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08/09/2003 Archived Entry: "Pirates of the Caribbean"

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: Whooee! What a hoot! It came to the local one-plex today. I haven't had so much rip-roaring, swashbuckling fun since Indiana Jones first hit the screen. And I haven't enjoyed a Disney movie this much since ... my goodness, since I was too young to realize what a load of c**p so many of them were.

It's wonderful when everything comes together in a movie -- when non-stop action and outstanding effects actually serve to further the plot (a convoluted, fantastical, twisty-turny, romantic, heroic plot, besides). On top of everything else, parts of the movie were laugh-out-loud funny, and I'm not usually that much of a laugher, even when comedy is excellent.

All the critics who oohed and ahed over Johnny Depp's performance as Captain Jack Sparrow were right. A darned good movie becomes a special one every time he's on screen (which he is about 75 percent of the time). He's the reason I went to see the film. It was simply a great bonus to discover there was so much more worth watching. OTOH, the critics who mostly failed to mention Orlando Bloom's role should have consulted the 14-year-old girls at the one-plex today. They know Bloom is just as good as a romantic human hero as he is as a romantically androgynous elf. Lots of oooooooohing this afternoon from the cheap seats.

I know that all you folks who live in Civilization had the chance to see this one three weeks ago. But if you live in the hinterlands, as I do, or if you passed Pirates by because you didn't want to see one more silly, superficial Disney flick, pack up the kids or just yourselves, get a BIG bucket of popcorn (because it's 2-1/2 hours long) and have yourself a great time.

Posted by Claire @ 09:21 PM CST
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