Yawnsome -should have remained as the Walt Disney World theme park ride it is inspired by

Rating: 5/10 (1 September 2003)

As a child, Elizabeth Swann spots Will Turner floating unconscious in the water when she is at sea with her father, the British Governor. After Will has been rescued, Elizabeth discovers and takes the coin hanging around his neck (a sign that Will is a pirate). As an adult, Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) wears this coin round her own neck and because of this, she is kidnapped by the crew of pirate ship, the Black Pearl who are cursed to sail the seas in a ghostly zombie-like state. Only when the coin is returned to its treasure chest will this curse be lifted. It is then up to Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) with the help of pirate Jack Sparrow to rescue the Governor's daughter.
A good selling point of the film is its cast which includes pretty actors Bloom, Knightley and Depp (personally, I don't know what the fuss is about with Orlando Bloom to me he is merely a younger version of Antonio Banderas). Depp gives a likeable but over-the performance as the drunk and cockney accented Jack Sparrow and other big names include Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa, the captain of the Black Pearl, and Jonathan Pryce as Elizabeth's Governor father. Also, look out for Gareth of The Office' fame as one of the pirates! All seem to be having fun with some acting more befitting to a pantomime than a film.
The main problem I have with this film is that the pirate concept holds little interest for me (I am however, slightly amused by the obligatory Oooh Arrr's in pirate speak). The main source of excitement is the fight sequences during which we see some good special effects of the crew of the Black Pearl appearing as a combination of skeleton and rotting flesh when exposed to direct moonlight. However, the fighting soon becomes dull and repetitive. Because the villains are already dead, there does not appear to be a quick resolution and as a result, the film is painfully drawn out to well over two hours in length.
Young children and those who are intrigued and excited by the prospect of pretty actors romping about and fighting on ships and the hoisting of the Jolly Roger will probably enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean'. If you arrive to the cinema in a panto frame of mind, you will have a lot of fun but unfortunately the film left this viewer cold.