Highly... underrated (yes, still - despite 8.0 average!)

Rating: 10/10 (18 December 2007)

I find this movie brilliant, a true work of art. And the same applies to sequels as well. Unfortunately many people are totally unable to see past their stereotypes (or are just plain dumb), which is the sole reason for so many negative or subtly negative reviews. 'Oh, it's Disney? Based on a ride? 5/10 then', 'Not written/directed by someone famous? 5/10', 'I can't get what it's about... hmm... 5/10 for J.D.' And so on, and so on.
In fact, "Pirates" is a movie with meaning, not only with much action. There are many action scenes, sure. But it's also highly symbolic (whether it was intended or not). I'll give just a couple of examples:
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Jack's arrival to Port Royal on the mast of a sinking boat. Can anyone say something like this never happened to him in real life, even if it wasn't that spectacular? Then Jack has to bribe a customs officer so that his name isn't mentioned in records and right after that he steals a small money-pouch. There're people walking around but the theft seems to go unnoticed. This isn't illogical as it may seem. Or at least it's not any more illogical than our society where all people steal from each other in more or less obvious ways and everyone pretends to notice nothing.
Likewise, Jack's ship - Black Pearl - is a metaphor of freedom. (When it's first mentioned there's funny guards' conversation about 'is it real or not' and 'can any ship with black sails be the Pearl'. The Pearl is elusive, 'nigh uncatchable'. It hardly brought Jack anything but trouble, not to mention the price he had to pay for getting it. Yet he settles for no other ship.) I could mention more of such interesting ideas (for eyes to see that can), but don't want to spoil too much.
Still people choose not to think. Indeed, why to make your brain work when you can easily criticize, that Will is a smith's apprentice instead. (Actually to anyone familiar with mythology it does make sense that a young hero is a smith's apprentice. And yes, I know why people are against something that actually does make sense. But that's off-topic here.)
Bottomline: I loved pretty much everything about this movie and its sequels. 10/10 from the heart.