Our Flag Means Death is a comedy series that follows a group of pirates led by Rhys Darby, and let’s just say they aren’t very good at what they do.
The moment I heard about Our Flag Means Death and saw that not only is Rhys Darby starring, but Taika Waititi stars and directs, I was in. Waititi is one of the most brilliant minds in the industry, and I almost always love his work. His comedic style is the same as mine and that dry humor always make me laugh until my sides hurt.
Once the trailer for Our Flag Means Death dropped I was all in. Jam packed with some truly hilarious special guest stars, and a plot about a rich and sophisticated man, Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), who all of a sudden decided to be a pirate captain? Sign me up!
It should be noted that this review is based solely on the first five episodes of the season, and what a great start to the series it is. This ragtag group of pirates can never seem to do anything right. I don’t want to give any spoilers but each and every one of these characters has their own things going on — which for the most part, just add to the comedy and drama. The cast is very talented and I love watching them interact together in the episodes. Joel Fry, Nathan Foad, Vico Ortiz, Samba Schutte, and Samson Kayo are the biggest standouts here, but really they all bring something to the table.
That said, this series does start out a bit slow. The humor is hit or miss at first and while I understand there is a lot of world building and set up for what is to come, there are some lulls in the first two episodes. Overall they are intriguing enough and made me interested to see what is going to happen down the line — but I would be lying if I wasn’t spending the majority of my time waiting for a certain someone to show up — as much as I adore Darby.
Which brings me to my biggest issue with Our Flag Means Death — it is a few episodes before Taika Waititi‘s Blackbeard shows up. While these episodes aren’t all bad by any means, the show really takes off after he arrives in episode 3. Rhys Darby and Waititi have worked together a lot in the past, and they are always a joy to watch together. They play off each other very well, especially in these roles, and it is nearly impossible not to crack up during their conversations.
There are a lot of great comedians that are a part of this show, but it is these two that steal every single scene. They work together very well, and once Waititi showed up in the series it got infinitely better. Which isn’t to say it wasn’t an okay series in the start, because it was entertaining enough to keep me (mostly) engaged throughout the full thirty minutes, but Waititi just has a presence about him that raises the bar of those around him as well.
Guest stars include Fred Armisen, Leslie Jones, and Nick Kroll — all added into the fold perfectly, with truly hysterical storylines that fit their strengths to a T. I had a lot of fun pointing out some of my favorite comedians as the show continued on and seeing what they did to amplify the story. The majority of these cameos come along with some twists, turns, and surprises, which is always appreciated in a comedic series.
While Our Flag Means Death is definitely a comedy, there are some dramatic elements to it as well. Blackbeard and Stede have more in common than they could ever imagine, and the longer they spend time together, the more this is obvious to the audience, but perhaps not to them.
Related: An Interview with Taika Waititi
Of course this is a series about pirates so there is a bit of violence, blood, and even some gore. It doesn’t go over the top, in my opinion, in fact — it could have used a bit more. Although to be fair, I love gore and blood and violence when done right so I will almost always want more.
Our Flag Means Death takes a little while to get going, but once Waititi and Darby are allowed to share the screen together, the fun doesn’t stop. By the end of the fifth episode, I was all in and am eager to see what is going to happen next.
Rating: 3 out of 5
About Our Flag Means Death
The unique new comedy is loosely based on the true adventures of 18th century would-be pirate, Stede Bonnet, played by Rhys Darby. After trading in his comfortable life for one of a buccaneer, Stede becomes captain of a pirate ship, but struggles to earn the respect of his potentially mutinous crew. Stede’s fortunes change after a fateful run-in with the infamous Captain Blackbeard, played by Taika Waititi.
The Max Original comedy series, Our Flag Means Death is streaming March 3 on HBO Max.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.