Piracy on the high seas never looked so good (on DVD)...

Rating: Null/10 (12 February 2004)

Borrowing traditional elements from films like CAPTAIN BLOOD and THE SEA HAWK and many other '40 tales of piracy on the high seas, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN goes further than all the other pirate tales by adding strong bits of fantasy that give new meaning to the phrase "a skeleton crew".

You'll see what I mean when you watch the moonlight scenes where the cursed pirates become shadows of their former selves--effects that are guaranteed to cop a nomination for the Best Special Effects Oscar. So too are the gorgeously detailed sets and costumes (all of which have an air of accuracy), as well as the make-up wizardry involved in turning these actors into reasonably convincing 17th Century pirates.
Standout among the performers, of course, is the central role as played by JOHNNY DEPP as the rogue pirate who teams with ORLANDO BLOOM (who looks like a young Errol Flynn here), a man with pirate blood himself. Their combined efforts to rescue a damsel in distress (nicely played by KEIRA KNIGHTLEY) and search for hidden treasure in a cave while fighting off the villain (GEOFFREY RUSH) is all done in almost comic book style and flair. Everyone seems cast to perfection.
Artistically, it's a stunning film to watch, especially on DVD where the images are richly detailed and the mammoth production costs are clearly evident in every frame. Beautifully photographed and with a busy background score that is reminiscent of the kind of rousing music that Erich Wolfgang Korngold composed for the swashbucklers of the past.
Summing up: A jolly good show!! A fun ride all the way.
Only drawback: its length. Could have been trimmed by at least twenty minutes of running time.