What a botch. Movies like this really put a stake through the heart of the "Director as auteur" theory. I don't think any director of the first rank made crap as bad as this and "What." Yet, "Chinatown" is a masterpiece. Go figure.
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"Why do people always laugh in the wrong places?:
--Elvyn Mulwray
Who is or isn´t an "auteur" isn´t defined by the quality of their work (which is sort of subjective anyway). And Pirates, although not exactly a very good movie, is pretty ´Polanskian´ overall so no stakes through hearts here.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
That doesn't really make sense. A brilliant author could write a bad book or a composer could compose a bad piece. A singular artistic vision is not always, if ever, the only factor when any piece of work is being created.
Also if what you were saying were true then surely every film by a specific auteur would be of the exact same quality, which is an irrational expectation.
This is glue. Strong stuff. - Elwood Blues
This movie is extremely brilliant, one of the best, most watchable, most enjoyable pirate films ever. 'Pirates' is extremely Polanskian in every detail, every movement of the camera, every movement of the actors; it all glides seamlessly with a comic/dreamy/nightmarish flare that only Polanski is capable of weaving onto celluloid.
Polanski is a master of creating a tipsy, balancing act that's always on the verge of collapse yet manages to stay upright despite the chaos of the universe; I believe that 'Pirates' best exemplifies this quality more than any other Polanski film.
I might also add that 'Pirates' was a Polanski's dream project** and a worthy companion piece to his 'Dance of the Vampires' masterpiece from 1967.
Critics be damned. Pure cinematic bliss.
(**Polanski's first visit to Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride inspired him to make this film.)