Summary
- Pirate games are thriving in the video game world, from Skull and Bones to Sea of Thieves.
- Explore classic pirate adventures in film like The Goonies, Hook, and Muppet Treasure Island.
- Consider watching One Piece Film: Red for a captivating anime pirate experience with the Straw Hat Pirates.
It's a good time to be a fan of pirates, or at least it is in video games, thanks to Like 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, from Skull and Bones to Sea 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 with Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Keep that pirate momentum going and enjoy these wacky pirate adventures from all genres of film.
7 Castle In The Sky
A Studio Ghibli Classic
Castle in the Sky
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- August 2, 1986
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 125 minutes
- Director
- Hayao Miyazaki
- Studio(s)
Castle in the Sky is one of the earlier films that Studio Ghibli developed during 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.
6 Deep Rising
A Pirate Robbery Gone Wrong
Deep Rising
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- February 2, 1998
- Runtime
- 106 Minutes
- Director
- Stephen Sommers
- Cast
- Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, Anthony Heald, Wes Studi, Jason Flemyng, Djimon Hounsou
Deep Rising, not to be confused with the Dead Rising game 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 of Yakuza: Dead Souls than Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii, but no matter what, Deep Rising is a fun and campy pirate romp.
5 The Goonies
Never Say Die
The Goonies
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- June 7, 1985
- Runtime
- 114 minutes
- Director
- Richard Donner
- Cast
- Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Ke Huy Quan, John Matuszak, Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, Anne Ramsey, Lupe Ontiveros, Mary Ellen Trainor, Keith Walker, Curt Hanson, Steve Antin, Paul Tuerpe, George Robotham, Charles McDaniel, Elaine Cohen McMahon, Michael Paul Chan, Nick McLean, Bill Bradley, Jeb Stuart Adams
The Goonies is 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 Goonies is a must-see for anyone who loves 80s movies and a good pirate-based treasure hunt.
4 Hook
Rufiooooooo!
Hook
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 10, 1991
- Runtime
- 142 minutes
- Director
- Steven Spielberg
- Cast
- Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Caroline Goodall
Hook is a fun adaptation of Peter Pan that 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 based Hook for the SNES was also good, and it was produced by Sony before the PS1.
3 Muppet Treasure Island
Boom Shakalaka
Muppet Treasure Island
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- February 16, 1996
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Tim Curry, Billy Connolly, Jennifer Saunders, Kevin Bishop, Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Kevin Clash
- Runtime
- 100 Minutes
- Director
- Brian Henson
Muppet Treasure Island may not seem like the type of pirate movie that would appeal to Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii fans, but it might be the best selection on the list. Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii opens with a musical number, and there are tunes sung throughout the adventure too. Muppet Treasure Island is 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 Island is certainly up there.
2 One Piece Film: Red
A Pop Idol’s Dream
One Piece Film: Red
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- August 6, 2022
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Shūichi Ikeda, Kaori Nazuka, Akemi Okamura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hirata, Ikue Ôtani, Yuriko Yamaguchi, Kazuki Yao, Chō, Katsuhisa Houki, Kenjiro Tsuda, Yûki Yamada, Soshina, Seiya, Chise Niitsu, Yûki Kaji, Houko Kuwashima, Aruno Tahara, Jin Domon, Michitaka Kobayashi, Kenichi Ono, Bin Shimada, Issei Futamata, Hikaru Midorikawa, Jouji Nakata, Shirou Saitou, Hiroshi Kamiya, Yasuhiro Takato, Reina Ueda, Showtaro Morikubo, Mika Doi, Kouichi Nagano, Koutarou Nakamura, Shinichiro Ohta, Ikuya Sawaki, Ryôtarô Okiayu, Fumihiko Tachiki, Tomokazu Seki, Seiji Sasaki, Kumiko Watanabe, Naomi Shindo, Keiichi Noda, Masato Hirano, Kenichi Ogata, Yasunori Masutani, Mami Koyama
- Runtime
- 115 Minutes
- Director
- Gorō Taniguchi
When it comes to pirate-based anime, there’s none more proficient than One Piece. There have been a lot of films, so it’s hard to narrow one down for Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii fans to watch, which is why the latest adaptation, One Piece Film: Red, may as well get nominated. In this one, the Straw Hat Pirates attend a concert for an idol named UTA.
7 Best Pirate Games Ever, Ranked
Pirate games are a surprising rarity in the current landscape, and as such, the best pirate games ever stand out from the crowd that much more.
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 where One Piece newcomers will be lost when keeping track all of the ongoing character relationships.
1 Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl
Where Has The Rum Gone?
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- July 9, 2003
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce
- Runtime
- 143 Minutes
- Director
- Gore Verbinski
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 Pearl shouldn’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.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 84%
- Released
- February 21, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Sega
