[I am referring to the first movie only, not the entire series. Many of the original’s good qualities are completely absent in the sequels.]
This is a blockbuster nobody saw coming. Back in 2003, a pirate movie based on a theme park ride and starring Johnny Depp couldn’t be more than passable entertainment. There are many theories to the film’s success, and mine is that this one had a Great Script. I’ll say that again in case you think I made a typo. POTC has the Best Screenplay of any blockbuster this century. A simple premise (kidnapped princess) is given layers through original characterizations and lots of terrific dialogue. Dialogue many levels smarter than we’d ever expect from this type of film.
How nervous do you think the studio was when they saw how Johnny Depp was playing Captain Jack Sparrow? It’s one of the gutsiest moves to hang the franchise on such an unusual performance, one that was most certainly not written that way. Depp has since run Sparrow into the ground, but this retains its fresh enjoyment because the lunacy is balanced by an emotional gravity they removed for the sequels. Watch the initial match with Will turner in the blacksmith shoppe. He comes off as seasoned, not just lucky. There’s a flow to their fight based in character, not a mindless clashing of swords. I would’ve loved to see more adventures with THIS Jack Sparrow. So much sharper than the clown we ended up with.
Jerry Bruckheimer spared no expense in creating this fantasyland of pirate fun. His great trick was not being satisfied with a large-scale pirate movie. He made it a zombie movie as well, and I know quite a few people were surprised when the plot twisted in that direction. Making the pirates only skeletal in the moonlight leads to a lot of clever and interesting effects, especially during the finale.
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