Johnny and the Pirates (Not very original I know)

Rating: Null/10 (9 February 2004)

In a summer full of blockbuster sequels like the Matrix , X2, Terminator 3, etc, it's great to see a new contender enter the ring. Okay, it's not entirely original as it's supposedly based on the Disneyland theme park ride of the same name, but I'm willing to forgive them in this case. This film is one of the funniest, most exciting and entertaining films I've seen in a long time. This won't surprise you if you're a fan of Mousehunt like me. In that film director Gore Verbinski proved that he had the great ability to balance slapstick comedy with dark subject matter. Given a larger canvas, exotic locations, a huge budget and Johnny Depp he has given us a movie that proves the potential he first showed.
The plot follows the adventures of pirate Jack Sparrow as he attempts to track down his ship, The Black Pearl, and get his revenge on the crew that betrayed him. Meanwhile however the crew have fallen foul to an Aztec curse that has turned them into the walking dead, doomed to appear in their true form (frightening rotting corpses) when exposed to moonlight. This doesn't sound like the basis of a rollicking action comedy but believe me, it is. Johnny Depp based his pirate character on Ronnie Wood (of Rolling Stones fame), reasoning that pirates were the rock legends of their day, and results have to be seen to be believed. When you leave the cinema you will believe that Depp is the greatest actor of our generation, and if he doesn't receive an Oscar nomination for this I will lose all faith in the Academy. I wouldn't recommend this movie to younger children, as I think the scenes with the zombies could cause nightmares, but for everyone else - you must see this film!