If there is one thing over the years that I have learned is never doubt Walt Disney Studios. As an avid fan of not only Disney films but its theme park, the Pirates of the Caribbean ride is not only an all-time classic but a favorite of mine. Despite that love for the ride, 16-year old David hearing about a potential Pirates film left little to be desired. How would they get this done? What central characters would they focus on? Edward Scissorhands and
How would they get this done? What central characters would they focus on? Edward Scissorhands and Legolas as leads? These questions ran through my mind until the very moment I walked into the theater. Two and a half hours later, the first of many instances in which Disney pleasantly surprised me.
On the surface, Pirates Of The Caribbean should have no business working on a film the way it did, however, from its gloomy opening, as we pan in, we see a little girl Elizabeth Swann singing the iconic song, “A Pirates Life For Me” from the ride itself, the film makes it clear that this song is one of the only similarities it would have with the Walt Disney World/Land ride.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl focuses on two stories: the journey of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and the friendship of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner. As Jack arrives at Port Royal in the Caribbean without a ship or crew, his timing is impeccable, as he is forced to rescue Elizabeth after her corset is just a bit too tight and she falls into the ocean. Jack realizes that Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) is in possession of a valuable coin that is linked to a curse that has transformed the pirates into the undead. That coin connects both Sparrow and Elizabeth and Will’s story as Elizabeth is kidnapped by those very same undead pirates and only Will and Sparrow can find rescue her. The combination of all three protagonists’ stories is done very well as little question or doubt are had as to why Elizabeth or Will would even associate with Jack Sparrow.
The unexpected surprise of this film was its script. Not only was its story interesting, but quite witty and at times hysterical. It knew what it was – a Disney ride turned action adventure. To the surprise of no one, the film is gorgeous to look at as its production design is as it good as it gets when it comes to a Disney release. From its colorful visuals to solid effects, the film does a great job in its ghost scenes with Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) and his crew. One prime example is as the sun sets and the moon rises, the crew exposes themselves as ghosts and shells of their former selves.
While the film is full of fun performances including the likes of Keira Knightly, Orlando Bloom, and Geoffrey Rush, Johnny Depp truly shines brightest. A performance that at the time was a career best for him. He brings to life Jack Sparrow, a character whose mannerisms were based on long time friend of Depp, Keith Richards. Along with his performance, Jack Sparrow’s look also stands out and has become synonymous with not only the film franchise but the Disney ride as Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbosa have been added to the popular ride cementing these two characters as Disney icons.
If there is one complaint to be made is the usual complaint of length. At 2 hours and 23 minutes, there are points within the middle portion of the film where a few more cuts and edits would have assisted in the pacing of the film. While still entertaining throughout, I can only imagine what a neater, tighter, version of the film would look like.
Along with a commercial success for Disney, the film hit big during awards season as well. Johnny Depp took home a few awards for his portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow. His wins include Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the 10th Screen Actors Guild Awards, Best Male Performance at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards, and Best Actor at the 9th Empire Awards. Depp was also nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 61st Golden Globe Awards, Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 57th British Academy Film Awards, and Best Actor at the 76th Academy Awards. The film also earned Oscar nominations for Best Makeup, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects. While the franchise fell from grace after this film. Pirates Of The Caribbean proves that Disney can do just about anything.
Reel Talk gives Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl 3.5 reels
