Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

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)

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 The theme was considered exhausted and outdated, and not suitable for the era of computers and genetic engineering.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%. (05/02/2017)

The film that made Johnny Depp a real star, a film that showed that pirate movies are definitely not passé and that Disney still has something to offer to a wide audience. Entertaining, action-packed, imaginative with great characters and surprisingly it doesn't get boring even after several viewings. True, I already know the story very well, but it's still a ride. (04/12/2015)

Concentrated, clean, and excellent entertainment that really has very few weak points. Verbinski managed to revive the pirate genre and the attraction of Disneyland in a single movie. The truth is that he really had the support of Jerry Bruckheimer (thanks for Keira, Jerry :), ILM and especially Johnny Depp, who captivated everyone with his now-well-worn creation: Jack Sparrow, “The Worst Pirate You've Ever Heard of". Part two is knocking on the door of our old, dusty, small-town movie theatre. I couldn't go there without watching the first movie again. (09/05/2006)

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)