Delivers what it promises and more

Rating: Null/10 (11 July 2003)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl delivers on all the fun, adventure, and witty banter that people want when they go to a pirate movie - but which has been absent from movie theaters for years. This is no Cut-Throat Island (thank God) but rather more of an Errol Flynn-style swashbuckler (sorry, I had to use the word). Johnny Depp's character drives the story, swaying the actions of all those around him through clever - sometimes coy - manipulation of pretty much everyone. The fact that he's a bit off kilter and unexpectedly smart means that he's always half a step ahead of the audience. This makes for a rewarding, sometimes surprising story that keeps us engrossed. While this isn't rocket science, there's no dumbing-down here.
Thoroughly recommended.