Well, everyone, today, I have a very special treat for all of you. Today, we are going to be reviewing a live-action Disney film that just reached it’s 20th anniversary as of recently, as well as is based off a popular attraction at places like Disney World, and Disney Land. Not only that, but it is in a lineup of Disney films that, in honor of the Disney company reaching it’s 100th anniversary, are being re-released every couple weeks over the course of July 7th through October 27th, which includes re-releases of films like Toy Story, Moana, Coco, The Lion King, Pirates Of The Caribbean, and a few others. So now, let’s discuss the classic live-action Disney film, from 2003, and being re-released as of this year, Pirates Of The Caribbean.
Plot: When a group of accursed, and immortal pirates kidnap Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightly), a woman from England that came in possession of a special pirate medallion eight years before that is one of many to help lift the pirates’ immortal curse, a blacksmith named Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), and a pirate named Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) must spring into action to go, and rescue her. Will they succeed in their mission, and will the curse of the pirates, and their ship, the Black Pearl, be lifted regardless?
Okay, I remember really having fun with this film back in the early 2000s. I also remember enjoying some, if not all, of the sequels that followed it. So, is this film as good as I remembered it before? Miraculously, yes, and likely even better. First of all, Johnny Depp helped make this film even better. I mean most, if not all, of his lines, were really great, clever, and spot on. Truthfully, he was basically the Robin Williams of this Pirates Of The Caribbean film, and probably even the other ones that came after it. A great many of his lines were hilarious as could be, and the way he even acted was sometimes funny. If it weren’t for Jack Sparrow being in this film, or perhaps even Johnny Depp playing him, it’s hard to say whether or not Pirates Of The Caribbean would have been as enjoyable as it was in the end. Joining alongside him were Keira Knightly, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Jonathan Pryce, and more. They were all really great. Considering that Orlando Bloom was in this film as Will Turner, and Legolas the elf in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy that was getting released around the same time as this film, I would have been curious to hear how he was able to juggle between working in Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, and all three of those films, especially since that trilogy, and this film were both really big blockbusters. Next, there was the score by Klaus Badelt. His score was phenomenal. It almost seems to have a Hans Zimmer vibe (which is interesting, considering Zimmer at least scored the second through fourth Pirates Of The Caribbean movies). I wouldn’t be surprised if many people wanted to get the soundtrack, and listen to it quite a few times after seeing this film. Yeah, you heard me. It’s that amazing. Then there’s the storyline. This film was around 2 1/2 hours long. Quite honestly, I’m glad that it was. The reason being is because it helped developed the world that this film was based around, and helped flesh out every single character that needed to be fleshed out. Every single character, be it Elizabeth Swan, Will Turner, Jack Sparrow, minor characters like Commodore Norrington, or even the villain Captain Barbosa, were memorable from beginning to end, be it lines of theirs, moments they were onscreen period, you name it. It was also great to see how creative the writers ended up being with the characters, and the storyline overall. Oh, and did I forget to mention that there are a Biblical references in this film? I won’t say when those occur, but let’s just say that Christians especially will appreciate moments like those. Another thing to appreciate about this movie is how it could potentially make one think about whether or not it would be wise to handle certain situations in ways similar to how some of the characters handled certain situations in this film. As for the action, that was another one of the major highlights of this film as well. The climax especially is one of the most memorable action sequences that this, or any other action film could have. Could it have possibly dragged a little long? Maybe! Still, it thankfully doesn’t dock the film from having a really good grade. Finally, there seemed to be some good underlying messages about possibly not stereotyping other groups, or individuals, and maybe even underlying themes of racism.
And that’s my review for Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl. It was worth seeing twenty years ago, and is worth seeing even today for those of you who surprisingly may have never seen this film. It Ava’s a fun storyline, some of the most memorable characters that a film could have, excellent action, possibly great messages, and more. If you haven’t seen this film, definitely watch it at least once, even if you don’t see it more than that. the movie barely, if ever, drags, and you’ll find yourself engaged from beginning to end. Once you see Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl, you may surprisingly want to revisit it, and revisit the characters multiple times. Anyway, see this movie if you haven’t, or want to rewatch it again, and see what you think!
Final Grade: A+
Matthew’s Animated & Live-Action Movie Reviews 