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Pirates of the carribean: fear and loathing on the seven seas

I heard a story that Billy Murray once told Johnny Depp "if you play the part of Hunter S. Thompson, the part will never leave you."

depp.gifWatching Pirates of the Carribean one can say that in Depp's case, Murray was right.

This is a good thing, however. Depp plays Captain Jack Sparrow as if Thompson himself was on a magical, pirate-infested acid trip.

If this review seems like it is more about Depp than the movie itself, that's because Depp is the movie. He's a puppetmaster to the actors around him (not to take away from Geoffrey Rush's stellar performance as Barbossa), as all the characters spend the movie reacting to Depp's Sparrow.

Pirates is a true action/adventure in that the requisite background love story pales in comparison to the true tale at hand, it becomes almost an afterthought to the main adventure.

And what an adventure it is. Swashbuckling (what would a review of a pirate movie be without that word?), cursed treasure, sword fights, a nasty monkey, the undead (quite resemebling the deadites from Army of Darkness) and a main character that is not quite good, yet not quite bad. Think Bruce Willis's John McCLane - sure, he can be a bit of an ass, but he's funny and honorable in all the right places. You find yourself rooting for him, even though the romantic part of the story dictates that you root for Orlando Bloom (pretty as always), there's a part of you (ok, maybe it's just me) that wishes the fair Elizabeth would have run off with Sparrow instead.

In comparing the movie with its namesake ride, I would have to say the fun factor of the film is much like an amusement park ride itself. I almost wanted to say Wheeeeeeee! at the end, the movie was so much fun. I got the same creepy yet awe-struck feeling at the scenes in Pirates that resembled the best parts of the park ride - when the village is being pillaged and the scruffy-looking pirates are laughing and singing and grinning those black-toothed grins as you stare, somewhat bemused and somewhat disgusted.

Anyhow, back to Depp. He is one of those rare child/teenage actors whose face is no longer synonymous with the character he started out as. While you look at some of those stars who started out young in goofy tv series and you forever see them as nothing more than an extension of that character, Depp has gone well past that "The guy from 21 Jump Street" stage. He is an incredible actor, who takes every single character he plays and melds with that part until he becomes it. He is Edward Scissorhands, he is Ed Wood, He is Captain Jack Sparrow.

I don't know if Pirates would have been half the fun ride it is if someone else played Depp's part. No one else could fuse Hunter S. Thompson and John McClane and come up with such a loveable scoundrel.

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Comments

We loved this movie -- easily the best of the summer!

Us too! (It doesn't hurt that he's utter hotness. Bloom too.)

"...but why is the rum gone?..."

I enjoyed the movie. It was fun! And how can one not love Johnny Depp and every role he makes his own?

Here's hoping they don't ruin the impending sequel.

Arrrrr. Ye stole me review, wench! Arrrr.

After sitting through crapfests like The Hulk and Daredevil all spring and summer, it's about damn time something like Pirates came along worth watching. First Die Another Day, now this. Two amazing swordfights in one year. It's the best year for the blade since Captain Blood was released (greatest ... swordfight ... ever. And don't give me any of that Duelists junk).

This movie proves two things. A) We need more frickin' pirate movies, dammit, and B) Skeletons. Gimmie lots and lots of skeletons, and I'll give you a movie everyone loves.

It's definitely a great FAMILY movie (despite the PG-13 rating). My 6 year old wasn't scared and didn't figit, my 8 year old got almost all of the jokes and thought it was funny, and my wife didn't hit me for saying that Keira Knightly was hot.

I really didn't want to see this movie, but with my wife visiting me for the weekend, I thought it should be her choice. When she chose this movie, I wasn't in agreement. So I looked at the movie guide.

We could have seen Legally Blonde 2, Bad Boys II, or Terminator 3. In the end, I decided that Pirates couldn't be all bad.

I'm so glad I bit the bullet to see this piece of fluff. Turns out it wasn't fluff at all. Not the chick flick I had expected. It was a full-fledged action-adventure-romance, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

When it comes to DVD, it will be in our collection!

Depp's performance was actually based on Keith Richards.

First time at your blog - very well-written (Buzz was right).

I'd always dismissed Johnny Depp as just another manufactured pretty boy that everyone oohed and ahhed over because he was the flavor of the moment. Then I saw Donnie Brasco. Depp was magnificent as Donnie. He made Pacino (who delivered Lefty as a beautifully tragic character) look even better (no small feat). With the two of them together it was simply awsome acting. And I was hooked. Now I have to go back and try to find all his past work to see what I was missing,

Johnny Depp is the Marlon Brando of his generation--for better or worse.

I originaly went to see the movie because Orlando Bloom was in it, i went back a second and third time because of Captian Jack Sparrow, he is so hot!

I agree with you. . . I kept hoping she's fall for Sparrow. HG Gold teeth, scruffy looks, slightly "off"--that's Depp and who could resist him?!

