I can't think of the last time I was that entertained.

Rating: 9/10 (13 July 2003)

I went into the movie theater with a bit of a bias - Pirates of the Caribbean has always been my favorite ride and I really like Johnny Depp. I thought these notions might work against me. Could someone actually capture the magic of a favorite amusment park ride on the silver screen? The answer is yes. This isn't the greatest movie ever made, the moral isn't profound, the script isn't Shakespeare, and the plot is a bit thin. However, it's a tremendous amount of fun. What makes it so much fun is that they truly captured the feel of the ride. It's all there: the yo-ho yo-ho a pirates life me for me song, the inmates luring the dog with a bone, the ghost ship, and the town pillage scene. The story line is simple, pirates steal cursed treasure and then hunt for the last piece of the puzzle to break said curse. The acting is superb. Of course, how can it not be with Johnny Depp and Geoffry Rush? I was also quite impressed with the special effects and the cinematography. Usually I think all special effects are unnecessay, but these definately added to the movie experience. I rated this movie a 9, not because I think it is as cinematically magnificent as Casablanca or Schindler's List, but because it was thoroughly entertaining and it made me feel like I was a six year old kid at Disneyland. If you are looking for Citizen Kane or don't care much for pirates, you probably won't like this movie. If, however, you are a kid at heart and want to spend $7.50 (or $10.00, depending on where you live) on a good time, go see it.