expected, though. In fact, the curious golden ball travels all the way to the present day and finds the three most unlikely heroes - a lazy gourd named Sedgewick (Played by VeggieTales character Mr. Lunt), a spineless grape named George (Played by Pa Grape) and a fearful cucumber named Elliot (Played by Larry the Cucumber) who work as cabin boys in a pirate-themed dinner theater.
Upon being suddenly transported back in time with nothing but a ball, a boat and a few unintelligible words of wisdom, the three veggies balk at the idea of getting involved in a dangerous adventure. But Princess Eloise's example of steadfast courage and unwavering faith leads them on - well, at least one of them. Their attempt to aid the princess and rescue Prince Alexander lands each of the three heroes in predicaments which test the weakest points of their characters and force them to make a decision between doing what is right or caving in and taking the easy way out. Although they are not alone in their quest, each veggie must take his own opportunity to discover his true character.
ROBERT THE TERRIBLE and his PIRATE CREW MEMBERS grill PRINCESS ELOISE in "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie."
Photo Credit: Universal PicturesThe Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie - Guide Review for Parents
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie can truly be described as a family movie. Rated G, the movie does not push the boundaries of its rating and in fact makes an effort to uplift viewers and teach a valuable and moral lesson. During the course of the adventure, though, the swashbuckling veggies do find themselves in several situations of peril that could be frightening or suspenseful for very young children.
The bad guy in the movie, Robert the Terrible, is a somewhat scary looking pirate with a gourd for a head and a mechanical body. Robert and his fellow pirates use swords to threaten and fight with the royal family and the heroes, and some cannons are used as well in the movie. Robert also threatens to use a bomb to kill the king. In addition to the bad pirates, the heroes run into a few other obstacles and creatures in dark places that could be unsettling for very young kids. For a more detailed description of the movie's content, see the chart below.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie - Content Overview
The following lists a few of the most prominent examples of possibly offensive content in the movie (may contain spoilers):Violence (Medium)
- Veggie pirates fight each other with swords. At times, bad pirates hold the swords to the good veggie's necks.
- Bad pirates push the Prince and knock him around a little.
- Some cannons are fired at ships, and one bomb explodes, with the threat that a similar device will be used against the king.
Sex/Nudity (None)
Profanity (None)
Alcohol/Drugs (None)
- No actual alcohol is shown, but the veggies do visit a tavern-like place where pirates are drinking root beer out of mugs and acting rowdy.
Bad/Disrespectful Behavior (Medium)
- Robert the Terrible is jealous of his brother and wants to take over the throne by any means necessary.
- At first, the heroes are lazy and fearful and don't want to help Princess Eloise. George is referred to as a loser a couple of times during the movie.
- A song sung by pirates talks about doing pirate things like pillaging and breaking noses.
Scary Scenes (Medium)
- The scenes listed under "Violence" may be scary or unsettling to children.
- Sedgewick is chased by screaming cheese curls through a dark cavern.
- Robert the Terrible keeps the prince and princess in a dungeon, where he threatens them, and a confrontation occurs when the heroes come to save them.
SEDGEWICK, GEORGE and ELLIOT defend their ship from the attack of ROBERT THE TERRIBLE and his crew in "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie."
Photo Credit: Universal PicturesSad/Unsettling Scenes (Low)
- Eloise is gravely concerned about her brother who has been captured by the dreaded pirates.
- George feels bad that his kids think he is a loser.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie - Topics to Talk About
- George feels that his kids think he is a loser. Why does he feel this way, and what does he think will change their perception of him.
- In the movie, the three main characters find out what it means to be a true hero. What does it mean and how does this perspective apply to each of us?
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything - A VeggieTales Movie - DVD Bonus Features
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything DVD contains a wealth of bonus features, even some which are actually valuable content for parents and kids (unlike many DVDs which feature virtually useless games that are annoying to play with a remote control).
The features include family activities that reinforce the values taught in the movie, behind-the-scenes segments that help kids learn about the making of the movie and even how to draw some of the characters (this feature is just awesome for kids -- both educational and fun), and games and activities. VeggieTales fans will not be disappointed with this DVD.
