The Real Genius of Pirates Of The Caribbean

The Curse of the Black Pearl deserves a video essay highlighting is genius beyond just entertainment. The first Pirates of the Caribbean film is art in its own right, worthy of analysis. This is not accidentally genius, it's a clear understanding of what makes cinema fun.
My Little Thought Tree is my channel for drawing out the deeper meaning and emotion in film, TV, and the world at large through relaxed, analytical video essays. I am a professional counsellor and often draw on my psychology and therapy background to better understand characters, themes, and emotion in fiction. I upload every Saturday and occasionally on Tuesdays, if I'm feeling productive.
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[@mylittlethoughttree]

I feel it may need to clarify with this video. I know this film is widely loved by everybody, my point is it's underrated in the sense its often seen as just an entertaining kid's film, where I'm arguing it's much more than that. Suggestions that it's just something to entertain kids without boring their parents, that's grossly underestimating this film. And incase you're wondering, I don't hate the sequels. I think they got a bit worse with each one, and I haven't seen the last film, but they were all still pretty fun. I even think the second film might honestly have been as good as the 1st...if only it hadn't had an irritating cliffhanger ending. Patreon link - www.patreon.com/mylittlethoughttree Discord link - discord.gg/qAhPft9

[@aQuayQuay]

Completely agree! I always think about this when I see Jack Sparrow. They started off so strong that the sequels dwindled in comparison. I couldn't get past the third film honestly.

[@anrick1362]

Logan Legend you’re too kind to 5, it was an absolute disaster

[@RoguePlutonia]

@@anrick1362 I thought they were really good. The humor is still there, I loved Scrum and Salazar was really awesome, really well acted and very cool effects

[@skyewalker5176]

I loved 2 & 3! Potc 3 is actually mu fave along with potc 1

[@Historian212]

As for the sequels: yes, it's too bad they didn't hold up to the first one, although the third is my choice for being almost as good as the first. The biggest point about the fifth movie is that (spoiler alert) Elizabeth and Will reappear at the end -- I watched it at home, and cheered out loud -- and will clearly have a major role to play in the next one, if it gets made. As they should. Because here's the thing: many people underestimate the importance of their characters to the series. The first three movies weren't really about Jack; they were about Will and Elizabeth. Above all, pirate movies are, and always have been, romances. That's romance in the fullest sense. As Merriam-Webster defines it: "(1) a medieval tale based on legend, chivalric love and adventure, or the supernatural (2): a prose narrative treating imaginary characters involved in events remote in time or place and usually heroic, adventurous, or mysterious." In fact, if the series turns out to have ended after the fifth movie, it's fine. Maybe even for the best. At this point, we can be satisfied as is, because we know (spoiler alert), despite the hint of menace lurking, that Elizabeth and Will end up together. While Jack is fun (among other things), in a pirate film we still want romance, heroic derring-do, and someone to unambiguously root for. Will and Elizabeth provide the framework that Jack bounces around in; without them, Jack is comic relief without anything to be relieved from. He's never really in trouble, because we know there'll always be some clever (magical?) way that he'll escape at the last minute. But although we love to watch him, he'll never be the real hero of the series. Because if Jack were to really fall in love, or have a child, or otherwise lose his Peter Pan-esque quality, he'd cease to be enchanted. When Jack saves the day, it's often by accident, because he's a magical figure. So no matter what he does, it all turns out right. Even when (spoiler alert) he dies in the second movie. We all know he'll be back, somehow. We didn't know that about Barbossa, which (spoiler alert) made his resurrection a moment when we cheered (in the theater I saw it in, people cheered out loud). For me, that was a *great* ending. Barbossa's love for his daughter worked as a plot point later on, because when he was introduced in the first film, he had that narrative about the pain of the curse, which established him as at least somewhat human. The pathos was real. On some level, he's another person trying to work out his life (and death). But Jack is not; and if he ceases to be a cartoon character, a mad figure, even a drunkard, he'll no longer be Jack. He's a lopsided Loki, or Pan; a coyote or fox spirit; a sprite, a pixie. He's a fun plot device -- but in the first three films, anyway, his is not the main story. The story was always about Will and Elizabeth (yes, in a deeper way, about colonialism and freedom, but that's not what kept people watching). Their romance made the first three films solidly better than the next two. We're fond of Jack; we *care* about Elizabeth and Will. We want Jack to regain the Black Pearl, but when he doesn't, in a lasting way, we're not tremendously moved. But when (spoilers ahead) Will dies, when Will and Elizabeth are separated at various points, when they misunderstand each other, when they're hastily married amidst a fight to the death -- we feel those moments much more deeply. Despite all the problems in Johnny Depp's life these past few years, I do hope he gets himself straight enough to resurrect Jack the way Jack needs to be: a charismatic yet goofy non-hero with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, who imbues the main romance with magic and laughter.

