S10 Reviews: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2006)

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp channeling Keith Richards), a deposed and left for dead pirate joins blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) on the hunt for the cursed Black Pearl, Jack's former ship until his lecherous first mate Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) wrestled it away from him and left him stranded on an island. Jack wants his ship; Will wants the jewel of his eye the lovely Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) now held captive by the scurvy Barbossa. But these mean hombres are a bit harder to crack than usually thanks to a nifty curse that turns them into the undead. Arrrr!
It seems that Walt Disney Company somehow had gotten their memos crossed when they sent 'Pirates' sailing into production (the ride comes AFTER the film, not before). But no matter what is cranked out by the Bruckheimer machine is a fun romp through the spray of the Caribbean. Director Verbinski (hot off success with 'The Ring') creates an action packed walk down the plank that occasionally gets a bit long in the tooth but you know the next big sequence is right around the corner. A lot of nifty effects (the dead crew of the Black Pearl for instance) round out a nicely created production and design. On the acting front while Knightley and Bloom are fine in their roles Depp (as often is the case) steals the show as the staggering Jack whose a crafty sort but more lucky than anything. Rush chews the scenery in his own right leading up to a knock-down, drag-out with Sparrow. Good fun for the family, just keep your hands in the car.