Amazon.com Review
You won't need a bottle
of rum to enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,
especially if you've experienced the Disneyland theme-park ride that inspired
it. There's a galleon's worth of fun in watching Johnny Depp's androgynous
performance as Captain Jack Sparrow, a roguish pirate who could pass for the
illegitimate spawn of rockers Keith Richards and Chrissie Hynde. Depp gets all
the good lines and steals the show, recruiting Orlando Bloom (a blacksmith and
expert swordsman) and Keira Knightley (a lovely governor's daughter) on an
adventurous quest to recapture the notorious Black Pearl, a ghost ship
commandeered by Jack's nemesis Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), a mutineer
desperate to reverse the curse that left him and his (literally) skeleton crew
in a state of eternal, undead damnation. Director Gore Verbinski (The Ring)
repeats the redundant mayhem that marred his debut film Mouse Hunt, but with the
writers of Shrek he's made Pirates into a special-effects thrill-ride that plays
like a Halloween party on the open seas. Aye, matey, we've come a long way since
Jason and the Argonauts! --Jeff Shannon
Put a Pirates of the Caribbean Poster on your wall
today!
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
United States, 2003
U.S. Release Date: 7/9/03 (wide)
Running Length: 2:20
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Walking dead, violence)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
U.S. Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
For those taking a global view of Pirates of the
Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, it's very easy to be cynical.
This is, after all, cross-promotion at its most blatant. What could be more
marketable that one of Disney's most popular theme park attractions? The name
recognition is already in place - all that's necessary to complete the puzzle is
a story that will fit the ride. But there are two reasons why jaded ranting
isn't the best way to proceed with this review. In the first place, no one
really cares. And, more importantly, this is actually an entertaining
experience.
Pirates of the Caribbean
is good, but not great. Swashbuckling adventures are few and far between these
days, so it's a pleasant surprise to see one that is competently made. To add to
the enjoyment, the movie never takes itself too seriously. If there wasn't so
much action, it would be tempting to classify the production as a comedy. Alas,
Pirates of the Caribbean runs for a good 30 minutes too long (the
protracted battles with the undead, who cannot be killed, become repetitive),
and the denouement is on the weak side. Taken as a whole, however, the movie
represents solid fun. A word of caution to parents, however: the PG-13 rating is
an indicator that certain elements of the movie are not for younger children.
Proceed carefully with sensitive under-11 children.
Cap'n Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is a pirate who's infamous
for his ineptitude. After rescuing a damsel, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley),
he finds himself being thanked by her father (Jonathan Pryce) and her would-be
betrothed (Jack Davenport) while simultaneously being arrested for piracy. He
escapes, but, after losing a duel with the heroic blacksmith Will Turner
(Orlando Bloom), who pines for Elizabeth, he is sent back to jail. However, when
the town comes under attack by the pirate ship Black Pearl, and its
blackguard of a captain, Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), kidnaps Elizabeth, Will
springs Jack from prison so the pirate can help him retrieve his beloved. But
Barbossa isn't interested in a ransom. He and his crew are cursed to walk the
Earth as the living dead until a blood sacrifice can restore their humanity.
As was true with director Gore Verbinski's previous outing,
The Ring, Pirates of the Caribbean oozes
atmosphere. The humor keeps it from becoming too creepy, but there are still a
few chills to be had. I was in some ways reminded of Sam Raimi's
Army of Darkness, where there were lots of
skeletons marching around, some of which were acting like the Three Stooges.
Verbinski gets huge assists from cinematographer Dariusz Wolski and composer
Klaus Badelt, who is responsible for one of 2003's few memorable musical scores.
And, of course, we get to hear a few refrains of the memorable Pirates of the
Caribbean anthem: "Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!"
Pirates of the Caribbean belongs
to Johnny Depp. Keira Knightley (now a familiar face in the wake of
Bend It Like Beckham) and Orlando
Bloom (The
Lord of the Rings' Legolas, sans ears and blond
hair) make a cute couple, and Geoffrey Rush is typically over-the-top as the bad
guy, but the star of every scene is Depp. With several gold teeth in his mouth
and beads in his hair, Depp plays the part with an engaging goofiness that sets
the movie's tone. In one scene, Sparrow becomes blind drunk, but his behavior
isn't all that different from when he's sober - a clear indicator of where Depp
elected to take the character. Sparrow is a rogue through-and-through, and,
although he may have a heart of gold, it's definitely tarnished. Take away Depp,
and you're left with a derivative and dull motion picture.
As is mandated by the first rule of summer movies - sustain
the action - Pirates of the Caribbean is wall-to-wall battles,
chases, and fights. The only pauses are those necessitated by the need to
advance the plot through exposition. There's lots of swordplay, including a
lengthy and memorable struggle between Sparrow and Will. It's probably the best
example of cinematic swordfighting since
The Mask of Zorro. (It doesn't come
close to the clash between Wesley and Inigo Montoya in
The Princess Bride. In that movie,
the actors did their own fencing. Here, it's clear from the obscuring camera
angles that stunt performers were involved.) For those who are familiar with the
amusement park attraction, most of the key scenes are included (although the
hairy leg is missing), emphasizing the movie's tie-in nature. And, if you're
dying to see another Disneyworld/Disneyland ride turned into a cinematic
endeavor, there's hardly any wait at all - The Haunted Mansion is due out
at Thanksgiving. Personally, I can't wait for Space Mountain.
© 2003 James Berardinelli
"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the
Black Pearl"
Directed by Gore Verbinski; written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio;
photographed by Dariusz Wolski; edited by Craig Wood, Stephen Rivkin, Arthur
Schmidt; production designed by Brian Morris; music by Klaus Badelt; produced by
Jerry Bruckheimer. A Buena Vista Pictures release; opens Wednesday. Running
time: 2:13. MPAA rating: PG-13 (for action adventure/violence).
Jack Sparrow.....Johnny Depp
Barbossa.....Geoffrey Rush
Will Turner.....Orlando Bloom
Elizabeth Swann.....Keira Knightley
Norrington.....Jack Davenport
Gov. Weatherby Swann.....Jonathan Pryce
Other Pirates of the
Caribbean Links
http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/pirates/ -
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl -- The Official Website
http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/piratesofthecaribbean.html -
Pirates of the Caribbean trailer.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/PiratesoftheCaribbeanTheCurseoftheBlackPearl-1123873
online reviews of Pirates of the Caribbean.
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