Pirates of The Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl: Review By slysnide

I was skeptical when I first heard about this film's production, and thought: "Disney? Doing a pirate movie? Disney? Are you kidding me? It's gonna suck!" Glad I was wrong on that one!

This film takes the 2 classic elements from the ride: 1) the tale of the cursed treasure that turns you into the undead zombie like state that's featured in the treasure room at the start of the disneyland ride.

(What! spellcheck says "undead" and "spellcheck" aren't real words!)

And 2) it takes the pirate assault on Port Royal and transfers it to the film perfectly. Extra elements include Tortuga, the pirate town. (in the ride, the "Tortuga" like sequences took place in the besieged fort that was still falling).

So those 2 things made this film work. Though when I heard about the plot featuring pirates RETURNING TREASURE I was sure that Disney lost some screws in their head, for I wasn't all that crazy about the film being totally about the cursed treasure. It took a while to get over it after seeing the movie (like an hour) on 07/27/03 (I collect my ticket stubs).

The acting by Johnny Depp as the wacked out rockstar (that aint a real word either!) was excellent, and was the biggest factor in deciding if this film's pirate lead would be convincing, and he pulled it off in a very Disney like fashion.

Geoffrey Rush has always been a well known on and offstage Shakespearean actor, so his role as Hector Barbossa played like gold!!!! He was the real "pirate" amongst the cast when seeing the movie, and looked the part beyond any doubt! A great villain you love to see do his Disney like bad guy stuff!

Keira Knightley played a good early 18th century damsel in distress that takes until the climax of the film to up the anti on her character and realize that she's in a pirate movie.

Orlando Bloom played another convincing lovesick "knight in shining armor" like character (similar if not the same as the character of "Anthony in "Sweeny Todd). But he kicks into high gear when he realizes for real what he's gotten himself into.

Kevin R. McNally plays Jack's new first mate that he recruits in Tortuga. He's not as crazy as Jack, and is more of a cautious kinda guy that knows his, the crew's, and Jack's, limitations. He's the perfect good guy pirate, and likable overall. A great character that struts his stuff as former British Navy Sailor turned pirate!

And who doesn't love Jonathon Pryce as the worrisome Governor Weatherby Swann. Being not familiar with his movies, other than the 18th 007 flick: "Tomorrow Never Dies" in which he's the lead villian, then his role in this film was a real delight!

And of course, there's always that one character that plays it like the book, and that's Jack Davenport's role of Norrington. Like other uncourageous Disney guys, he's the one who'd be in the competitor role with what in other Disney flicks is usually a blacksmith (wait! the competitor's that in this one too), except he doesn't come out on top. However, unlike other Disney films where they play him to be a mean guy, he's nice, and overall a good addition to the film.

But the real surprise is the onscreen comic duo of Pintel & Ragetti (Lee Arenberg & Mackenzie Crook). They are perhaps the best comical relief duos since R2-D2 & C-3PO (not stretching it much am I?). They really are the most likable characters, despite being on the bad guy's side!

The side characters like Mr. Cotton, Bo'Sun, Marty, Scarlett, and Annabelle are great in this all star cast! They contribute immensely to the film. Even Cotton's parrot. lol

Anyway, the plot is as follows:

The crew of the Black Pearl are cursed by an Aztec treasure and have returned all but 1 gold medallion to a chest, and they require the blood of the last person to have taken the coin to break the curse, having repaid their own blood already. However, they killed the last guy on accident, and confuse the damsel with the one they need, and thus a great rag-tag adventure begins for a blacksmith and a pirate to rescue her, and a personal vendetta is sought out to be satisfied!

With ship to ship battles, sword fights, the walking of the plank, cannon ball attacks, and skeleton duelists, this film has it all!

Oh, and keep an eye out for other cameos from the ride!