A Swashbuckling Bore

Rating: 6/10 (29 December 2003)

I thought the first forty-five minutes were very cleverly written, and Johnny Depp is inarguably a scene-stealer in this film. But the cumbersome plot turns absurd, and as soon as all the characters' energies onscreen are diverted toward the task of lifting an ancient curse (culminating in a set of dreary sea battles and chases), I lost interest. Honestly, Depp is probably what made the last half of this overly long film bearable for me.
I am disappointed that Disney released such a violent movie in such kid-friendly packaging. There are a lot of callous murders of innocent townspeople here. And to put so much work into producing a film that glamorizes pirates--a word that has little meaning outside of rape, murder, robbery, and destruction--is a questionable endeavor. Think twice before you let your kids watch this one, unless they're already desensitized little bloodlusters.