--- title: "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl" critics_score: 77 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003): what the critics said Critics' score 77 from 8 reviews: 7 positive, 1 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics find an entertaining, unpretentious pirate adventure, with praise clustering around Johnny Depp’s eccentric comic performance as Jack Sparrow. His swagger and silliness give familiar material a welcome looseness, while Gore Verbinski earns credit for combining comedy, action and mild horror. The effects also draw approval, particularly the playful skeletons, and several reviews welcome the revival of a neglected genre without treating its conventions too solemnly. The reservations concern length, repetition and how much there is beyond Depp. The spread is mostly favourable rather than sharply divided, but enthusiasm for the action is not universal: Time Out finds the sequences plodding and the plot formulaic. RogerEbert.com offers the clearest mixed response, arguing that repetitive swordfights stretch a charming adventure beyond its natural length. Even warmer reviews note a thin romance or narrative repetition; the difference is how readily the comedy compensates. ## Slant Magazine — Nick Schager Rating 3.5/4. 3 July 2003. Verbinski's rollicking adventure excels by fusing comedy, action, and mild horror while letting Depp overact delightfully as the androgynous Sparrow, who commands every scene. It overcomes narrative repetition and a thin love story with playful CGI skeletons and a sly embrace of pirate clichés, resulting in an intoxicating, charming delight. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/) ## Evening Standard — Matthew Sweet Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). Director Verbinski and collaborators have crafted a witty and attractive adventure from an unlikely theme-park source. The eccentric, over-the-top performances, especially Johnny Depp's as Jack Sparrow, and the mix of larks with a sense of the uncanny are praised. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/shiver-me-timbers-7435947.html) ## Radio Times — Jason Caro Rating 4/5. The film delivers both plot and action in a lavish, superior-to-the-ride swashbuckler; standout praise goes to Johnny Depp's irresistible comic turn as the slurring, mascara-wearing Jack Sparrow, complemented by strong effects. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-exr4iz/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 8 July 2003. The movie revives the neglected pirate adventure genre with flair, thanks to Depp's perfectly balanced comic-heroic performance as Sparrow and Verbinski's expert handling of action and character moments. It incorporates ride gags cleverly while delivering fun, effects-heavy entertainment that feels long overdue. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-curse-of-the-black-pearl-1798198750) ## The New Yorker — David Denby Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 July 2003. The critic praises the film's loose-jointed entertainment value and Depp's eccentric, silly performance as the standout element in an otherwise familiar Bruckheimer production. It is called the best spectacle of the summer for its comic warmth and lack of pomp. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/07/28/high-seas) ## Time Out — JWin Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. Depp's idiosyncratic performance as the swaggering, witty Captain Jack Sparrow single-handedly elevates this overlong, effects-heavy Bruckheimer blockbuster into something recommendable despite its formulaic plot and plodding action sequences. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 July 2003. Johnny Depp's force of personality and fun performance as Jack Sparrow make this otherwise by-the-numbers Bruckheimer spectacle almost winning and a likely box-office hit, even if the plot lacks depth, suspense or historical grounding. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl/4014102.article) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 9 July 2003. The critic finds a charming 90-minute B-movie trapped inside an overlong 143-minute film that outstays its welcome, with repetitive swordfights. Depp and Rush are singled out for their eccentric, nutty performances that keep the daffy plot engaging. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-2003) ## Empire — Alan Morrison The film is the best blockbuster of the summer, with Verbinski balancing romance, adventure and comedy effectively. Johnny Depp's inspired, Keith Richards-inspired turn as Captain Jack Sparrow is singled out as a masterclass in comedy acting. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/pirates-caribbean-curse-black-pearl-review/) ## The Guardian — Philip French 10 August 2003. The critic praises the film as an entertaining and unpretentious pirate picture that revives the genre effectively, with strong performances from Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. He singles out the blend of action, humour, sea battles and special effects for making it the best of its kind since The Crimson Pirate. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2003/aug/10/johnnydepp.philipfrench) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Kirk Honeycutt 7 July 2003. The film is surprisingly good, drawing on pirate lore for a tongue-in-cheek swashbuckler that mixes high camp with solid action and effects. It has the makings of a summer hit thanks to Verbinski's stylish direction and strong performances, especially Depp's quirky Sparrow. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/pirates-caribbean-curse-black-pearl-review-1005193/) ## Total Film 8 August 2003. The film is a spectacular surprise that revives the pirate movie genre with swashbuckling adventure, sparky dialogue, lavish stunts and strong performances. It is one of the best blockbusters of the summer. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-curse-of-the-black-pearl.md