Genuine fun hailing from a lost time, helped in a large part by the always spectacular performance by Johnny Depp (Jack Sparrow), and a subtler but equally always spectacular performance by Geoffrey Rush (Barbossa). Pirates, ships, heroes and questionable heroes, self-sufficient and bold damsels in distress, curses, swords, fights, witty and intelligent swashbucklers, and a great adventure/ghost story. And when I say 'ghost story,' I by no means infer that it is a horror, but instead refer to the amazing stories of storytelling tradition of myth and the unreal, although the nastier concoctions, nonetheless. It is, afterall, the tale of cursed and currently undead pirates. But in a cursed summer of blockbuster dissappointments, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' has found Aztec gold in itself.
With an actor that barely skirts the line between mainstream and out there, an elf from a hobbit's adventure and modern myth, and an actress unrecognizably from an all-too-recent soccer bound independent hit, the film excels in both cast and story to easily surpass all the Arnolds and Hulks. One of the few films to rely on pure story and adventure to 'reel' in the viewers, it is one of the only summer films to not be a dissappointment as a summer blockbuster. And wait a second! I think.... yup, not a single giant fireball reminiscent of a volcanic blast in the entire film.
"But how?!" you ask, flaberghasted. America has not become so adrenaline and cheap thrill obsessed to lose the far more potent pull of a good story and a mythic level of adventure and circumstance. How else can you make a story of D&D (Dungeons and Dragons for those of you in denial of knowing any geekiness) proportions, of hobbits and elves and dwarves, and have masses of people willingly and enjoyably sit through three hours of a film with no ending! Although incomparable, 'Pirates' draws scores of people, from all age groups, through its return to exciting, adventurous story and imagination. It strips off all the cheap thrills to strike at the core of the human unconscious, pulling out all the wonder hidden deep inside the mythic imagination.
But don't get me wrong, the appropriate cannon fire necessarily exists, but no unnatural explosion. Cannonballs are only metal, but they do their damage with pure force. In fact, that natural feel of the entire visual appearance, while being entirely unreal and amazing, is what helps charm the audience into belief and eliminates any hesitance. Everything from set to costume to effects astounded me into a trance of willing surrender to the film. I even joyfully accepted the digital special effects without even thinking twice about it, particuarly that of the skeletal pirates, which for me is an amazing feat considering my hatred for the practice.
Article comments
1 - michael
can you email me the pdf file
i had all four aces and was going to win, but he stole all four... and i lost :(
thanks
2 - Nick
can you email me the pdf file for the cards? I won and tried to download it but the file was not found. I would appreciate it, thanks.
Nick Cooper
3 - Bat Boy
I went there before and won the cards, the web site is really awsome.
but this time i got my own flag.
4 - jen
I had the same problem as nick. Could you please send me the file for the cards? Thanks.
5 - Mike
Same problem as the others. Apparently the link built into the game is bad. Please email the pdf?
6 - Jack Sparrow Fangirl
I've met the man Johnny Depp. Nice man really. Likes his privacy. He doesn't try to make a fanbase for himself. He really is funny. Met him in Disneyland. His wife is very nice too. Well he rocks and is extremely awsome.
Jack Sparrow Fangirl
7 - Larrie
Same problems. Please email the pdf, if you have it, or know where else I can get it. Apparently the link is out.
8 - Zazamook
Hey. Please send me the cards, too. [email deleted]
9 - Jerry
please send me the playing card pdf file.
thanks in advance.
really a bummer the link isnt working
10 - Eric Olsen
guys, usually these extra goodies are only available during the theatrical run of the movie, which is now up. I am certain when POC 2 comes out there will be more
11 - Greg P.
Same here too...can you send me the pdf file. Thanks. Does anyone know if there will be an actual deck to buy coming out? Thanks again...WaRRRR Rocks!
12 - nick
can you email me the pdf file for the cards? I won and tried to download it but the file was not found. I would appreciate it, thanks.
13 - nick ogb
Same problems. Please email the pdf
14 - kane
Is the pdf file still avaialble? Can you send it to me please?
15 - becky
I, too, won and could not download the cards! I even contacted the website people at Disney, and they said there was nothing wrong with the link. Shenannigans! If you stillhave the file, could you email it to me as well?
16 - nat
same as the others, cant get it to work. if its still around, could you send the pdf file over to me too please? thanks matey.
17 - chris
could you email me the pdf for the playing cards please? it, of course, does not work anymore.
thanks much
18 - Ed
Don't know if you still check this far back but i'd love to get hold of a set of those cards.
if you still have the pdf could you email it to [email address deleted]