First it was rides being made out of movies, now it's movies being made out of rides...And it works!

Rating: 9/10 (15 July 2003)

There is one rule that I try to always keep when watching a movie: don't have expectations. When I'm seeing a movie in the theater, I also add on to just see the movie for fun. Well, due to all of the comments I read on here saying that the movie was great, I broke my own rule. And surprisingly, I was still impressed.
This movie is one that I will definitely be seeing again in the theater, and buying as soon as it comes out on DVD (hopefully with director's and actors commentary). When I saw the first preview for this, I thought "hmm, interesting". Then I started seeing more, this time with scenes from the movie instead of just a list of the cast. Finally, they started to reveal the basics of the plot, and I knew that I would have to see this movie. It's based on one of my favorite rides at Disney, with an amazingly contagious song (which is sung in the film), and I was looking forward to seeing how it would be portrayed in a cinematic point of view.
Acting in this movie was near to perfect. Johnny Depp gave one of his best performances ever. No one would be able to tear their eyes away from him. His Captain Jack Sparrow wasn't what I was expecting when I first heard of his part, and it was a better character for it. He wasn't the typical pirate. You expect a swagger, but he has a sway. He seems to be permanently drunk. And although he is a pirate, he's honest in many of his tales, because no one would believe him anyway, especially as most of them are outrageous. I would go to the theater again just for him alone.
Orlando Bloom, there so that young girls will go see this movie, does a very good job at his role as Will Turner. Unfortunately, there wasn't that much to his role. He's a bit too love-struck with Elizabeth Swann to be interesting, though his role is needed in the film. His sword play was probably the most interesting part about his character, and the fact that he has pirate blood in him despite holding a hatred towards their kind.
The audience can almost feel Geoffrey Rush's evil in the movie as Barbossa. He plays his role well just as one would expect from an actor like him. He even gets to deliver a few of the funny lines, although most of them were awarded to Depp.
For the least known of all the leads, Kiera Knightley seemed to hold her own against veterans such as Depp and Rush. While they were still the ones that eyes were kept on, she delivered a great performance, and will probably be awarded quite a few roles stemming from this film.
There are few problems that I had with this film. The acting was impressive, the sets were amazing, the CGI well used, and the storyline went along smoothly. One thing that I greatly enjoyed was the Errol Flynn style fighting, instead of the Matrix style that most films are trying to use, despite the century that it is set in. One doesn't need that sort of thing in a movie about swashbucklers. Fluid is the only way to describe the CGI usage of the pirate skeletons. It was as smoothly as the moonlight shining on them. And the added references to the ride (ie. the dog with the keys never moving, the song) gave it the perfect touch. Granted, some might complain about the length, but none of it was wasted. Just don't drink a large soda while viewing. And the final scene with Will & Elizabeth seemed a bit forced. But those can be forgiven when the film is looked at as a whole.
It was impressive from start to finish, grabbing the viewers attention and never letting go. Like the ride, you can just kick back and enjoy the show going on around you. Not one to miss.