Something to remember when you're into your second century.

Rating: 10/10 (2 February 2009)

The theme of pirates is a very common one in movie-making. There hasn't been a high enough level of mathematics invented yet to number the pirate cartoons made. Several of the 'immortal' classics such as 'Treasure Island' are about pirates. And of course, Hollywood has it's share in the pirate stories: 'Cutthroat Island' (I don't know why it flopped), 'Treasure Island', and variants have all graced or disgraced our screens for decades. And then this...
I truly think that pirate movies aren't going to get better than POTC. The plot is original, surprising, and impossibly dynamic, the humor fresh and unforced, the filming absolutely stunning, and the acting thorough and enjoyable. Watching Jack Sparrow (by the way, the entire image of Jack Sparrow was left up to Johnny Depp. I can't imagine how it could've turned out better) clamber, sway, and in extreme cases fall through trembling holds, cages, and rigging was something that I know I will look back upon in about twenty years with just as much relish as I do now. The brilliant dynamic created by the sarcastic, irreverent Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) and the uber-eccentric, hilarious, infinitely scheming Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is something that cannot accurately be described by anyone on this earth. Add to that some semi-peripheral roles that only enhance the humor and action, and you get a masterpiece.
The sets were filmed on location using real ships (well... 2/3 real ships), real ocean, real islands, and a specially constructed real fort, giving this movie an authenticity that serves to endear it even more.
There is something in this movie that will appeal to anyone: action lovers, wisecracks, the romantic souls, those that like to tickle their nerves with semi-scary images, the thinkers, ANYONE. Should you watch this movie? Of course! And bring the kids along too... the skeletons and such, they're not even really scary. The whole movie is almost like a story, in fact. A very fast-paced, engrossing, exciting, and profound story.