I've yet to see him in a movie in which I didn't like him. Dead Man is one of my favorites.

It's funny to realize that the teeneyboppers aren't there to see Depp like they were when I was one. It's us thirty-somethings that come to see him, now, which, in itself is, um, odd.

Great review, by the way. . .

i though this movie was insane. the script was the best. depp pretty much drove the whole movie, with what was a 2.5 hour acid trip. it was like his character was a movie-long joke (in a good way) everyone needs to see this movie. i ususally go for more hard core action movies, but dont let the disney logo fool you, this movie is amazing

i love orlando bloom so much he made a great transformation here from Legolas as to the present role. So i rate the movie 9 out of ten.

the movie is great!!!!

I loved the movie, Though it probably had to do with my obsesion (i can't spell) with ships :)

Spending every spare dime I dig from the coffee can savings bank in my humble kitchen to go to the Melba Theatre in a small hick town once, twice, three times, then four five and six. Now, I see Captain Jack Sparrow everywhere. My 10 year old doesn't object to my "obsession" though in the last few times she has fallen asleep and I've had to carry her out in much the same fashion that Sparrow brings Elisabeth up from the water. I know it's crazy-- but after I've seen the movie so many times, I'm still not tired of it. The other night I wrote in my journal: " If I can't be sitting across the kitchen table from Capt. Jack Sparrow, why even sit at the table at all." As a final comment, I must confess that I know nothing at all of Keith Richards so the constant references people make to how Depp modeled the role after him are meangingless to me. All I know Is that Sparrow is an absolutely unforgettable character--yes, i will buy the video when it is released--but I keep going again and again cause I know that once it leaves "the big screen" it won't come back again and there is something very precious, very urgent about knowing that.

What a movie. I've seen a lot a lot a lot of movies but now I know for sure that this is the one I've been waiting for all my life. But what makes the whole thing bittersweet is the realization--jolting and frightening--that Captain Jack Sparrow is a character--just a character. I feel like one of those sicko's who falls in love with a movie star--but I can't even stalk the movie star cause it's not Johnny Depp himself, it's the character he plays. i never thought that could happen to me. But i keep thinking that unless I find a Jack Sparrow out there in the world--which I won't--then I don't even want to go on living. Now that's insane!!!

Great movie loved it! Is it me or is Keira Knightley the hottest thing since ever? When this is out on DVD its mine!! And that guy from the office just cracked me up.

Johnny Depp is indeed a sensational and charismatic actor that brings to life the roll of Jack Sparrow. I enjoyed the entire show and even if it would drag on to 3 or 4 hours, I'll gladly sit back and enjoy the show! Depp was brilliant! Not even Keira could divert my attention away. He's a gem to the movie industry!

Johnny depp is so, so cute!!! I could kiss hem:)

How did I miss this entry? Anyway, the one thing that pisses me off about the movie is the girl. Her lips to be exact. No woman holds her mouth like that. It's like she's always ready to have something stuck in it. ;)

Ok you guys i saw the first movie the first day it came out in theaters i bought the dvd the day it came out and i watch 3 times a day ever scince it came out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! iknow every word to it. I LOVE THIS MOVIE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ILOVE JOHHNY DEPP AND ORLANDO BLOOM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CANT WAIT TILL SEQUEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

E-MAIL ME IF YOU DISAGREE I DARE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT WAS THE BOMB! I THINK ORLANDO BLOOM WAS AWESOME AS WILL TURNER

IT WAS THE BOMB! I THINK ORLANDO BLOOM WAS AWESOME AS WILL TURNER

I LOVE IT I WATCH IT EVERY DAY AND ORLANDO BLOOM IS SO HOT!

I LOVE IT I WATCH IT EVERY DAY AND ORLANDO BLOOM IS SO HOT!

I saw the movie for the first time today, with my husband. My daughters had highly recommended it, and it didn't hurt that it starred Johnny Depp! (even though I am in my fifties and married :-))
It was a wonderful way to start the New Year, an absolute joy! I was also glad to see Orlando Bloom talk more than he did as Legolas. He's pretty appealing himself. Fun, fun, fun!

I love johnny depp, he is the sexiest old man ever!!! omg!! dayng he is looks sooo fione in PIRATES especially wit his eye liner!! he is so sexy!!!

Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom Are so beautifull!
Johnny as Jack Sparow is funny,sexy and brave!
Orlando Bloom as Will Turner is sexy and brave!
And the two are "men"!I have seen the movie two times!I will see it again!

I have seen the film two times!I wiil see it again!I love Johnny depp!Johnny as Jack Sparrow is so funny,sexy,brave and clever!Orlando Bloom as Will turner is brave,romantic,funny,clever and sexy!I would like to kiss them! ;>

Hey, Amanda: I've already deleted three of your comments. I'm going to delete the rest now. Don't be a spammer. Nobody likes a spammer.