Pirates of the Caribbean-
The Curse of the Black Pearl
(2003)
review by Head Cheeze

Big McLargehuge said it best when he stated (and I paraphrase here, since much of what he says is drivel) "I refuse to see a film based on an amusement park ride." I wholeheartedly agreed; that is, until the trailers started rolling in. While he still stands staunchly beside his decision not to see Pirates of the Caribbean for that particular reason, I hate to say it, but he's missing out. Big time!

Director Gore Verbinski's follow-up to The Ring was an odd choice that seemed absolutely idiotic on paper, but when Johnny Depp was brought on board, things took a dramatically different turn. Depp is one of my favourite actors, and has shown a great amount of restraint and good judgement when picking his roles. For him to sign on to a film that would simply be a kid-friendly advertisement for a theme park would be career suicide. I knew Depp was smarter than that, so, with his extremely eclectic track record in mind, I snuck out to see Pirates with nephew in tow in case my theory back fired!

Hot Damn, what a good time this movie was!

Will Turner (Bloom) is a young blacksmith's apprentice (who actually does the lion's share of the smithy work seeing as how his boss is a drunken lout) who fancies lovely blue blood, Elizabeth Swann (Knightley, a girl so ridiculously gorgeous it's like staring into the sun everytime she steps on screen). Elizabeth is sort of "arranged" to wed the daft Norrington (Jack Davenport), a naval officer with a hatred for pirates that's rivaled only by his unbridled affection for the young Miss Swann. When a lone pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), floats ashore in a ramshackle boat, he is imprisoned and sentenced to execution, but not before a harrowing escape leads him to a duel with the surprisingly proficient Will. Will manages to keep Sparrow in check until the guards arrive to take him to jail. Meanwhile, a mysterious vessel enters the harbour, and an all out pirate invasion leads to the kidnapping of Elizabeth! Will, seeing no other alternative, frees Sparrow on the condition that he help rescue his love, but Sparrow has a stake in this as well, seeing as how the ship they are pursuing, The Black Pearl, was once his! The Pearl and it's cursed crew, led by Sparrow's nemesis, Barbarossa (Rush) need the blood of Elizabeth to lift the curse- or do they?

While much of Pirates of the Caribbean is played for laughs, the film is actually a very solid action flick and even features a touch of horror amidst all the comedic swashbuckling. What really sets this film apart from traditional summer popcorn flicks is the performance by Johnny Depp as Sparrow. Depp handpicked his wardrobe, did his own make-up, and even sported his own gold teeth for the role. His Sparrow is a bit like Keith Richards sauntering through a gay bar, pissed out of his mind, mascara running down the corners of his eyes like a sweaty drag queen. Every nuance of the character was Depp's idea, and he pours it on like dagger through a cask of cheap rum. It's a brilliant, funny, and absolutely career defining stuff. If he's not nominated for an Oscar for this, then there truly is no justice in the world. The supporting cast, especially Rush, all do well to keep up with Depp, but, even in the presence of the goddess that is Knightley, Sparrow's will be the face you long remember.

My only big gripe about the film is that it's such a breezy affair that I found myself having to struggle to recall much of it. Upon second viewing on the excellent DVD from Buena Vista, it still holds up as a fun flick, but, Depp's performance aside, there isn't really anything groundbreaking here. It's simply a fun bit of fluff buoyed by a great cast that seem to be having just as much fun making it as we are viewing it.

The 2 Disc set from Buena Vista is an extremely loaded affair, featuring a pair of commentaries (one with Verbinski and Depp, whose so restrained in "real life" that one longs for him to become Sparrow for the commentary track), deleted scenes, blooper reels, numerous behind-the-scenes featurettes, and loads more. It's a great collection of goodies, and well worth the bargain price most blockbuster flicks sell for when released on DVD.

Pirates of the Caribbean isn't a great film, at least by definition, but it is great fun, and I could watch Depp's slovenly take on the swashbuckling caricature over and over; precisely why this disc is a very recommended purchase.