TROUBLED adventurer, morally ambiguous and with more than a hint of darkness, Sinbad is one of mythology's greatest anti-heroes... so what the hell is he doing as an animated silver screen saint?

The scourge of the seven seas, happy pirate Sinbad (voiced by Brad Pitt) and his band of lovable cut-throats are looking forward to comfortable retirement on the island of Fiji, but first they need to carry out one last daring raid. Their mission is to steal the Book of Peace that has kept Syracuse in profitable peace for the last thousand years. Sinbad plans on stealing it and holding his former home city to ransom, but reckons without it being guarded by his childhood friend, Prince Proteus (Joseph Fiennes).

But events overtake Sinbad's original scheme as he and Proteus are forced to fight side by side to defeat a vast sea monster sent by Eris (Michelle Pfeiffer), the goddess of dischord, who ends up framing Sinbad for the theft of the book. So convinced is Proteus of his old friend's innocence though, he places his life on the line to afford Sinbad the chance to get the book back.

Once at sea - and with Marina (Catherine Zeta-Jones), Proteus' intended, in tow - Sinbad sails to the end of the ocean and beyond to enter the realm of Eris and redeem his tainted soul.

It's a big story packed with incident and plenty of amazing creatures that the animators - from Spielberg's DreamWorks stable - have done well to realise, arguably at the expense of the main characters which tend to be a little sketchy. The dialogue brings some great banter to the surface; the funny bits are, well, funny; and Sinbad's crewmen add some much-needed personality as the main players' motives become ever more defiantly honourable as the story progresses.

And, best of all, there isn't a single syrupy song to interrupt proceedings.

In short, everything is as it should be; buckles are properly swashed and thighs heartily slapped as Sinbad's life on the ocean wave is brought to a new generation of thrill seekers.

NICK CHURCHILL

See it at UCI, Odeon

UCI has a pirate theme fun day on Saturday (July 26). Youngsters who come to see Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas in pirate fancy dress on Saturday will be entered into a competition, with prizes for the best dressed pirate at every screening.