Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom
Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow to save his love, the governor’s daughter, from Jack’s former pirate allies, who are now undead.
Ah, yes, the first, the original and the ONLY ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ film I enjoyed. The film sees Johnny Depp in his most iconic role, that of pirate Captain Jack Sparrow – a role that fits him like a glove. He was original and funny, whereas the character became annoying and overbearing in the sequels and the humour became silly slapstick.
A Young pirate boy, William Turner, is rescued from the ocean after being spotted by young Elizabeth. Noticing a pirate medallion around his neck, Elizabeth realizes he is the son of a pirate, and takes the medallion in order to save him.
Years later and Elizabeth still has the medallion hidden away. William turned out to be a respectable young man. On the day Elizabeth’s father buys her a new dress to wear for an occasion, she decides to wear the medallion. With her corset too tight and Elizabeth unable to breathe, she faints and falls into the ocean, and the medallion magically calls to the Black Pearl.
Enter Captain Jack Sparrow, who saves Elizabeth from the ocean. However, her fiancée wants Jack executed for being a pirate. Jack manages a daring escape. That night all hell breaks loose as the Black Pearl sails into the harbour, with its cursed crew. When Elizabeth is taken hostage aboard the Black Pearl, it’s up to Jack and William to save her.
And this is the start of a fantastic adventure filled with incredible action sequences, stunning visuals, a host of unsavoury characters, and loads of humour, suspense, fantasy elements, and interesting reveals. This thrilling, fast-paced film is still one of the best fantasy action movies ever made.
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ became a huge hit, earning $654.3 million at the box office on a budget of $140 million. It received 142 award nominations, winning 38. It received Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Best Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects. The film spawned four sequels (unfortunately, none of which are good).
Would I watch it again? Yes.
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