Channeling Robert Newton

Rating: 7/10 (27 June 2017)

This first of the Pirates Of The Caribbean series, Curse Of The Black Pearl was a milestone in the career of star Johnny Depp. I always liked Depp since 21 Jump Street and he always chose quirky products where he did great as an actor, but the films were more often than not less than successful commercially. With this film first and foremost Depp got himself linked to a commercial success that spawned several sequels. His box office was now secure.
But also this is a once in a lifetime chance to do a part that calls for some of the most outrageous overacting you'll ever see. I think Johnny Depp might have been channeling Robert Newton in one of his pirate films, be it Blackbeard or Treasure Island.
In fact the plot is a lot like Treasure Island in the sense that Depp is looking to get back his ship the Black Pearl. It was taken over by his former First Mate Barboso played by Geoffrey Rush and the whole crew Depp included is under a really bad curse. A couple of civilians, governor's daughter Keira Knightley and blacksmith Orlando Bloom are also part of the adventure.
The Pirates Of The Caribbean blends both the swashbuckling adventure film and the horror genre quite nicely. I can certainly Robert Newton in the part had this been 60-70 years ago.
This is one film as are the rest in the series to just kick back and enjoy.