Pirates: 3D Show (1999) User Reviews

Still running at BGE

[campdcatering · 7/10 · 2 February 2008]

This short comedy is still running at the Globe Theater, London at Busch Gardens Europe, Williamsburg, VA. It's typical Nielson pratfalls and buffoonery, but nonetheless humorous and the kids love it.

I've seen the show about a dozen times or so, usually when its raining or too hot to schlep through the park with the crowds. The venue provides a nice respite from the rest of the park during our sweltering VA summer heat.

As far as I know, Pirates 4-D is still on the bill for this summer. ('08) There are some other new things at the park (I'm not allowed to disclose, they made me sign a no release form) but I'm sure they're sure to be great.

See you at the park!

Not Bad

[harrytrue · 6/10 · 20 October 2005]

"Pirates 3D/4D" is not one of Leslie Neilsons' best, but it is a good show. It is about 20 minutes, but the special effects save it from being a waste of money.

If you're scared of spiders, do not see it. You'll freak.

Pirate movies have made a comeback, and this is one of them.

I saw this movie in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. It may still be playing there. It also was playing at the Luxor, in Las Vegas. I don't know if it is still playing.

If you like special effects that put you in the middle of the action, see it. It's just a short waste of time. If you don't like special effects, they will not save you from thinking that you wasted your money.

Not bad, considering the genre

[Neal-17 · 5/10 · 9 August 2005]

This is NOT an Oscar contender, nor would anyone going to see it believe it would be. So there's no surprise there. So many prior reviews attack this on artistic merit. So what? Do you really look for artistic merit in a spectacle? Or do you look for an entertainment value from a property which isn't going to rival the classic comedies but is guaranteed to thrill and amuse your kids?

Bottom line: It's fun for the kids, it's entertaining on a physical level, and if the price isn't too steep for you it's worth the while.

Leslie Nielsen is indeed funny here - though not in a way that a typical adult will find funny - and Eric Idle is similarly amusing.

I saw it at the theater at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, NV, and found it fun and no more or less than that.

funny!!

[RavenMist7 · 12 January 2004]

When I used to work for the former Sea World Cleveland I would see this show every time I went to the park on my day off. I've probably seen it well over a dozen times (in just two months!). Though we all called it Pirates 4D, because it was a 4D show, not just 3D. I loved it and couldn't get enough! By the time I moved to VA the showing of Pirates 4D had already been replaced with the RL Stine show, which was a very big disappointment. If I could I would go see Pirates over and over again still! I still have my pen from Sea World with the Pirates 4D logo on it. Great cast, great humor, great for everyone! If given the chance, go see it and have fun! You won't be disappointed.

Decent fun

[TheLittleSongbird · 6/10 · 27 September 2010]

I agree Pirates 4D isn't completely brilliant. I loved it though first time when I went to Thorpe Park, but the next time I wasn't as impressed. The sets and costumes are colourful, it goes at a good pace and the music was decent. And the effects are good, such as the buzzing seats and the water, and the acting of Leslie Nielson and Eric Idle is credible. The most memorable parts were the talking parrot, who was hilarious, and the bees, since I have a phobia of bees and wasps I was screaming hysterically. However, the story is nothing special and the writing is a little crummy. Also the characters lack depth and the film ends rather abruptly. Overall, it is worthwhile but it could have been better at the same time. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Speechless.

[marian_the_librarian · 2/10 · 24 March 2006]

It wasn't totally awful, but I wouldn't tell anyone they have to see it. Its miss-able. First of all, I saw it today at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and its mad old. Half the cast are dead. The water and other "4-D" effects are stupid. The acting, writing...everything was pretty bad. The only thing that saved this attraction was Eric Idle. As always, he was wonderfully entertaining. The French accent brought me back to "The Meaning Of Life" waiter. Eric is that man, but I still wouldn't waste any more than a minute waiting in line for this disappointment, and even then it may not be worth the 15 minutes of sitting when you could be on a roller coaster.

