Back after several years away and looking forward to seeing what I have missed! Hope the site is as ...
Back after several years away and looking forward to seeing what I have missed! Hope the site is as interesting as it was 4 years ago!
Member since:03.08.2003
Reviews:31
Members who trust:4
Before I start this op I just want to point out that the title does not include a pirate joke and neither will the op itself. It must be possible to review a pirate film without a subtle play on words like ‘this film was well worth the pieces of eight I paid to see it’ (damn).
I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl last night and I have to say I went in without reading any reviews of it. I’d seen the trailer for it and it looked pretty terrible. I mean, if the best bits were a feisty heroine doing it for the feminists saying “Pain?, you should try wearing a corset!” and a bearded ‘arr me hearties’ pirate letting us know that you should believe in ghost stories “cos now your in one!” (oooh doesn’t it send shivers up and down your timber- damn ) then I was expecting a pretty poor dodgy Disney movie. Mr Depp, I lamented, please tell me you’ve not gone and acted in a pants movie? Fortunately for Mr Depp, and unfortunately for the rant to ciao about how rubbish it was that I was already cooking up the movie was excellent. Had I looked at the other reviews in this section I would have known this but hey ho I like surprises anyway.
PLOT AND OVERVIEW
The plot was pretty standard stuff. You know boy meets girl after being attacked by pirates. Boy grows up to love girl but girl set to marry respectable
man. Girl has medallion that is part of pirate curse and is kidnapped. Boy and pirate friend go off after girl. Respectable man chases all concerned. Boy and pirate buckle some swash (damn) and boy ends up with girl. Phew hope everyone kept up!
Sounds average at best I know but its actually rather well done. The plot does contain more depth than I put in there but I didn’t want to ruin it. Incidentally if you think that me saying boy gets girl ruins it then you really shouldn’t see films like this you will just get annoyed. The acting is excellent as is the direction of Gore Verbinski (best remembered for the Ring but the less said about Mousehunt the better!) which seamlessly puts together humour, drama and suspense. The scenes can seem a little contrived but just accept and don’t worry too much and you’ll enjoy. Its all done in a very tongue in cheek sort of way and does’t make the mistake of taking itself too seriously. I feel it that case you, the viewer, shouldn’t either. Shamelessly I chuckled at the gags and also the cheesy feel-good parts, yo ho ho (damn). Now that’s comedy! Going in there expecting a bad film I did, at the start, try to pick it apart a bit and had I not been able to stop that might ruin the film so please don’t take that mood into the cinema.
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Were more than adequate though not hugely groundbreaking. The battle scenes were well done and believable even if the individual bits of fighting were a bit Errol Flynn you know jumping and swinging on things and “aha have at you, you fiend!” The scenes involving the pirate curse (I’ll not say what this entails exactly) were excellent particularly look out for the underwater sections and the shafts of moonlight in the final cave battle. All in all a good effort but won’t win an Oscar for them.
CAST/HIGHLIGHTS
‘Captain’ Jack Sparrow: Johnny Depp
Another excellent performance from Depp playing the eccentric ex-captian of the Black Pearl trying to reclaim his ship. The accent was variously Eastend, Australian, American and who knows what else but completely hilarious. As were his mannerisms seemingly a direct copy of his portrayal of Hunter S Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (if you’ve seen it you’ll know). Finally ladies I’m reliably informed he still looks great even in pirate hat and gold teeth (git!).
Captain Barbossa: Geoffrey Rush
Also pulls of the menacing bit well and shines alongside Depp especially. His use of facial expression to back up dialogue was particularly good and when he hammed it up it was worth a laugh.
The elf turns out to be as good with a sword as a bow. Another solid performance as the naïve lad inescapably linked to the pirates he despises. Convincingly changes opinion on them through the film. Didn’t really get out from the shadow of Depp and Rush though.
Elizabeth Swan: Keira Knightley
Did very well not to be totally overshadowed by the rest of the cast. Never really ot a chance to shine but having not seen her before I was impressed. Also looks absolutely stunning: she can shiver my timber let me tell you! (damn)
The unsung hero of the film as the Navy Commodore with total disdain for pirates. Underestimates Cap’n Sparrow several times and the dynamic between him and Depp was excellent. Enjoyed his pompous role very much and felt a bit sorry for him when he inevitably lost out to Turner for the girl.
Honourable Mentions: Mackenzie Crook as mad pirate with wooden eye, Mad pirate number 2 (don’t mention parlez!), the two dopey redcoats.
A PIRATES LIFE FOR ME (damn) All in all I recommend it me hearties (damn) go see it now and laugh about it over a bottle of rum (damn). Having kids to take to see it could be a good excuse. However if your one of those people who can’t enjoy a film with no serious message then don’t go this is one for the big kids out there.
And sorry about all the pirate jokes you obviously can’t review a pirate film without them!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2007 - Action/Adventure - Director: Paul Greengrass - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, Edgar Ramirez, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
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Aug 15th, 2003
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