Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003, USA) C-143m. SCOPE *** D: Gore Verbinski. Starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg. Enjoyable updating of swashbuckler films, with deft elements of fantasy and horror. Former pirate captain Depp gets involved in the kidnapping of beautiful Knightley by his former first mate Rush, now captain of the pirate vessel The Black Pearl. Blacksmith Bloom, Knightley's childhood friend (and love interest), mistrusts the cunning captain but ultimately must team up with him to find and rescue the beauty from the beast. Too simple and clichéd at the beginning, but film improves as it goes along, with some good action sequences and effects. Not the super-adventure advertised, but entertaining all the way. Depp gives a deliciously loony performance, Rush another Vincent-Price-ish one. Good score by Hans Zimmer. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.


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© Ron Altman