An absolute classic, Sep 13 2003

By	Pamela R. Heath "website www.pamelaheath.com,... (Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews

This movie blew me away. First of all, Johnny Depp was amazing. I've never seen a performance that could equal his. You can't take your eyes off of Depp to even appreciate the other fine acting in the film unless you've watched the movie several times! Secondly, I liked the plot twists. It is rare that I watch a film and miss any of what is going on. I did with this film, and had to watch it several times in the theatre to understand precisely what was happening, and just how incredibly clever Captain Sparrow was. Furthermore, watch the subtle shifts in Depp's performance when he's with people or alone. There's a clear difference. Sparrow is far more focused, thoughtful, and decisive alone. He's putting on a hypnotic act when in front of others. It's a one man acting tour de force, awesome to watch. Third, I was on my college fencing team and have always been really picky about the swordplay in a movie. There have been some great sword fights in the past, most recently in "The Princess Bride," but the consistency and quality of the sword play in "Pirates of the Caribbean" was highly impressive. Some critics complained about too many sword fights, but I loved each and every one of them. They were terrific. Finally, the music and cinematography were wonderful, adding greatly to the overall impact of the film. I consider it this year's best movie par none so far.

It's hard to come up with enough superlatives to describe this movie. I predict that this film will become one of the true family classics, like "The Princess Bride" was. It is equally enjoyable for children and adults, and is entertaining no matter how many times you've seen it. The commentary (including Depp), bloopers, and deleted scenes make this DVD a clear must-have. My only wish is that, like "The Lord of the Rings" DVDs, they would come out with an extended version of the movie.

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Piracy At Its Funniest, Nov 23 2003

By	David Anderson (St. Cloud, MN) - See all my reviews

Johnny Depp, especially, wonderfully offers his own humor into this movie. His unforgettable behavior alone gives this movie the unforgettable comedy experience. All the other actors also perform their roles wonderfully: Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush. Their personalities heighten the movie's genre characteristics wonderfully. Without them, this experience wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable.

The special effects look realistic. The ships sailing, the gun shooting scenes, and many others could be easily mistaken for a real pirate war. The characters' switch from human flesh to only skeleton never faulters. No special effect is ever cheated, even the minor ones.

"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" is highly enjoyable for those of all ages. Those looking for unique action should watch this. This will keep its audiences highly entertained the whole time.

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