The Pirates! Band of Misfits (Columbia Pictures)

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Not to be confused with Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean series, the new animated film The Pirates! Band of Misfits is sure to be a candidate as one of the top animated films of the year.

It’s from Aardman Studios, which brought us the award-winning Wallace & Gromit, and Chicken Run. Its films contain British humor that is both witty, smart, and clever. It will give both kids and adults something to go see just in time for the summer movie season.

A group of bumbling pirates led by their leader, the Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) which sailed the seven seas, was not successful in their quest for gold. The Captain’s dream is to win the coveted "Pirate of the Year" which is awarded to the pirate with the best loot.

The award is often won by some of his rivals like Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek). But this year, the Captain is more determined than ever to win this award with the help of his pirate crew including his #2 pirate (Martin Freeman).

Luck comes his way when the Captain captures Charles Darwin (David Tennant) who wants the Captain’s pet dodo to help him win "Scientist of the Year in London." The Captain agrees to bring Darwin to London in hopes of stealing the city’s gold, but he has to deal with the pirate-hating Queen Victoria (Imelda Staunton) who has something else in mind for the dodo.

This movie supplies enough humor and action to keep the viewer entertained, and the action is explosive. The animation is high-quality, and it’s well-enhanced by the eye-popping 3D, which adds a comedic effect, including stuff like flying food.

If you’ve been waiting for a 3D film for a hilarious fun ride, then this film is for you.

The voice acting is also on par with the studio’s other films. Grant sinks himself in the role of Pirate Captain with such showmanship not usually seen in his live-action comedies.

Staunton, who plays Queen Victoria is an over-the-top power-hungry pirate-hating dictator, while Tennant provides great bits of comic relief alongside the character’s pet monkey with a knack for speaking with signs. Other notable appearances include Anton Yelchin as the Albino Pirate, Brendan Gleeson as the Gout Pirate, and Brian Blessed (equally over-the-top) as the Pirate King.