Guess what movie is my screenwriting professor’s favorite? Something foreign, perhaps? Or maybe something that won the Oscar for Best Picture? No. It’s Pirates of the Caribbean.
Pirates of the Caribbean is one of those movies that I always forget how much I love. But then I rewatch it, and remember how packed it is with action, but how it’s all driven by romance. How the characters aren’t just figures running around with swords, but actual well-rounded and interesting characters. But most of all, I remember how goddamn funny it is.
Seriously. It’s hilarious. Every time Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) opens his mouth he says something priceless, you can bet that there’s probably a gif of it somewhere.
You know how sometimes you’ll hear all the actors for a particular role and think, “Oh, that would have been a bit strange.” Well there’s a list – a quite long list, really – of all the actors who weren’t Johnny Depp but were considered for the role of Captain Jack. But I cannot for the life of me imagine this movie without him. Matthew McConaughey, wondering where all the rum has gone? Christopher Walken, perched on the mast of a sinking ship? No! It just doesn’t work, in my imagination at least. Johnny Depp being perfect is a good chunk of what makes Pirates so fantastic. And I can’t picture another Captain Jack Sparrow for the life of me.
I briefly mentioned this earlier, but it deserves repeating. Pirates isn’t just another mindless action movie, relying on tropes and stereotypes to move the plot forward. Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) could have easily become just another damsel in distress, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth. She kicks ass and doesn’t listen to silly men’s orders to stay out of the way. Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) is more than just our dashing and romantic leading man (although, don’t get me wrong, he’s certainly great at that bit as well), but he’s also conflicted about his family and his past. And Captain Jack himself – a boastful pirate seeking revenge, but also so much more than just that. Each one of these characters has depth and motivation and all kinds of interesting flaws.
Except for Jack the monkey. He’s just the worst.
One of the craziest things about Pirates of the Caribbean, to me at least, is that it was based on an amusement park ride. Not a book, or a true story, or even just someone’s imagination. A ride at Disneyland – the last one Walt himself helped design, apparently.
And just look what they managed to make out of it – dashing adventure and swordfights, drama and danger and ghosts and hilarity, and a series of movies that get better every time you watch them.
Pictures: Giphy.com; geocaching.com