Pirates of the Caribbean Movie Review:


"Pirates of the Caribbean is Pure Summer Movie Fun!"

Based on one of Disney's most popular and oldest theme park rides, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a fun-filled blockbuster from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Pirates of the Caribbean is nothing but a big popcorn movie, but nevertheless it is creative and a "pirate" movie that actually entertains.

The pirates of the ship named the Black Pearl are led by the ruthless Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). The crew of the Black Pearl have been cursed for years due to stealing the priceless Aztec gold. The curse is that Barbossa and his crew are neither dead nor alive, they have no sense of feel, and the moonlight transforms them into living skeletons. The only way for the crew to reverse the curse is to restore every coin of Aztec gold that they stole.

At the town of Port Royal, Barbossa's crew attacks the citizens and kidnaps the beautiful Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Elizabeth has the last coin needed to lift the curse hung around her neck. She received the coin from her childhood friend Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), when her father found him abandoned at sea. Hearing of Elizabeth's kidnapping, Will join forces with the unique pirate Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) to find the Black Pearl and rescue her. Sparrow does not seem to take anything serious, but does have his own past with Barbossa to deal with. The film then shifts into a non-stop action adventure with a combination of special effects and well-orchestrated sword fights.

Gore Verbinski directs the film with balance and precision, though the film is at times long-winded. Last fall, Verbinski delivered one of the creepiest films in the last decade with the sleeper horror hit The Ring (2002). He really shows his versatility as a filmmaker with his work in Pirates of the Caribbean. In working the from the script by Aladdin (1992) and Shrek (2001) writers Terry Rossio & Ted Elliott, Verbinski keeps the film entertaining by mixing elements of humor, romance and more than anything adventure. The director and writers also keep the film very "Disneyish" by having catchy one-liners, silly incidents, and showing hardly any blood. The film is PG-13, which this is the first PG-13 rated film to ever be distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. There is some violence in the film and this pirate movie is not nearly as toned down for actual youngsters as DreamWorks' recent Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003). The script itself has flaws and loopholes everywhere, but Pirates of the Caribbean is not suppose to be a thinking film, just pure fun. In relation to the all but disintegrated pirate movie genre, Pirates of the Caribbean is no Captain Blood (1935), but makes Cutthroat Island (1995) look like a sunken disaster.

Johnny Depp has a blast in his role as the persuasive yet not so bright Captain Jack Sparrow. As Sparrow, Depp is a real hoot and this performance just adds to his reputation as one of Hollywood's best character actors. Geoffrey Rush dawns the role of the villain Captain Bardossa and is great as always. The Lord of the Rings' Orlando Bloom holds his own as well as the film's central character Will Turner. Bloom is one of Hollywood's young upcoming stars that actually has a presence and some acting skills. Lastly, the lovely Keira Knightley, who was seen last in the indie hit Bend it Like Beckham, is wonderful as the film's female lead Elizabeth. At only 18 years old, Knightley commands attention on the screen, she is a star in the making.

The best aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean is the obvious homage the film pays to the popular theme park ride. There are many exact composites from scenes of the ride that are in the film. One example is the group of jailed pirates attempting to lure a dog with keys to the cell with a huge bone. Also, listen very closely to the little girl singing in the opening scene, she is singing the theme song from the ride.

Pirates of the Caribbean is not a depth-defying movie, but it is a very amusing adventure film with a splash of Disney in it.

Grade: B

07/09/03

Joseph Tucker

Shiver me, timbers! The pirate movie is back!

Throughout recent history of the silver screen putting a pirate in a major blockbuster almost meant certain doom at the box office. Hollywood has tried desperately to reinvent or resurrect the genre that made Douglas Fairbanks and Burt Lancaster household names way back when. With so many huge pirate flops like Roman Polanski's "Pirates", Renny Harlin's “Cutthroat Island” and even last year’s “Treasure Planet” that the genre itself seems to have a curse.

Now Disney has decided to create a major Hollywood blockbuster out of its beloved theme-park ride, "Pirates of the Caribbean". Hiring super-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, grizzled character actors Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush as well as red-hot Gen-X stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley, Disney has the makings of breaking the curse.

"Pirates" tells the tale of a cursed ship encased in black known as the Black Pearl. When the Black Pearl emerges and wages war on a small port in the Caribbean, our story begins.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) has just come to the port in search of a new crew and ship. Sparrow flees the port's guard when they discover he is a pirate. During the pursuit, Jack runs into Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), the port's blacksmith who helps in Jack's capture.

