“Who’s bad? Sinbad!” —Sinbad
Today’s quick review: Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. Sinbad (Brad Pitt), a daring pirate, faces execution when Eris (Michelle Pfeiffer), the goddess of chaos, frames him for stealing the Book of Peace. Sinbad’s friend Proteus (Joseph Fiennes) steps in to save his life, buying him ten days to recover the stolen book. Accompanied by Marina (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a diplomat who dreams of the sea, Sinbad sails to Tartarus to confront Eris.
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is an animated family fantasy adventure. The story follows a dashing but self-centered pirate as he embarks on a dangerous journey to save his friend. The movie features swashbuckling action, a solidly constructed story, and a setting assembled from the myths and places of the ancient world. It also benefits from top-notch voice acting from Brad Pitt, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and especially Michelle Pfeiffer.
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas hits the nail on the head with its characters, setting, and story. The core of the movie is the question of whether Sinbad is actually a good man or as selfish as he appears to be. This provide the glue that holds together his quest to steal the Book back from Eris, his long-dormant friendship with Proteus, and his budding relationship with Marina. The result is a simple but effective tale of friendship and loyalty.
The setting drips with adventure. Set in a fictionalized version of the ancient Mediterranean, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas takes place in a world where magic is a fact of life, monsters devour unwary sailors, and the open sea is always calling. The action plays into this theme quite nicely, with whirling choreography that makes great use of the swords, knives, ropes, and improvised weaponry Sinbad and his crew have at their disposal.
The one thing Sinbad is missing is a defining feature to call its own. Everything the movie gets right fits a little too neatly into the whole. There is no breakout character to shake up the formula, no set piece to put a new perspective on the genre, and no comedy sequence that stands out from the rest of the movie. As such, it is hard to latch onto anything particular about the film, ultimately making it less memorable than its quality deserves.
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is a simple, refreshing adventure that makes great use of its animated medium. It is missing the standout qualities of some of its animated rivals, but it still manages to find a niche of its own as an optimistic, action-packed adventure with a fair amount of fantasy. Give it a shot if you have a taste for earnest adventure. Steer clear if you’re looking for something unexpected.
For another animated adventure in the same style, try The Road to El Dorado. For an animated fantasy movie with a focus on mythology, try Hercules. For a life-action pirate adventure with an elaborate world, swashbuckling action, and a dash of comedy, try Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. For another mythological adventure, try Clash of the Titans.
[6.7 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165982/). I give it a 7.0 for polished animation and an adventurous story.