Released:  2003

Version: Film

Rated: PG-13

Length: Approx. 143 min.

Main Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Mackenzie Crook, Damian O'Hare

We begin our tale with some ocean water and then a little girl singing a pirate song to herself on a ship. The next thing we know, she's spotted a boy floating on a raft. The crew (of what looks like a British ship) pulls the boy up and the girl is put in charge of him since soon after pulling him up, they notice a burning ship and the crew needs to go check for other survivors.

And then, the girl wakes up. But wait! It's an older girl. Her name is Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and she's one of the major protagonists in the film. In her dream, she takes a gold necklace off the boy and when she awakens, she digs it out to wear. The boy is Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and he's now an apprentice to a blacksmith. It's obvious that he loves Miss Swann and she certainly likes to flirt with him.

Anyway, rather than getting too deep into the story, I'll try to hit the highlights. The next major character in the film to show up is Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). He seems to be a drunk or something as he always walks kind of weird and acts weird too. The local authorities don't take to kindly to him even after he saves Miss Swann's life and thus, Sparrow ends up in jail to await hanging.

Soon thereafter, the Black Pearl, a legendary pirate ship, pulls up and attacks the city. Miss Swann is taken and Turner ends up freeing Sparrow to track the pirates down. We learn various tidbits about Turner's father for the next 15-20 minutes. Basically, it goes something like this: Turner's dad was a pirate. He sent Turner that piece of gold and ended up causing a curse to befall his comrades. Sparrow knows all this because he used to be the Captain of the Black Pearl, and thus, Turner's dad's boss. Sparrow ended up on a deserted island because his crew mutinied right before the cursed gold was taken.

Anyway, the only way to lift the curse to get all the gold back together again (which is difficult since a lot of it was spent) and then put Turner's blood on it. Who knows why Turner's blood is needed! No one bothers to explain that. And why doesn't the young Turner get cursed for having the gold? Is it because it was gift and not stolen? If that's the case, then it must be the only non-cursed piece of gold seeing as it was stolen from him by Miss Swann and she didn't get cursed. 

But back to the story. Miss Swann is rescued and Sparrow is left behind. Then Miss Swann is recaptured and so is Turner. Swann and Sparrow get left on a deserted island and Turner is taken back to the pirates lair to kill him. Swann and Sparrow are rescued by Swann's father and her fiancé of sorts. Miss Swann (and Sparrow) tricks her would-be beau into going to rescue Turner.

And thus we enter a good fight scene wherein Sparrow and Barbossa (the new Capt. of the Black Pearl) fight as well as Turner and a couple of guards. Meanwhile, the Brits (or whatever they are) are fighting Barbossa's (Geoffrey Rush) henchmen.

Alright. Here's the confusing part. Remember, we need Turner's blood to lift the curse. Well, it seems Sparrow stole some of the gold (just a few minutes ago) , got cursed, and then cuts himself and tosses the bloodied coins to Turner who drops them in a chest with the other coins, thus lifting the curse so that Sparrow can shoot Barbossa. You follow? Yeah, me neither. 

Here's something about the curse I have yet to mention: It makes the recipients of the curse immortal. However, they cannot eat and they look like skeletons with ragged clothes / flesh on when they're hit with moonlight. Also, when they get skewered with a sword, they don't bleed. This brings me back to Sparrow. How in the world did he bleed onto those coins? Maybe I missed something.

Being a Disney movie, everything will conveniently turn out all right in the end. Even though Miss Swann promised to marry a Captain under her father's command, she reneges and he just gives her up to Turner. He professed his love earlier, but now he doesn't seem to care. Come on! What is up with these people!? Saying stuff they don't mean and never going after their woman. (For another movie where the same thing happens, see Sinbad)

The Good Stuff:

The Bad Stuff:

Overall, I enjoyed this movie. It was entertaining while retaining some serious undertones. The actors were well-done, for the most part as well. I recommend it for a good time, but I don't think children under 13 should usually apply.

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