[@samuelumtiti7328]

‘You’re the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of’ Sparrow: ‘Aha! but you have heard of me’

[@woozii8331]

Later on in the movie "that's the best pirate I've ever seen". "So it would seem....ironic

[@OvelNick]

Along the same depth as Jim Carry... "so you're saying there's a chance"

[@eveyryder4164]

The CGI has held up through the years! I still rewatch the first three movies!

[@adogeatingapieceofbread9335]

Same

[@adnanasghar1087]

I never stopped

[@skeletor6287]

The CGI on Davy Jones still boggles my mind!

[@nisanavraham591]

there was almost no CGI in the first one except for the zombie scenes, all the ships in POTC movies are real and are actually filmed in the ocean.

[@Darnoldyt]

@@adogeatingapieceofbread9335 about to rn lol

[@Gaaraape]

I desperately need a resurgence to the adventure genre, it's been ages since the last good one

[@mylittlethoughttree]

Yeah, that's a good point actually. Most nowadays are a bit more gritty and serious. Adventure movies should be fun in my opinion though

[@thats_songi]

Uncharted 4 was the last good one

[@Wildstag]

Yeah, I wish that The Lost World (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's book) was less... well... dated, because it's a great adventure story when you look past the very overt turn-of-the-century racism. It would make a great film though.

[@gavinvales8928]

have you watched one piece yet?

[@apblolol]

@@mylittlethoughttree not exactly a great movie but tron legacy is a nice adventure flick, or at least the soundtrack gives it a great feeling

[@prescottperfection6354]

The “I feel... cold” line from Barbossa at the end always hits me every time I watch this film. So powerful and tragic. I’m glad someone finally mentioned it.

[@TheTuxedoCat-sh5fn]

I always thought he said “I feel... gold?”

[@vixiestarfire]

@@TheTuxedoCat-sh5fn I always thought he said “I feel... old.” 👴 😂 💀

[@wiseguy01]

@@TheTuxedoCat-sh5fn It's cold, even subtitles say cold. It is a call back to him wanting to feel alive again, and experience sensations. So the irony is that the last thing he feels upon becoming mortal again is the onset of his own death.

[@st0rmforce]

And they shit all over it by bringing him back to life for the third film.

[@probium2832]

The original *"I don't feel so good..."*

[@skyewalker5176]

Elizabeth is SUCH an INCREDIBLE and underrated female character. She is polite and feisty, clever and reckless, romantic but also realistic and occasionally ruthless. And her charcter development over the 3 films was awesome. She is the Pirate King

[@doge8825]

No she isn’t. She’s insufferable. Worst part of these movies

[@doge8825]

@Tony Stank she literally became the pirate king. How is that not overpowered? But that’s not the point, anyhow. I just didn’t like her. She seemed like this whiny annoying brat until the very end of the third movie. Yes she was fun in *some* moments but she wasn’t a strong character like will, Jack, Bill, or Davy Jones. She wasn’t a bad character, but she was easily the worst part about these movies. Edit to say: she’s also insufferable but see “whiny brat”

[@mist7295]

*Rodger* is the pirate king

[@cakecatlady263]

So true. I feel like she's very underrated and often gets put in the same box as Will - which makes very little sense because they are very different characters. She is way more of a pirate than he ever becomes, and feel more attracted to the freedom that gives her. She's also way more ruthless. And that makes sense considering how much she hated being a 'fine english lady'. She has so much personality and her own reasoning for doing what she does - yes she wants to save Will, but she also wants adventure. I don't get why people dislike her at all... I think it's just because some people can't live with the idea of a woman in power (which is ironic considering that actual women has been captains of pirate fleets historically).

[@xlaurelxapples]

@@doge8825 That's your opinion. Elizabeth was one of my top favorite characters. I saw her as a strong, dynamic female character who was incredibly entertaining to watch, especially in the 2nd and 3rd films. Calling her overpowered just because she was Pirate King is incredibly unfair, because that in no way made her invincible or all powerful. Would you have used that word if it was Jack or Will? I bet not. Will on the other hand is one of my least favorite characters because he's boring, and even his storyline with his father was uninteresting to me.

