Year of Release: 2003
Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook, Damian O'Hare, Giles New, Angus Barnett, Kevin McNally
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6
Watch it on Amazon
Synopsis and Review:
Director Gore Verbinski followed his unexpected success "The Ring", with what turned out to be one of his biggest calling cards, the adaptation of a Disney themed ride, "Pirates of the Caribbean". The film follows the story of an unlikely duo, a resourceful blacksmith by the name of Will Turner, and the savvy and exotic captain, Jack Sparrow. They both join forces, since Will wants to retrieve the love of his life, Elizabeth Swann, from a morally bankrupt kidnapper, by the name of Barbossa, while Jack wants to retrieve the ship which Barbossa is currently using, his very own Black Pearl. What they both don't realize is that Barbossa and his crew storm the oceans under a terrible curse, and achieving their goals is going to be all the more challenging due to that.
"Pirates of the Caribbean" started what has turned out to be one of the most successful modern film franchises. Sadly as the series has progressed, its already thinly put together story and architecture has only become thinner and thinner (how many times can the same story be told - apparently 5 already). The film, as most in the series, showcases an impressive technical wizardry and production design, but it's a film where most characters are sketches, and where all action is filled with pyrotechnics or special effects to basically amplify what is a very thin concept. What has been the driving and differentiating force to these films has been the creative input of Johnny Depp. He's never been better in this series, as he was in this first film, where his take on the pirate with a heart of gold, is mischievous, anarchic, humorous and punkish. It's an iconic presence and performance, in what is an otherwise predictable and by the numbers action film, one that is nonetheless shot with a style indebted to Gore Verbinski's previous career as a successful commercials director (and his stylistic choices have always been impeccable throughout his career). The supporting cast is colorful, even if only Geoffrey Rush makes a character that is somewhat memorable. The cinematography from Darius Wolski is fantastic, as is the production design by Brian Morris. A somewhat entertaining film from an interesting director.
"Pirates of the Caribbean" started what has turned out to be one of the most successful modern film franchises. Sadly as the series has progressed, its already thinly put together story and architecture has only become thinner and thinner (how many times can the same story be told - apparently 5 already). The film, as most in the series, showcases an impressive technical wizardry and production design, but it's a film where most characters are sketches, and where all action is filled with pyrotechnics or special effects to basically amplify what is a very thin concept. What has been the driving and differentiating force to these films has been the creative input of Johnny Depp. He's never been better in this series, as he was in this first film, where his take on the pirate with a heart of gold, is mischievous, anarchic, humorous and punkish. It's an iconic presence and performance, in what is an otherwise predictable and by the numbers action film, one that is nonetheless shot with a style indebted to Gore Verbinski's previous career as a successful commercials director (and his stylistic choices have always been impeccable throughout his career). The supporting cast is colorful, even if only Geoffrey Rush makes a character that is somewhat memorable. The cinematography from Darius Wolski is fantastic, as is the production design by Brian Morris. A somewhat entertaining film from an interesting director.
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