The best. Forget the rest

Rating: 5/10 (25 July 2014)

With every additional sequel the 'Pirates' saga has become bloated and weighed down by its own sense of whimsy and importance. And why do they have to be so bum-numbingly long?! However it is important to remember that this first entry was actually pretty good and contained lots of good moments.
Johnny Depp is on fine form as Captain Jack and the Will/Elizabeth romance is not nearly as annoying as it would become in later instalments.
It's a good stand alone film really but you can understand why Disney, faced with a surprise hit, would want to milk it for all its worth. Sadly though, the more films that are produced the more the reputation of what once was a strong franchise is weakened.