Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie Parent Guide
Parent Movie Review
The VeggieTales brand has gained a significant audience since their humble beginning as a series of half-hour home videos illustrating biblical stories using talking vegetables as characters. Created by mastermind Phil Vischer—a witty nerd with Christian principles who was smitten by computer animation during the art form’s earliest years—the franchise was growing faster than potatoes in Idaho until a deal went sour and left the parent company financially destitute.
Since the reorganization, plots in the animated garden are somewhat less overtly religious, yet they still carry a thoughtful message about doing good things. Thus The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything won’t feel like a Sunday sermon, but you can still expect a moral about finding the courage and determination to make good choices and work together to solve problems.
The story involves three veggie characters that, thanks to a “Silly Song” in one of those early videos—have become known as The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. The slothful seafarers open this movie working as “cabin boys” (a fancy term for bus boys) in a themed dinner theater featuring (quoting a term from the original song) a piratey performance.
In spite of their dreary jobs, they dream of one day taking the stage and becoming part of the production. Unfortunately they are missing more than just acting skills. George (Pa Grape) has an abundance of good ideas but lacks the courage to put any of them into action. Fearful Elliot (Larry the Cucumber) keeps an ongoing list of his paranoia and lazy Sedgewick (Mr. Lunt) is just pennies away from having to move back in with his parents.
Botching their one chance to prove they have what it takes to entertain the eaters, the dejected trio begins their walk home when suddenly a golden orb appears. A push of the object’s flashing button sends them on a journey where they will be forced to overcome their self-imposed limitations and eventually ripen into the vegetables they were intended to become.
Not surprisingly, there is little here for parents to fear, other than some swashbuckling action of the very mildest sort. Cannonballs do fly in a battle scene, and there are a few moments of mild peril (involving cheese curls and sea monsters) that may incite fear in the very youngest of viewers. One secondary character also appears to die from drowning.
It’s good to see Larry and the gang back in fine form. And although the biblical references have nearly disappeared, Phil Vischer’s cool-as-a-cucumber wit is evident in many scenes giving this film a good chance at getting some serious green at the box office.
Starring Mike Nawrocki, Phil Vischer. Theatrical release January 10, 2008. Updated March 31, 2009
Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie
Rating & Content Info
Why is Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie rated G? Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie is rated G by the MPAA
A theatrical version of the popular VeggieTales series, there is little content in this G-rated animated film to prohibit viewing for nearly any age. Some mild swashbuckling action includes a short battle between two ships with cannonballs flying through the air. In another scene, cannonballs hit and sink a ship, with a crewmember appearing to drown. Sea monsters, rock monsters and other strange critters may cause some momentary fear for the youngest of viewers and characters are in peril on various occasions. Two children are kidnapped and vaguely threatened. In what appears to be a rustic saloon, pirate characters are depicted drinking from beer steins but it is clearly indicated they are drinking root beer.
Page last updated March 31, 2009
Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie Parents' Guide
This movie says, “A hero is the one who, no matter how hard, does what he knows is right.” How does this statement differ from the types of heroes we often see portrayed in media?
The three main characters in this film are all given opportunities to overcome their fears thanks to being presented with a difficult, yet achievable, challenge. Do you see your challenges as opportunities to grow? How does our attitude toward adversity alter our ability to cope with difficult circumstances?
Home Video
The most recent home video release of Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything: A Veggie Tales Movie movie is October 13, 2008. Here are some details…
DVD Release Date: 14 October 2008
The Pirates Who DonÕt Do Anything A VeggieTales Movie sails onto the home video market with the following bonus extras in its wake: an extended ending (Deja Grape), featurettes (What Makes a Hero, Out to Sea, Family Treasure Adventure and a Parents Guide) and behind-the-scenes peeks (Making a Veggie Pirate Movie, Why We Do It, Art Gallery, How to Draw, Character Commentary and Studio Commentary). There are also interactive Fun & Games, like Pirate Singalong, Treasure Detector Game, Pirates Trivia, Pirates 101, Fashion Plank Game and an Interactive Storybook. Audio tracks are available in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (English), with subtitles in English.
Related home video titles:
Another group of fearful characters find the courage they lack in the Wizard of Oz. The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything have also appeared in other productions of theVeggieTales franchise, including Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie and VeggieTales: The Ultimate Silly Song Countdown.