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. (07/17/2003)

A great start, but for me the highlight of the trilogy is the second part. Orlando Bloom annoys the hell out of me in this film (in the same way he made Troy a bit unpleasant), but otherwise everything is OK. Captain Sparrow's arrival in port will hopefully go down in movie history! (06/05/2009)

At the beginning of the new millennium, no sane person would have bet even half a penny on a film with pirate themes. The theme was considered exhausted and outdated, and not suitable for the era of computers and genetic engineering. The last attempts in the genre field also ended in failure. The idea sat in a drawer for a while, but director Verbinski finally took the plunge when he came up with an original, action-packed popcorn spectacle for all generations, and with a hero who had never been seen before. Depp's pirate captain has a much closer resemblance and behavior to the hippies of the 60s than to the classic idea of a sea wolf. And even within the series of extravagant loners and oddballs he usually portrays, he is an unmistakable figure. The film is a lavishly made special effects spectacle full of exaggeration and simple, yet unoffensive humor. It is in the best sense of the word a family adventure film that, in my eyes, does not age and even after the third viewing, I have no need to change my opinion about it. It's just a shame about the unnecessary sequels that plundered and diluted the successful original. Overall impression: 85%. (05/03/2017)

A great adventure ride, but I can’t say I liked it that much. Verbinski's direction is skilful and inventive in parts, but it all rests too heavily on the performance of Johnny Depp, whose deadpan and swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow may propel this unconventional pirate movie into the ranks of the most popular adventure films, but it's far from the best. What I missed was a more even and fluid plot, which is quite overstuffed in places and the strong makeup in the form of spectacular battles or great jokes can't completely mask it. 70% (08/06/2012)

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)