Summary
Historically, pirates are meant to be fairly morally questionable figures, particularly by modern standards. After all, they’re known for stealing, killing, and committing other immoral acts to get what they want. However, that doesn’t stop them from being interesting characters, which is why there have been many movies about them.
EvenDisney, a company that generally makes movies targeted at children, isn’t afraid of including pirates in their productions. This has resulted in a lot of great characters in bothits best animated titlesand strongest live-action efforts. The following pirates are the best Disney has ever included in their flicks.
The pirates are chosen based on how good they are as characters. So, entertainment value is more important than pirate skills.
Appears In
Moana
The Kakamora are a full race of pirates instead of an individual one. But as they all act the same, you can’t really separate them. They’re all little violent coconut-shaped creatures that are armed with rudimentary tools like spears and blowpipes.
They aren’t pirates in a traditional sense, as they don’t walk around on peg legs or have hooks for hands. Yet, they do act like pirates in the sense that they attempt to steal things from unsuspecting sea-faring folks. They don’t do it stealthily, either, as they attack forcefully and in numbers. So, they’re not the nicest bunch, but their antics are funny, and they’re quite cute, which makes them better than most Disney pirates.
The Descendants movies are musicals about the offspring of classic Disney characters. Harry Hook is the son of Captain Hook. Like his father, he’s a pirate. Unlike his father, he’s not a Captain. Instead, he answers to Uma, but not begrudgingly, as he’s a loyal first mate.
His loyalty isn’t what makes him a good or interesting character, though. The reason he actually stands out is that he is very eccentric and overly flamboyant. The man does and says the most random things, and it’s hard to predict what he’s going to do next. It’s difficult not to be entertained by that.
For afilm series based on a theme park attraction, the Pirates of the Caribbean movies are generally enjoyable. And naturally, they include some excellent pirates, including Captain Barbossa. With a scarred face, messy beard, and questionable morals, Barbossa has almost everything you expect in a good pirate.
More importantly, though, he’s a captivating and entertaining character throughout all of his appearances in the Pirates of the Caribbean films. One moment, he will deliver an inspiring and powerful quote, while the next, he will say something hilarious. This pirate can do it all.
Treasure Island
Long John Silver is arguably the most famous fictional pirate ever. This is because he’s the main character of the Treasure Island novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, which has been adapted plenty of times. Disney itself has adapted the story on multiple occasions, meaning there are several Long John Silvers in the Disney universe.
Robert Newton’s version of the character from the 1950 movie is the most influential. After all, he is credited for inventing the traditional pirate voice that almost every pirate in pop culture has used since. That alone means his Long John Silver deserves to be considered among the best movie pirates. Yet, he also happens to be an engaging and memorable character.
Treasure Planet
There aren’t many female pirates in Disney movies, but there is a great one in Treasure Planet. Her name is Captain Amelia, and she could be considered one ofDisney’s best catsas well as pirates. Technically, though, she’s not a cat. She is an alien with feline features, which makes her a uniquely designed character.
Another unique aspect of Amelia is that she is much more eloquent and intellectual than the standard pirate. She doesn’t use her intellect to talk down to people. She uses it to deliver many witty and sarcastic remarks, which are often hilarious.
Not many Disney pirates have the fame or longevity as Captain Hook. He’s most known for featuring as the main antagonist in Peter Pan, but he’s also been a part of other Disney projects. In pretty much all of them, he is a ruthless and evil pirate who can sometimes be menacing.
He’s not menacing all the time, though, because he’s a bit of a buffoon and often finds himself easily thwarted by his enemies. It can be embarrassing for him, but at least it’s funny for the audience. This results in a very entertaining villain.
Muppet Treasure Island
In most Muppet productions, the Muppets are the stars of the show. But Tim Curry’s Long John Silver is the best part of Muppet’s take on Treasure Island. Like most versions of the character, he’s greedy and deceitful.
Yet, he isn’t just a cartoony villain. His strong relationship with Jim Hawkins means he’s a conflicted antagonist. This makes him a lot more compelling and adds some depth to what is otherwise a typically wacky and comical Muppets movie. So, out of all of the good versions of Long John Silver, this one is the best.
Pirates of the Caribbean is a series filled with great pirate characters. Yet, Captain Jack Sparrow is still easily the most captivating. It helps that he gets the most screen time, as he’s the protagonist of the entire series. However, even if he barely appeared in the movies, he would still likely be the standout character.
After all, he steals every scene he is in due to his bags of charisma. This is also why he remains a likable guy despite not always being the most morally righteous figure. He’s not a villain but can be greedy and selfish. But what more can you expect from a pirate?
