Summary
It’s a good time to be a fan ofpirates,or at least it is in video games, thanks toLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. It’s not just that game, though as there has been a steady stream of pirate games over the past number of years,fromSkull and BonestoSea of Thieves.
The swashbuckling pirate genre has been a little dead in cinemas, though but that’s okay. There are still plenty of classics to enjoy after engaging withLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Keep that pirate momentum going and enjoy these wacky pirate adventures from all genres of film.
Castle in the Skyis one of the earlier films thatStudio Ghibli developedduring its heyday. Instead of a sea-based pirate adventure, this one takes place in the clouds, with sky pirates trying to find an ancient treasure. They’re after a girl, Sheeta, who has a crystal that can help enter the fabled floating sky city.
During her escape, Sheeta stumbles upon a young boy, Pazu, who helps keep her safe from the sky pirates and government officials trying to exploit her mysterious heritage. Even after decades, the animation in this adventure is still striking, putting some modern animated movies to shame.
Deep Rising, not to be confused with theDead Risinggame series, was a modern pirate movie from the 90s. A group of mercenaries is hired to hijack a cruise ship, but when they get on board, they find it empty. Or rather, they find sea monsters on the ship instead, devouring humans as fast as kids gobbling candy off the streets during a Fourth of July parade.
It’s a clever twist on the genre, with practical effects that still look great, if not a little cheesy. It’s more reminiscent ofYakuza: Dead SoulsthanLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, but no matter what,Deep Risingis a fun and campy pirate romp.
The Gooniesis an 80s classic and is about every kid’s dream: finding an ancient treasure map. The kids of Astoria, Oregon, discover an ancient treasure map in their backyard and quickly follow it to the entrance of a cave wherein they hope the treasure is still buried from pirates long ago.
Is it still there or is there a twist in store? Twist or not, these kids are being hunted by an evil mom and her two equally evil sons.The Gooniesis a must-see for anyone who loves 80s movies and a good pirate-based treasure hunt.
Hookis a fun adaptation ofPeter Panthat gets more flack than it deserves. Everyone looks like they’re having a blast on set, or at least the villains do, including Dustin Hoffman, who plays a pitch-perfect Captain Hook. It takes place in a world that imagines Peter, played by Robin Williams, leaving Neverland and growing up to have a family. When his kids disappear, Peter returns to Neverland and slowly regains his memories of the Lost Boys.
It’s not a swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, but it does have a nice infusion of pirates and pirate life. It’s also just good to see Williams in a movie and remember the good times of the era when he shined the most. For those curious, the video game basedHookfor the SNESwas also good, and it was produced by Sony before the PS1.
Muppet Treasure Islandmay not seem like the type of pirate movie that would appeal toLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiifans, but it might be the best selection on the list.Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiiopens with a musical number, and there are tunes sung throughout the adventure too.Muppet Treasure Islandis a straight-up musical that turns the classic novel,Treasure Island, into a wackier adventure starring the Muppets.
Despite these felt-infused puppets being made for kids, there are dark moments in the film, including multiple deaths. While Muppet fans will debate endlessly over which movie in the series is the best,Muppet Treasure Islandis certainly up there.
When it comes to pirate-based anime, there’s none more proficient thanOne Piece. There have been a lot of films, so it’s hard to narrow one down forLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaiifans to watch, which is why the latest adaptation,One Piece Film: Red, may as well get nominated. In this one, theStraw Hat Piratesattend a concert for an idol named UTA.
Soon after, they realize UTA is trapping her viewers in a dreamlike state to create a utopia where no evil pirates can exist. With great animation, flashy fight scenes, and even catchier music sung throughout, this is a good choice, albeit one whereOne Piecenewcomers will be lost when keeping track all of the ongoing character relationships.
Who knew that Disney could adapt one of their Disneyland rides into such a successful film franchise?Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearlshouldn’t have worked, but it did, raking in tons of doubloons at the box office when it premiered in 2003 and kickstarting one of the decade’s most popular film series.
The quality of the franchise after this entry is debatable, but this original tale still holds up as pirate perfection. Jack Sparrow is iconic but used sparingly, the swashbuckling is well-choreographed, and the villain, Captain Barbossa, is a mesmerizing and charismatic cutthroat. The cast overall is quite inspired, which is a huge reason as to why the adaptation worked so well.
