Classic Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” stars Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley.  Released on July 9, 2003, the film is about a pirate captain who teams up with a blacksmith to rescue the governor’s daughter from an evil pirate and his cursed crew.

The film is directed by Gore Verbinski, who also directed films such as MouseHunt, The Ring, Rango, and The Lone Ranger.  It is based on the attraction of the same name at Disney theme parks.  One of this weekend’s new releases is the latest installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, and to celebrate, I decided to look back at the film that started it all.  Truth be told, I only saw two out of the five installments all the way through: At World’s End and On Stranger Tides.  While those sequels made a good chunk of money, they didn’t come close to matching the quality of the first movie in terms of critical reception.  Pirates of the Caribbean is mostly known for not just Johnny Depp’s portrayal as Jack Sparrow, but for being the first Disney film to get a PG-13 rating due to its intense concept.  Maybe someday we will get an R-rated Disney film as well, but what are the odds of that happening?  Anyway, despite its teen rating, this swashbuckling adventure has plenty of well-deserved booty to keep it afloat.

Pros:
Johnny Depp was fantastic as Jack Sparrow.  His dialogue was witty and his overall performance was very entertaining.

Geoffrey Rush delivered a menacing performance as the film’s antagonist, Barbossa.

The visuals and costume designs were both splendid in bringing the popular attraction to life on the big screen.  While the CGI was a bit noticeable in some sequences, it didn’t take me out of the experience.

The film had a good mixture between adventure and comedy thanks to Depp’s humor and Gore Verbinski’s direction.

The film’s musical score by Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer.

Cons:
The film’s running time was overlong.

A couple of slow scenes, but never dull.

Due to its PG-13 rating, the film can be a bit scary or intense for younger viewers.

Final Thoughts: While a bit overlong, “Pirates of the Caribbean” is a swashbuckling good time due to Johnny Depp’s fascinating portrayal as Jack Sparrow, remarkable visuals, and its sense of fun in the midst of its adventurous and intense storyline.  It might be possible that I will look at the other Pirates sequels, but right now, I need to focus on seeing Sparrow’s latest adventure on the high seas.  If you’re getting into the Pirates of the Caribbean films, I would recommend seeing this one before you get to the other installments.  This is definitely a pirate’s life for me.

B+