Have an ice day! It’s a parched future, and water, the galaxy’s only valuable commodity, is controlled by the evil Templars. Their only foes: a handful of daring Ice Pirates.

Spoofy-goofy comedy, otherworldly special effects, spectacular space creatures, bedraggled ‘bots, and biceps-rippling swashbuckling (swishbuckling when our heroes try to blend in with some slave eunuchs) highlight this cult fave. Robert Urich (Vegas), Mary Crosby (Dallas), Anjelica Huston (The Addams Family), and Ron Perlman (Hellboy) romp through a storyline involving a determined princess, the search for her missing father, and a lost planet awash in sweet water. The manic, concluding time-warp battle is just the ice-ing on the intergalactic cake. Dig in!

For thoughts on The Ice Pirates, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/rA5oSfcdD2k?si=mu4Yw3wP9RlwWBlW&t=1486]

Video Quality

The Ice Pirates was released on Blu-Ray in 2016 courtesy of the Warner Archive with a fetching 1080p transfer derived from a 2K scan of the Interpositive featuring some careful clean-up. This is a film bursting with color as vibrant hues shine through in the production design, costumes, and lighting choices. The transfer retains the natural film grain that does not ebb or flow in any unnatural ways. This allows for a great deal of texture to come through in the numerous aesthetically unique environments. Some of the special effects work appears dated, but given the comedic nature of the narrative, this works out quite well. This disc is in good shape as there are no signs of compression artifacts or banding to be found. Warner Archive gave this title a nice release.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a favorable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio split mono track that presents the soundscape without any issues. The first thing you will notice is the convincingly heroic score from Bruce Broughton that replicates the proper tone for this one and balances well within the mix. Dialogue is clear without being overshadowed by sound effects like weapons or other mechanical noises. This track provides a presentation free of any major blemishes or digital anomalies that would impede upon the viewing experience. This track delivers everything the narrative asks it to do. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for those who desire them.

Special Features

Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Ice Pirates is a spoof movie that is committed to the bit, and by that metric, it largely succeeds in what it is trying to accomplish. The narrative is incredibly dumb throughout, but the creative team plays into this to deliver some hearty laughs. The film has a shabby feel yet there is some care put into creating this world that is at least in the same realm as some more serious science fiction fare. This film does not have a very good reputation, but if you are looking for dumb fun, it just might hit the spot. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation but almost nothing in the way of special features. If you like cult films, try this one out. Recommended

The Ice Pirates can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.