From producer Jerry Bruckheimer comes the best live-action adventure of the summer, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush and Orlando Bloom.
For the cocky yet charming Captain Jack Sparrow, played by Johnny Depp, the waters of the Caribbean presents a prodigious playground where mystery and adventure go hand in hand. Jack’s simple pirate life is turned upside down after his nemesis Captain Barbossa, played by Geoffrey Rush, steals his ship, the Black Pearl, and later attacks the town of Port Royal, kidnapping the Governor’s beautiful daughter, Elizabeth Swann, played by newcomer Keira Knightley.
Elizabeth’s childhood friend, Will Turner, played by Orlando Bloom, teams up with Jack to seize the fastest ship in the British fleet, the H.M.S. Interceptor, in an attempt to rescue and take back the Black Pearl. The duo and their crew are pursued by Elizabeth’s fiancé, the ambitious Commodore Norrington, aboard the H.M.S. Dauntless.
Unbeknownst to Will, a cursed treasure has doomed Barbossa and his crew to live forever as the undead, the moonlight transforming them into living skeletons. The curse they carry can only be broken if the treasure is restored in total and a blood debt repaid.
The famous Disney theme park attraction comes to life in this thrilling production. From set design to costumes and makeup, Pirates of the Caribbean is a visually pleasing movie.
Johnny Depp, who portrays Captain Jack Sparrow flawlessly, may be the number one reason to see this film. Depp plays the part of Sparrow so brilliantly you find yourself secretly rooting for him — the “bad guy.” He can’t hold his balance and his speech is a bit slurred, so you assume he’s either drunk or has spent too much time at sea. Strange as it seems, it’s part of his charm. He’s not the villain, and he’s not the love interest. Depp’s character, however, affects everyone around him, thus making him an integral part of the film.
Depp says he modeled a large part of the character after Rolling Stone’s guitarist Keith Richards, added a bit of the cartoon character Pepe Le Pew and tossed in some modern day Rastafarian. This crazy combination makes for an extremely entertaining character you can’t keep your eyes off of. And what’s better, Depp provides much of the comic relief of the film. The only problem I had with Depp’s character is that, with his gold-capped teeth, slurred speech and accent, sometimes he is a bit hard to understand.
Special effects also make this movie what it is. The undead crew who, much like the werewolf myth, morph into decayed skeletons when the moonlight hits them, are visually spectacular.
Also sensational is the character Elizabeth Swann. Elizabeth, who has a morbid curiosity about pirates, romanticizes the entire pirate thing. It’s as if she’s a bit of a pirate groupie and Sparrow is the ultimate rock star. She is immediately thrown into the gritty reality of piracy, however, and faces some transitions.
Making yet another great decision with Pirates of the Caribbean, actor Orlando Bloom provides the earnest and uptight character in a movie with so much anarchy. Both Jack and Will feed off of each other in the movie and each learn lessons from the other.
Add to all that fencing, fancy footwork and many incredible stunts and you have the perfect escape for a lazy summer day.
GRADE: A
