As Rare This Summer As a Black Pearl.

Rating: Null/10 (24 August 2003)

In a summer where most everything has been little more than shark bait, it is refreshing to see a truly enjoyable blockbuster like "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl". A production that is very reminiscent of those old Saturday serials and even more closely the "Indiana Jones" trilogy that dominated the 1980s, the movie is a dominant success by the time it completes its voyage. It is the mid-1700s and the breathtaking Keira Knightley (who has already made a name for herself this year with "Bend It Like Beckham") has been kidnapped by a band of ghostly pirates led by the always dependable Geoffrey Rush. It seems that Knightley possesses a medallion that may bring Rush and his crew back to life. However the medallion is far from one of a kind and it is far from certain if Knightley is even the person they need for their deviant scheme to work. Now it is up to blacksmith Orlando Bloom (who has become an international sensation with "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy) and outrageous pirate Johnny Depp (in arguably his finest role) to save the day. Knightley's uptight father (Jonathan Pryce) and would-be fiance (Jack Davenport) add well-timed comedic turns in limited action. Director Gore Vabinski (who impressed me verily last year with the atmospheric thriller "The Ring") is beginning to show a real knack for handling large productions. Admittedly the film is a little long and suffers from sometimes uninspired writing, but the strong cast and the mind-blowing visual effects are more than enough to make "Pirates of the Caribbean" one of the more likable productions of 2003. 4 stars out of 5.