[@MichaelRainey]

I don't think Captain Jack realistically thought he would end up with Elizabeth. He was having fun with tweaking everyone's nose about it though. "A governor's daughter with a pirate like me? You really hate that idea and that's the funniest part."

[@mylittlethoughttree]

Maybe not realistically, but it does provide fun humour. I love after she's burned all the rum, and he storms off in a strop and says "they'll be no living with her after this" always makes me laugh

[@LoLrand0mness]

@@mylittlethoughttree but why the rum?

[@fleetskipper1810]

“Why is the rum always gone?” (Wink, wink)

[@donvandamnjohnsonlongfella1239]

Michael Rainey Pirates don't want a forever love affair. It's easy to fuck a princess once or twice. Plenty of respectable woman that will spread their legs for a thrilling evening of slumming it with a dangerous criminal.

[@seankrkovich2869]

@Alias Fakename So romantic

[@cinderluna]

Curse of the Black Pearl is, in my opinion, one of the most overlooked and underrated masterpieces ever made. Its soooooo good

[@MrMrjack18]

It's great movie not a masterpiece ! however Dead Man's Chest is the best Pirates movie ! because it has far better villain, faster pace, more suspense and even better action !!!

[@realyoriginalchanel3218]

Also better writing

[@realyoriginalchanel3218]

But all 3 are masterpieces in their own right

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

Loved Sparrow's introduction. That a hero doesn't have to be "figured-out" and "proper" has been such a beacon for me.

[@TheJackOfFools]

And honestly the *best* thing about Jack is like he said: you can never tell how much is deliberate scheming and how much is opportunistic; how ruthless he is really, versus being a good guy. It's my biggest complaint about the sequels. The less mysterious Jack becomes, the less evocative and interesting he becomes. It's still a wierd interesting character, but he suffers a lot due to the writers wanting everybody to know how cool he is instead of keeping us guessing.

[@thebullmoose8316]

In my opinion, Jack Sparrow’s character introduction is up there with with Sean Connery’s introduction as Bond in Dr. No.

[@MichaelRainey]

Johnny Depp's introduction is up there with Ursula Andress's introduction in Dr. No. It's really everything you need to know about the character in one scene.

[@titaniumsmasher1419]

Yall don't get it Jack's intro IS THE TOP DOG With Jonesey taking second

[@TheValiantLion]

Don’t forget Indiana Jones....his intro was a masterclass in cinema.

[@uglebeffus]

You keep forgetting the 'Captain' part of Captain Jack Sparrow

[@DragonsRuby]

There should be a *Captain* in there somewhere!

[@selonianth]

I will argue that I don't think Captain Jack was ever completely an enigma. As he's getting to in the monologue about honesty and dishonesty... he's actually an honest man. He's just an honest man who doesn't give a shit about what the law says is right or proper. He not once breaks his deals with Elizabeth or Will, though he'll bend them in order to get what he wants *too*. Hell, he even tells the truth, minus the part about getting his ship back from his treasonous first mate, to the two soldiers on the boat. A part which is left out because, "Unless of course he knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if he told it to you." He's honest as hell, but he's very good at *seeming* dishonest.

[@CantWaaait]

I'm so happy you mentioned the score. One of the best-fitting and memorable in my (somewhat limited) film viewing history!

[@ravshakehgilgamesh6083]

I am actually quite sad he mensioned it...

[@jenkinsfamily2229]

@@ravshakehgilgamesh6083 Why? It's so good and deserves much more credit!

[@skyewalker5176]

Saw it live at tge Hans Zimmer concert and it yanked me right back to grade 3 😍

[@jenkinsfamily2229]

@@skyewalker5176 I am so jealous, I LOVE the music

[@vigilantsycamore8750]

The great thing about Jack's introduction is that it established something that I think might be unique to Jack is that, even in comical or downright slapstick scenes, he *feels* cool. And even when he's doing cool stuff, he *feels* like a comical character Compare that to Jack in Dead Men Tell No Tales, where everything he does is just setup for the aforementioned stick being slapped and he doesn't really get cool moments that aren't immediately undercut with Jack falling face-first into mud or whatever

[@ConnorNotyerbidness]

I resent the thought that this film is "just a fun kids film" It definately Is more than that. