The Task: Watch and write about every movie on my shelf, in order (Blu-rays are sorted after DVDs), by June 10, 2015. Remaining movies: 28 Days to go: 21
Movie #412: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Even as an adult, Disney World is my favorite place to go. It’s always been my favorite place to go. It’s hard for people to appreciate if they’ve never been, or if they’ve never found their trips all that special, but it makes me incredibly happy to be there. There is no place like it. It’s more than just a theme park, it’s an experience — an atmosphere that pervades from the moment you drive onto the grounds and is enhanced by every cast member and every detail of every different land. It’s magical and wonderful. But even for me, the idea of a film based on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride sounded like a nightmare. What could possibly be the point? What merit or story could possibly be derived? It just felt like a disaster waiting to happen.
Imagine my surprise, then, when it turned out to be a huge hit.
I went by myself — a frequent habit I developed when my son was small. Basically, if I had a couple free hours when someone else was watching him, I would go see a movie. So I sat in the darkened theater, in the center of the second row as is my wont, and I readied myself for whatever would come. As it happens, what came was a rollicking good time — a perfect summer film full of fun and joy and blissfully creative elements.
Most people site Johnny Depp’s performance as Captain Jack Sparrow as their favorites, and with good reason. He’s sloppy and tilting and listing with every movement. He’s slurry and flirty and deceptively smart. He is, in short, an incredibly fun character. But the other characters are a lot of fun too, and shouldn’t be discounted.
For me, the best parts of Pirates of the Caribbean (and its sequels) have always had to do with Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightly) and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). I was at first disappointed Turner wasn’t gloriously blonde like Bloom’s Legolas role, but aside from that the character is aces. Will Turner is a lowly, undervalued, overlooked citizen of the Caribbean town from where the events of the film commence — undervalued and overlooked by all by Elizabeth, that is. He came with the Swans as a refugee of a downed merchant ship and works as a blacksmith’s apprentice making swords. He’s good-hearted and noble and he loves Elizabeth from afar. And he’s not a bad swashbuckler either, as far as that goes.
Elizabeth, too, is a great character. She’s plucky and smart and doesn’t shy away from confrontation. She holds her own with every pirate on the seas and shows virtually no fear fighting for herself or for Will. She’s pretty crafty too, as evidenced both by her employing of parlay and her giant island bonfire to ensure her rescue. Plus, any woman who calls out the ridiculousness of a corset is to be held in admiration.
Of course, the other pirates are quite entertaining as well. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) is equal parts vile and impressive, and he makes for a fantastic villain. As do the monkey and the several other ones, mostly called out for comedic effect. But some of the most enjoyable parts of the film have to do with callbacks to the actual Disney boat ride — like the dog holding the keys to the prison cell, or Mr. Gibbs (Kevin McNally) wallowing in slop with the pigs. It took the goofy concept that was fashioning a film after a theme park ride and made it the most fun I think it could’ve possible been.
The most impressive aspect of the film, however, is the skeletal special effect, in which all the pirates of the Black Pearl, when bathed in moonlight, show their true selves as the living dead. It’s creepy and fantastic and expertly done — especially when they move in and out of the shadows, partially exposed and partially whole. It’s amazing, and astounding and stunning work. I could watch those transitions all day. I especially love the underwater scene because it’s so brilliant and so unexpected and so masterful. I mean, wow.
Really, Pirates of the Caribbean wowed me in a lot of ways, in almost every aspect of its execution from the story to the design to the characters to the dialogue to the effects. It’s an all-around great popcorn flick, and one I could watch multiple times. (And have.) Even better, now that the ride at Disney World has been updated to match the film, it makes me want to go back there again. More so than usual.
Viable Option 