(Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Gore Verbinski, 2003)There's really not much to be said about Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (or, if you like, POTC:TCOTBP). It can be said that this film and its sequels are responsible for the pirate craze that kind of took over popular culture in the last 7 years. It can also be said that never has making a movie based on a Disneyland ride been such a good idea. Really, there are innumerable things that can be said about this movie. So why am I so short on things to say about it?
It's fitting that this is the first film that will be written about solely by me, becuase it is also the first film I ever owned on DVD. This is due to no specific personal connection to the film, but more because of the fact that my family first bought a DVD player around the same time that the first POTC came out on DVD. So, whether I like it or not, it's kind of special for me. It's also one of a handful of movies that I've seen so many times that I can recite the lines along with the actors. I've seen this move A LOT. I think it has something to do with Johnny Depp (just a guess). And even after an insane number of viewings, I don't really have anything bad to say about it. It's just a really well-made film. And I think it takes a lot of heat because it's based on a ride and it's not exactly serious subject matter. So let's take a second and analyze one aspect of the film: the cast.
We'll start with some of the more minor players. Governor Swann is played by Jonathan Price, whose previous credits include Brazil, Something Wicked This Way Comes, and various roles on stage. Oh, and he played Juan Peron in Evita, a role which required not only some serious acting skills, but also respectable singing ability. Then there's Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa who's won the "Triple Crown of Acting:" an Emmy, a Tony, and an Oscar. When Keira Knightley played Elizabeth Swann she was only 17, an age at which I was mostly concerned with why boys didn't like me or what color dress I was going to wear to prom. When Orlando Bloom played Will Turner he was still working on The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, the final installment of which went on to win 11 Academy Awards (it won in every category it was nominated in). And then there's Johnny Depp, whose role as Captain Jack Sparrow earned him an Academy Award nomination. Keep in mind that this film was based on a theme park ride.
Basically what I'm trying to say is that Pirates of the Caribbean is not just an entertaining film, it's a genuinely good film. It's got a great cast, an incredible soundtrack, and stunning cinematography and sets. It's extremely well made and well-written. And I'm kind of just rambling because anyone who reads this has probably seen the film and already knows for themselves that it's pretty awesome. So, to conclude, I'd just like to take a moment to forget about what Pirates of the Caribbean is based on and just appreciate it for the film that it is.
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