Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

A routine story framework decked out with great jokes and excellent effects. The Curse of the Black Pearl is charming yet dull Hollywood entertainment that’s hindered by its exceedingly long runtime, though the excellent Johnny Depp elevates it from time to time. (07/16/2003)

Pirates of the Caribbean = an unexpectedly successful attack on audiences' wallets, or a modern fairy tale about how Johnny's gorgeous make-up and Orlando's dark eyes made a fortune for Disney. I really can't remember the last time I took real pleasure in watching an all-around goofy and jerky actor with the amusing visage of a stoned Rastaman, as I did here with Depp. And Orlando? Someone should tell him that there are no elves in the Caribbean. He's wooden as always, but thanks to his romantic appearance he attracted a lot of female fans to the cinema (see the quote "I almost drowned in his beautiful dark eyes...") and they don't care whether he can act or not. Who can certainly act is Geoffrey Rush, hes smarmy corsair was a joy to watch. But the biggest star for me is Jerry Bruckheimer. Spectacular sets and a big budget, in short, what we are used to in his films. It must be a pleasure to work under his wing. (10/09/2003)

Definitely the most comprehensive, logically independent, and with a clear margin the best part of the series. Verbinski, under Bruckheimer's supervision, accomplished everything he could, especially in terms of actors. Bloom is enough to portray himself as an innocent blacksmith, Keira is traditionally captivating, Rush is appropriately slimy, and Johnny Depp's performance has already become iconic after just a few weeks. A perfect example of an entertaining adventure film that can be watched over and over again. (05/30/2007)

Without Depp, the film would be almost hopeless, but Johnny’s Jack Sparrow is one of the best comic characters I've ever seen in a big film. Looking at Orlando Bloom, the question creeps into my mind whether his performance of "I am Legolas, but dressed as a buccaneer, don't confuse it, dear children" is meant seriously, or whether it is a deliberate exaggeration of the character of the incorrigible good guy Will Turner... Simple storyline, nice tricks, excellent humor; just a fun film the way it should be! (01/27/2004)

Disney was obviously flaunting their budget. Despite a few flaws, I had fun watching the film and I wasn’t bored even on a rewatch. Johnny Depp was brilliant as a bisexual pirate; Geoffrey Rush was charmingly half-mad, and I also liked the performance of my favorite Jonathan Pryce. On a more negative note, Orlando Bloom kept looking like the winner of a staring contest and his Will Turner turned out to be the least likable character in the whole film. Keira Knightley’s had better roles and her acting has been better, too. The humor in some scenes felt a bit forced and intended for cheap laughs. Then I realized who Disney make their films for, I eased up on the criticism and the fourth star was saved, so a happy ending after all. (12/12/2016)