Best 3-D Show at Theme Parks

[midwavepm · 10/10 · 29 December 2002]

I've now seen this film over 6 times, and I can't get enough of it! I wonder if they're will ever be a sequel to this great 3-D film that shows at our Six Flags Worlds of Adventure in Aurora, OH (Cleveland area)

Loved the 4d version

[jphoward422 · 10/10 · 17 July 2020]

I loved whenever they had the 4d version at the globe theater at Busch Gardens Williamsburg growing up as a kid

Its a bad sign when a talking parrot's more entertaining.

[fearsome_angel · 27 June 2004]

I saw the movie as part of the 'Pirate 4-D' attraction at Thorpe Park, England. It was preceded, while everybody was filling up the auditorium, by a talking parrot doll at the front that gave out the usual safety brief, etc.

The parrot was, unfortunately, soon to be demonstrated to be the most amusing part of the show.

Okay, so the 3-D element of the 15 minute 'spectacular' was actually pretty good. There's a couple of 3-D wasps that fly at you and they're all animated quite impressively. Oddly enough, the water jets, wind jets and moving seats in the auditorium that qualify it for the bizarre '4-D' part of the title work reasonably well.

But what's the point if the movie itself is abysmal? I'm not being harsh either - the acting, scripting, 'comedy', camera-work, soundtrack; it's all as wooden as the scenery. You're not supposed to want to strangle the main character (some whining boy called 'Davey'), are you?

I can accept that it is aimed at kids and therefore presumably most of the money has gone on the 'ride' aspect of the movie. But why patronize children? It's like the film-makers knew that nobody was really going to take the movie seriously enough to critique it, but why is that an excuse for shoddy workmanship?

Still, I did like the wasps.

better

[call960 · 9/10 · 19 February 2006]

This is SO much better than that Haunted Lighthouse movie. The 3-D effects look great. It's probably due to the bright images used throughout the film. It's also nice that the film is only 16 or so minutes long. I think that is long enough for a theme park presentation. Eric Idle did a good job with the corny pirate dialog, and Leslie Nielson did his usual bumbling best. Also, it was nice to see Rodney Dangerfield in the show, even though it was only a cameo appearance. I hope that the crew that put this film together will someday present another 3-D movie. Also, it's possible that there is more than one version of this film, as I have heard people comment that they don't remember Rodney Dangerfield in the picture.

Seen at Thorpe Park

[skj72 · 16 May 2006]

I've gone to this loads of times at Thorpe Park and although sometimes the effects haven't worked I use it as a bit of a break after Lunch before tackling the roller coasters...

The acting is a little bit wooden and it's not really meant to "thrill" you but I do find the wasps a bit creepy and pretty much always take the glasses off at that point!

Anyways if you're seeing it at Thorpe Park don't go in expecting a masterpiece and I do strongly recommend using it as a "food going down" session... Puking isn't much fun at the best of times if you plan on going on colossus straight after lunch!

Pirates 4D

[james-clewer · 24 October 2006]

I believe this is also the film that is used in the Pirate 4D show at Thorpe park, just outside of London. Rumours over the past few years have suggested it is to be replaced, but it has not been yet. A fun family entertainer, that has lost its ability to surprise due to being around too long. It contains a number of extra effects in addition to the usual 3D displays such as buzzing seats and water squirted at you in synchronisation to the film. The overall experience is good, and the presence of well known stars such as Leslie Nielsen (the king of spoof), and Monty Python's finest, Eric Idle, add to the credibility, but with them both playing supportive roles to a young boy, this does little to add to the depth of the characters. In truth, it is a real short, made to entertain theme park guests, and as such should not be compared to a movie or TV show, but if it is to be compared, then the acting is very cardboardy and lacking in any conviction.

Hilarious 15 minutes of pure fun

[Glenn-22 · 18 June 1999]

Pirates 4D (as it is called over here in the U.K.) is the latest attraction to be found at the London theme park Thorpe Park. For 15 fun packed minutes the audience are literally transported into the movie, with a whole host of effects to keep the entire family happy. Bats, Bees and spiders all seem to come out of the screen and terrify everybody! The plot itself is very simple Captain Lucky (Leslie Nielsen)and his crew of no good pirates (including Eric Idle in long wig) venture to an exotic island to find the customary treasure. Unfortunately a young boy with a vengeance has other ideas! Warning you are guaranteed to get soaked to the bone at this attraction!