The Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise is one of the mainstay Disney series, highlighting the excitement and drama of pirate folklore and myth. Before becoming a major film series, the Pirates brand was most well-known by its eponymous theme ride at Disneyland in California. The Pirates theme-ride originally opened in 1967, with the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, releasing 36 years later in 2003.
Featuring a star-studded cast, a huge dose of explosive action, and a hint of drama and romance, The Curse of the Black Pearl attempts to bring the same level of excitement that the original amusement park ride did. If history is any indication, The Curse of the Black Pearl did a great job, as it went on the spawn four additional film sequels. At the very least, The Curse of the Black Pearl is a wild adventure full of memorable characters and moments.
How to Stream or Download Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
To stream or to download and watch the movie, click on the Download button at the end of the review. Check out also what we think about the fifth (and the last as of the time of writing) part of the series: Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).
The Movie Review
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl takes place in the late 1600s and follows Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), a carefree pirate with a penchant for rum and mayhem. At Port Royal in Jamaica, Jack attempts to steal a ship and head to sea, but his plans change at the very last minute. When Elizabeth Swan (Keira Knightly), the daughter of the governor of Port Royal, accidentally falls off a cliff into the ocean, Jack Sparrow takes the dive and saves the day. Despite his heroic efforts, the Port Royal guard attempts to arrest Jack, sending the city into a state of chaos.
As Jack makes his escape, he winds up sword-fighting a young blacksmith named Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), a childhood friend of Elizabeth Swan. After successfully arresting Jack, Port Royal breathes a sigh of relief, thinking their troubles are over. Later that night, a legendary ship named the Black Pearl attacks the town, kidnaps Elizabeth, and makes their escape across the Caribbean. Unable to rescue her by himself, Will Turner teams up with Jack Sparrow and begin to chase down the Black Pearl.
The attempt to save Elizabeth Swan leads Jack and Will on an exciting adventure across the sea, featuring tons of awesome action scenes. In fact, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl has pretty much everything you could want from a pirate-themed adventure, as it includes plenty of sword-fights, ship battles, double-crosses, and exciting stunts.
From a talking parrot to walking the plank, the Curse of the Black Pearl checks all the appropriate boxes for a classic pirate tale. Despite the hefty amount of action and violence, The Curse of the Black Pearl also manages to stay family-friendly. Kids and adults alike will surely enjoy Jack Sparrow’s first adventure, although some of the ghostly visuals might be a bit too scary for the youngest viewers.
The Bottom Line
Overall, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is an awesome and exciting adventure that’s just as thrilling as its amusement park ride roots. The only real problems with the movie are its long run time (lasting over 2 and a half hours), which results in a few underwhelming scenes and odd pacing. Despite the lulls, The Curse of the Black Pearl stays mostly engaging and interesting through the 2 hours, providing some truly epic movie moments.
Not only does Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl successfully kick-start a fun film franchise, but it also delivers one of the best pirate stories of all time.
