A Pirate's Life For Me...

Rating: 8/10 (13 July 2003)

When I first heard this film touted as "the most violent Disney film ever made", I wasn't quite certain what to expect. The trailers seemed to combine the adult appeal of such big names as producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski with the childish whimsy of an extended, "Spy Kids 2"-esque title and the always kid-friendly Disney logo. While I expected a decent popcorn flick, I was still worried this would simply be a mutinous attempt to make a grab for the collective treasure of the preteen through adult market.
Interestingly enough, it was a skilled combination of these seemingly mutually exclusive elements that made this film work. For a film so reliant on visual effects, care was taken that they not be the focus of the film. A decent (if simplistic) kidnapping plot expands to an epic tale of cursed pirates. A surprising amount of Disney humor is woven with non-stop action sequences and dazzling CG effects. The pirate-to-skeleton transitions are done masterfully, proving this yet another beautifully laid notch on the belt of ILM.
Orlando Bloom plays his underwritten part decently, despite clearly expending less effort than his co-star Johnny Depp as the flamboyant Captain Jack Sparrow. Geoffrey Rush could not be more compelling as the treacherous Captain Barbossa, and Kiera Knightley shines in a mildly stereotypical damsel-in-distress-turned-heroine role.
Verbinski's direction continues to impress. This skillful director of "The Ring" is just beginning what will hopefully be an illustrious career.

8/10