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- Cert:
- Running time: 143 minutes
- Year: 2003
- Released: 8th August 2003
- Widescreen Ratio: 2.35:1
- Sound: DTS, Dolby EX 6.1, SDDS
Director:
- Gore Verbinski
(The Ring, The Mexican, Mouse Hunt)
Producers:
- Jerry Bruckheimer, Paul Deason, Bruce Hendricks, Chad Oman, Pat Sandston & Mike Stenson
Screenplay:
- Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
(based on a story by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie & Jay Wolpert)
Cinematography:
- Dariusz Wolski
(Dark City, The Mexican)
Music:
- Klaus Badelt
Cast:
- Jack Sparrow: Johnny Depp
Will Turner: Orlando Bloom
Elizabeth Swann: Keira Knightley
Barbossa: Geoffrey Rush
Gov. Weatherby Swann: Jonathan Pryce
Norrington: Jack Davenport
Pintel: Lee Arenberg
Ragetti: Mackenzie Crook
Lt. Gillette: Damian O’Hare
Murtogg: Giles New
Mullroy: Angus Barnett
Cotton: David Bailie
Pirate movies have had a tough time at the box-officewith the spectacular cinematic drowning ofCutthroat Islandand Treasure Planet.Now, a supposedly cynical ploy to adapt a movie from a Disneyworld themepark ride has breathed fresh life into the franchise’s dead bones. Butis Pirates Of The Caribbean a treasure worthy of your attention…?
Johnny Depp makes a rare appearance in a mainstream movie as CaptainJack Sparrow, a down-on-his-luck pirate with a penchant for rum andadventure, who is recruited by blacksmith Will Turner (The Lord Of TheRings’ Orlando Bloom) to rescue the delectable Elizabeth Swann (risingstarlet Keira Knightley) from the clutches of cursed pirates aboard thelegendary Black Pearl – led by Geoffrey Rush‘s Barbossa.
In an effort to avoid the disastrous exploits of more serious-mindedseafaring adventures, Pirates Of The Caribbean mixes in a prime elementsof fantasy – that the Black Pearl’s crew transform into skeletons inmoonlight thanks to a curse that can only be reversed by the spilling ofparticular blood…
The $125 million Pirates Of The Caribbean is crammed full of gorgeousscenery, attractive lead actors, expertly crafted (and not overused)special-effects, excellent sets and great make-up. There’s certainly notmuch wrong production-wise in Gore Verbinski’s love-letter toswashbuckling adventures of yesteryear.
The cast are extremely watchable, particularly Johnny Depp who playsJack Sparrow as a charming, slightly unhinged, drunkard withquestionable morals. Depp’s simply a delight, stealing every scene he’sin with sword-like precision, yet still allowing relative newcomersBloom and Knightley enough room to shine. Bloom is slightly too bland tobe a truly resonating hero, with Knightley unsurprisingly sidelined asthe damsel-in-distress.
Elsewhere, Geoffrey Rush gets a chance to ham it up as Barbossa, pullinga pantomime Cap’n Hook routine out of his bag and having great fun doingit. Likewise, the assorted seamen are delightfully stereotypical andamusing – from Mackenzie Crook‘s wooden-eyed goon, to Jack Davenport‘sstiff upper-lipped British naval officer Norrington. However, it shouldbe noted that the chance to vilify the British while championing thepirates is neatly avoided and instead provides a far more balanced andbelievable ying-yang relationship. Very commendable.
For a movie that could have relied on its visual pizzazz to pull in thecrowds, Pirates Of The Caribbean also rarely uses its trump card of CGIskeleton’s engaging in ship-to-ship invasions – instead focusing verymuch on story and character.
As expected, every conceivable cliché of the pirate’s mythology isrevisited for a generation probably unaccustomed to the genre’speculiarities. Usually when reviewing films, such blatant unoriginalitywould count against it, but here the clichés are to be cherished andgiven fresh spins by the filmmakers. That said, to some the film willnever be a true pirates movie, as the fantasy-angle deliberately targetsThe Mummycrowd – but nobody can deny the spirit of adventure throbbingbeneath its digitally-enhanced skin.
If Pirates Of The Caribbean has an Achilles Heel it’s in its length. At2 hours 23 minutes the movie is perhaps 30 minutes too long, with theextended finale covering well-trodden ground to a degree. Thankfully,the pace of the movie ensures the journey to minor apathy is enjoyableand feisty, with enough good-natured humour from Shrek screenwriters TedElliott and Terry Rossio.
A special mention must also go to the fabulous cinematography by DariuszWolski(Dark City),who gives Verbinski’s movie a gorgeous visual appealthat overshadows whatever delights the special-effects crew could comeup with.
Overall, a triumph – but not quite the supposed summer masterpiece manywill be expecting (nay, hoping?). The movie is effortlessly enjoyableand visually exciting, but nothing here really lingers long in thememory or elicits post-movie discussion. Pirates Of The Caribbean iscertainly a faithful adaptation of a theme-park ride: great fun whileyou’re on it, but soon forgotten about when it comes to a halt.
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Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.