Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl [VHS] [2003]

The plot of the movie centers on a gold medallion (here we see echoes of the Indiana Jones movies) that has supernatural powers. It's being sought by Captain Barbossa (Geoffery Rush) and his cursed crew of ghosts to lift the spell that has doomed them to sail the seas as undead. Chasing them to take back the ship Black Pearl is Captain Jack Sparrow ( Johnny Depp). He is eventually assisted in his quest by blacksmith and expert sword maker Will Turner (Orlando Bloom of Lord of the Rings fame) and governor's daughter Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley).

Director Gore Verbinski (Mouse Hunt), working from a screen play by Shrek writers Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio, and Jay Wolpert, gives audiences laughter, excitement, chills, thrills, and even antcipation of further Pirates of the Caribbean movies. For those moviegoers who've visited Disneyland or Disney World, there are several charming references to the ride; my favorite is when the pirates are chasing the women around the port. I broke out in laughter several times, and so did many in the audience. I also found the special effects by Industrial Light and Magic (the same people that do the special effects for Star Wars) are incredible, and the score by Klaus Badelt is lively and stirrring.

For a late summer moviegoing season, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is definitely worth going to see.

Betty June Moore

In short, Pirates is a cracking film, full of humour, action and pirate satire and has a wide appeal. If you haven't seen it yet, which really is highly unlikely, then just buy it anyway because there is no chance that you'll want to send it back.

It's a fairly classic pirate story - cursed ship, fiesty lady, man who loves her, humorous pirates with no real harm in them and nasty pirates with lots of harm in them - but it's much more. It's extremely funny and the story does carry a few surprises and an awful lot of nice touches.

The star is Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, a pirate who turns up in Port Royale, a English settlement in the Caribbean. The same evening the Port Royale is attacked by the Black Pearl - a mysterious ship rumoured to be crewed by the damned who happen to be looking for a piece of treasure. The ship sails away with the treasure and with Elizabeth (Kiera Knightly) the Governor's daughter. Cue the start of an adventure for William (Orlando Bloom) the blacksmith, who is of course in love with her and who persuades Captain Jack Sparrow to help him sail after the Black Pearl.

There is actually a good story in this film, and enough happens that it never feels too long. It twists backwards and forwards, and you're never quite sure who's side everyone is on. Humour aside this would still be a decent film - but with the laughs it's a film I'd watch again and again.

There are also some wonderful effects - the ships are marvellous but the scenes of the cursed pirates (without giving too much away) are really well done, and the swordfights are a lot of fun.

In all, a brilliant film.