Avast Ye, Landlubbers!
Pirates of the Caribbean is about as good as it gets. This is easily my favorite movie so far this summer, and it all boils down to one factor: Johnny Depp. The movie is full of swashbuckling rogues, talking parrots, gold, curses, walking the plank and everything else that you would associate with a pirate movie. It is also full of realistic CGI, and some of the best acting I've seen in a while. It's almost a shame Depp completely eclipses the rest of the cast. Wait, no it isn't.
The story is about what you'd expect from a pirate movie. Will Turner ( Orlando Bloom ) is the indentured servant of a blacksmith for Weatherby Swann ( Jonathan Pryce ), the governor of a British colony. He was rescued from the sea by his daughter Elizabeth ( Keira Knightley ) many years ago, and he is deeply in love with her. Captain Jack Sparrow ( Johnny Depp ) is a former captain who was the victim of a mutiny by his then first mate, the vile Captain Barbossa. But after they marooned Jack on a deserted island, they steal cursed gold, which results in their being undead. They can't die, but they also can't eat or drink or feel, so they'd like to find a way to break the curse. When they are lead to the colony, they kidnap Elizabeth, and Will and Jack are off to the rescue.
The acting is simply phenomenal, probably the best you'll see this summer. Orlando Bloom, after starting off flat, is surprisingly convincing. He shows his emotions well, and they aren't forced. He is quite good opposite Knightley, who also plays her role well. She may not be seem as good as the rest of her cast, but that's only because she was playing a somewhat limited character; the damsel in distress. Geoffrey Rush is of course immensely entertaining, as he always is. He portrays the evil Barbossa in a ferocious yet eloquent way, is dialgoue is well-delivered and a joy to just listen to. Of course, I saved the best for last, and that is Johnny Depp. Once again, he is nothing short of brilliant. I've never seen an actor dominate a movie like this before. He completely eclipses fine performances from Bloom and Rush, to the point where their performances seem tame, which is of course far from the truth. Depp brings it all to this movie, slurred speech, awkard body movements, his crazy eyes and a wicked sense of humor. He deilvers his lines with such ease and grace that one would think he actually was a pirate. He flows from scene to scene, from environment to environment, and does it flawlessly. From his posture, to his speech, to his mannerisms, Depp has created the a pirate of his own, something completely outside all the stereotypes. This is his finest work since Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
At this point I probably sound like a raving lunatic, so I'll leave Depp alone for a moment, and move onto the action. From the Black Pearl bombarding the colony, from a giant battle at sea to the final sword fight in a dim cave, this movie as all the pirate goodness you could want. The swordfights are the high point, especially the finale. You see, when the cursed pirates are seen in the moonlight, they are visible as skeletons, their true form. What makes this so interesting is that the final fight has Sparrow and Barbossa rapidly moving, and at times, they pass through a patch of light. You see the skeleton for a second, and then he's human again. It may just be a gimmick, but it works flawlessly and is really something to see.
This is easily the best movie of summer, without a doubt. Since that may seem like a stretch to most of you, I'd like to explain why. I'm matching Pirates of the Caribbean up against most of the other big name summer movies for comparison.
The Matrix Reloaded- PotC has stylish action as well as a thoughtful plot that anyone can enjoy and have a blast with. Reloaded has better action, but the plot will most likely be to deep for your average summer movie-goer.
Hulk- While enjoyed Hulk, the dialogue was much to long, and often delivered in dry or boring manner. The dialogue in PotC is a joy with Depp and Rush heading the cast.
Terminator 3- I'm sorry to say this, but T3 falls way behind. PotC was more exciting and had a smart script compared to the drivel of T3.
So, if you're going to see one movie this summer, make it this one. I realize this message is probably getting to you late, so I ask this of you: forget the bullet-time, forget the gratuitous CGI, forget cyborgs, mutants and animated fish. Think back to the days when a good movie didn't need that. Think back to the days when you chased your friends around with plastic sword wearing an eye patch. Then you'll realize just how damn good this movie is.