A Swashbucklin' Good Time

Rating: 8/10 (15 July 2003)

This film delivers. I had high expectations when I walked into the theater, and for some reason I half expected to be disappointed. Some movies that get too much premature hype leave the viewer unsatisfied, but not so with Pirates of the Carribean. The film grabs your attention from the beginning, when young Elizabeth Swann discovers the Aztec medallion that will put the story's events in motion years later.
Verbinski did an excellent job choosing his cast. Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow entertains throughout the movie with his rugged charm and offbeat personality. Though Depp always seems to choose odd roles, he does them well. Rising stars Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley as Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann also performed well. This movie will probably make Bloom a household name, and draw more attention to Knightley.
The plot may have a few loopholes and the movie's running time of two hours and twenty-four minutes may be a bit lengthy, but overall Pirates of the Carribean is a captivating film with adventure, romance, comedy, and a superb cast to help the movie reach its full potential.