When the Pearl eventually arrives and the plundering and pillaging begin, the crew of the Black Pearl acquires Turner's beloved and the governor's daughter, Elizabeth Swann (Bend it like Beckham's Keira Knightley) who is taken before Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). The Pearl sails off with young Miss Swann.

Will has to swallow his pride and spring Jack Sparrow from prison to track down the Pearl and rescue Elizabeth. Can these unlikely of heroes takedown a ship full of ghastly pirates? What is the full story of the Black Pearl's curse? And who the hell is Jack Sparrow anyhow?

The unsung hero in this grand return to the pirate genre is the film's director, Gore Verbinski, who not only created the Budweiser Frogs but also directed last year's shock surprise, "The Ring". Verbinski's direction and sculpture here has all the elements we remember from pirate tales of old. I really loved how he was able to meld all the elements and the allure of high seas adventure in his first 40 minutes. He has all the right elements and a flawless execution.

Verbinski's beginning is brilliant but what is the film's biggest problem is its length. The film's center is entirely too long. There is a huge hodge-podge of high adventure but none of it really propels the plot. I almost felt like the film lost its edge through the center. However in the final third, the film really becomes special again.

I have always praised Johnny Depp and his constant chameleon ability to transform himself into any role. Depp is the biggest jewel in this treasure chest. His Jack Sparrow is very memorable and a blast to watch. He does play Jack with a sort of drunken drawl which makes him vulnerable but crafty. You just never know what to expect from him is he a scallywag or a hero. Depp is such an unsung actor and it is the little things in a performance that make him so great to watch.

Bloom and Knightley are solid as the "star-crossed" lovers. They are both great emerging talents but this role doesn't really push either actor.

I also have to note that another great thing about this film is its humor. The film has so many great humorous moments that would have been utterly silly anywhere else. But here it is all just part of the fun. Both the pirates and the redcoats each have their own pairs of comic relief who steal key scenes away from eye-candy actors like Knightley and Bloom.

"Pirates" is a delightful movie even if it is probably about 15-20 minutes to long. I really did enjoy this journey.

(4.25 out of 5)

So Says the Soothsayer.

Dean Kish

Roaming the Caribbean, the crew of the legendary Black Pearl are desperately searching for the last remaining Aztec gold coin of the Cortez treasure. This is no ordinary coin, as it has the power to lift a curse that has stricken the crew for the past ten years turning them into the living dead when exposed to moonlight. Elizabeth Swan (Knightley) happens to have the last coin hanging on a chain around her neck and as the pirates blast their way into port to get it back, the town’s blacksmith Will Turner (Bloom) and slightly mad pirate Jack Sparrow (Depp) launch an audacious bid to rescue her.

After many failed attempts to resurrect the swashbuckler, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl finally delivers a pirate movie that will make you go “Argh”

As Hollywood gets more desperate for ideas, the notion of a Disneyland theme park ride providing the inspiration for a major motion picture seemed a little far-fetched. But if you throw in a top-notch cast, an accomplished director, the writers of Shrek and the producer of some of the biggest action flicks of all time, you might be onto a winner. Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer have reinvigorated a dead genre and brought us a movie that is action packed, funny, romantic and scary.

The cast is first rate. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley confirm their up and coming star potential as the romantic leads. Bloom again handles the action well and Knightley looks stunning in the period costumes as a stronger than usual damsel in distress. Geoffrey Rush is suitably over-the-top as Captain Barbossa, bringing a panto-like element to his performance. There is also good support from Jack Davenport as by the book British officer Norrington and standout performances from Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook (From TVs The Office) as comedy pirates Pintel and Ragetti.

This is the Johnny Depp show however. His Captain Jack Sparrow is totally inspired and the reason alone to see this movie. Slightly mad and unbelievably cunning, this lovable rouge, inspired by Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards, is a tour-de-force by Depp. His one-liners are priceless, his mannerisms are hysterical and his look is spot on. This is truly a great character and one you will be quoting from for years to come.

The overall look of the movie is superb. The sets really capture the time, the costumes complement this and the boats are as majestic as they must have been in those days. The special effects are also first rate. The skeleton crew are fantastically realised, switching from flesh to bone in an instant when moonlight passes over them. While quite scary for the younger viewer, the tension is relived by the insertion of humour, especially from Pintel and Ragetti’s wooden eye.

The movie is slightly too long but there is enough swash and buckle to keep you entertained for the entire duration. Add to this the totally unmissable Johnny Depp and you have a movie that should send all its big budget competitors to Davy Jones’ locker. So set the main sail and shiver those timbers, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is well worth a yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum.

Star Rating = * * * *

Jamie Kelwick

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