Disney Month IV: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom
Directed by: Gore Verbinski


I'll never forget watching Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl for the first time. It was the summer of 2003. My dad and I made an agreement to see two movies together. If my dad took me to see Pirates of the Caribbean, I would go with him to see The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I think you know which movie we had a better time watching. That movie consumed our lives for many years. When we got it on VHS, I'm pretty sure we would watch the film once every couple of weeks. We would quote the film in any opportunity. We patiently waited for the sequels so we could have a chance at rekindling that initial fun we had with the first film (if only we had known what would come of those sequels). And this wasn't just how WE were responding. The film took the world by storm and there was a period in the mid-2000s where Pirates of the Caribbean was one of the biggest phenomenons on the planet. Not too shabby for a movie that initially had people laughing at the mere concept simply because it was based on a Disneyland ride. So let's see how Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl made pirates cool for a new generation of moviegoers.

Johnny Depp stars as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. By now, we all know about Jack Sparrow. He's become one of the big pop culture icons of the millennium. Seriously, walk into Disneyland or Hot Topic and you'll see all kinds of Jack Sparrow merchandise. It's the role Johnny Depp is most well-known for nowadays, and a role that really brought Depp back into the public eye. I remember seeing this in theaters and being absolutely blown away with Jack Sparrow. From beginning to end, he's the character you remember. He's got the best lines. The mannerisms are something only Depp could have brought to the role. In fact, he's so tied together with Jack Sparrow that any quirky role he has done since Curse of the Black Pearl has been almost a self-parody of Jack Sparrow. While his acting roles post-Pirates of the Caribbean have been questionable, I'm always down for seeing him play Jack Sparrow in even the cruddiest of Pirates of the Caribbean movies (which we will definitely get to talking about). Heck, the man was so legendary in his performance that his character was given a tribute song thanks to The Lonely Island and Michael Bolton (and good luck getting that out of your head now).

But a good pirate film needs some great villainous pirates, and this film has one in Captain Barbossa, played by Geoffrey Rush. Like Depp as Sparrow, I really can't imagine anyone else bringing what Rush does to the role of Barbossa. He's menacing, but also has a sense of mysticism and charm. He pulls you in by being a gentleman pirate, but can be ruthless with the rest of them. I also love how annoyed he gets by Sparrow's antics. The way he rolls his eyes at him has me laughing every time. Of course, if you know this movie or saw the trailers, commercials, or posters, you know that Barbossa and his crew are cursed to be undead, skeleton pirates when the moonlight shines on them. The scene of their epic reveal is worth checking out alone. It's a phenomenal combination of all the technical things that work in these movies: costumes, scenery, music, and special effects. Not to mention, it follows a tremendous narration from Barbossa that explains how they are the way they are. Barbossa is a great villain that you love to hate, and a lot of that is attributed to Rush's portrayal.

Hans Zimmer composed the soundtrack for these movies and I'm already sure that you have the theme song stuck in your head. The music just fits so perfectly on such a grand scale. I'm sure a lot of people are rolling their eyes at the idea that we're getting more of these movies in the next couple of years, but once that theme song kicks in, I'm sure we'll all be singing a different tune. It's been a memorable movie soundtrack for over 10 years now, and it will have a nostalgic feel to it by the time we get some more sequels in theaters.

The special effects team also does a pretty impressive job with these films. They've been able to bring a lot of mystical creatures and characters to life on the big screen, as well as create a number of action sequences that are not actually possible to film. But that's the beauty of special effects sometimes, is that they can make the impossible to film a reality to see. Not much else to say. If you have the DVDs, pop in the bonus features and see how they can bring a number of memorable scenes and creatures to life.

I know the film has a number of plot holes, but I really don't care. It's a fun movie. It's one of my favorite films to watch. It's a film that I've been able to pull countless quotes from for the last 12 years. It's an important film in my life. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a game changer for live action Disney movies. While not perfect, it was the film that made pirates cool again. It's introduced Captain Jack Sparrow to the world of cinema. And it's a movie that I watch frequently, and for good reason. It's one heck of a ride from start to finish, and is one of the great action and adventure movies in the modern age of film.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is one of my go to choices for a movie when I want to have fun. I love the characters. I love the performances. I love the story. I love the effects. I love the action. I love the humor. I love this movie and that will never change, no matter how many inferior sequels they throw at us.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and movie images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures