Pirates of the Caribbean

This isn't really a review, more of a...whatever the good version of 'rant' is. So...a passionate discussion of something I feel very strongly about, only this time (for a change) it's about something I love, rather than something I hate. Kind of. Oh, just read it...

So, the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, On Stranger Tides, comes out this week, and to commemorate this, my family and I spent the night watching The Curse of the Black Pearl, just to get us in the mood. It's yonks since I've actually watched this film, which is odd really, since I went through a phase when I literally watched it about once a week. Whenever someone asks me what my favourite film is, I often say something ambiguous like "Oh, I can't possibly answer that; I love too many..." or "It depends which genre; I have several favourites because you can't really compare A Knight's Tale with The Shawshank Redemption or Bridget Jones's Diary." But in my head, I'm always thinking 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'. Because it's just brilliant.

My favourite genre of films are basically swashbuckling, bit-of-everything adventure films; for me, the best movies are ones that have an action-packed story with a few (nice) surprises, plenty of witty one-liners, couple of entertaining rather than confusing action sequences and ending with a kiss. I mean, deep and meaningful dramas with poignant writing and tragic irony is all very well when you're in the mood, but cinema was invented to entertain, and entertainment is, to me, the essence of what makes films wonderful. It's about telling a good story. And, as far as I'm concerned, that's exactly what Pirates of the Caribbean is. It's an all-rounder, and it's just brilliant. Johnny Depp created quite possibly the best movie character of all time, the gags are consistently hilarious, the sword-fights (particularly the one between Depp and Orlando Bloom in the blacksmith's) don't get boring, there's eye-candy for every taste, an old-fashioned romance and a happy ending. You can't watch 'Pirates' and not leave with a smile on your face.

I was actually thinking of watching the first one tonight, the second tomorrow, the third on Tuesday and then I'd be all prepared to see the fourth on Wednesday, but I've decided against it. Like many fans of the first film, I was disappointed with the sequels. They were still good, they just weren't a patch on the first one. The plots got too confusing, the gags were more forced, there was a good hour of the third film I couldn't make head nor tail of and the special effects department were given a little (read: lot) too much free reign. I still enjoyed the films, but I couldn't help feeling that the sequels kind of, sort of, pretty much ruined it. It's like eating cheap American chocolate after you've tried proper Dairy Milk; it's fine, it'll do, but all it really does is make you appreciate just how tasty Dairy Milk is.

But I'm still looking forward to On Stranger Tides. It hasn't been as rushed, the new characters will hopefully lend it a freshness that the second and third installments lacked, and it's still got the most important ingredient: Captain Jack Sparrow. And I am one hundred per cent certain that it will not be as good as the first film, but it stands a good chance of being better than the second and third. But however downhill Pirates of the Caribbean went, watching the first film again just helped me remember why I loved it so much in the first place. It really is my favourite film, but there was no point trying to match it. You can't beat perfection.