Pirates of the Caribbean

In a season that many expected to be dominated by a large green monster, a tomb raider, and an aging terminator, it came as something of a surprise when a ragtag gang of pirates swooped down to hijack the summer box office. Although some criticized its 143-minute running time as overlong, Pirates of the Caribbean nevertheless was welcomed as a breath of fresh air, a summer movie with a sense of humor and a terrific cast alongside the obligatory impressive special effects. All of this is even more shocking in light of the production's source – Jerry Bruckheimer, the genius behind previous summer dreck such as Pearl Harbor (2001) and Armageddon (1998) – and its origins'a Disney theme-park ride (a genre which is currently being stretched to its limits by Eddie Murphy in Haunted Mansion).

It no doubt helped that among the movie's screenwriters were Ted Rossio and Terry Rossio, the innovative team that made Shrek (2001) fun for kids and adults alike. Also, the director, Gore Verbinski (whose background, like Bruckheimer's, is in advertising), has spent the fast five years rapidly proving himself as a versatile Hollywood talent with hits such as Mousehunt (1997) and The Ring (2003). Yet the most feverish praise has been reserved for Johnny Depp, whose performance as the loopy Captain Jack Sparrow[Note] launched him into richly-deserved mainstream stardom (with accolades including the venerable title of People Magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive, 2003').

While Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, and Jack Davenport provide formidable support, the movie far and away belongs to Depp, who, underneath all the mascara and dreadlocks, appears to be having the time of his life. Reverberating with a boozy charm that will hopefully not be diluted or become predictable in the movie's inevitable sequels (Pirates of the Caribbean 2 has already been announced for 2005), Depp's Sparrow swaggers through the film, demonstrating uncanny comic timing as well as impressive physical agility.

The DVD contains over 19 hours of extras, including a (surprisingly) flat feature-length commentary from Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp; a shorter, wittier commentary by Jack Davenport and Keira Knightley; and, lest anyone feel neglected, a short commentary by producer Jerry Bruckheimer and another feature-length one by writers Jay Wolpert, Stuart Beattie, Ted Elliott, and Terry Rossio (the latter two of Shrek fame). The blooper reel has been edited to almost resemble a music video, an effect which dulls its comic potential. However, the inclusion of 'Epic at Sea,' a roughly half-hour behind-the-scenes documentary, unexpectedly provides valuable (albeit brief) insight into the making of the big-budget, Bruckheimer-style productions that have come to crowd the summer movie landscape. Although it was most likely shot for promotional purposes, one cannot help but marvel at the vast amount of time, energy, and people that went into the making of such an enjoyable film.

Note: In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Depp disclosed he based Sparrow on Keith Richards and Pepe le Pew. He additionally revealed that his Once Upon a Time in Mexico character was meant to be a composite of Donald Rumsfeld and Snoopy's Brother Spike, just as his Ed Wood was partially based on Ronald Reagan and Charlie McCarthy.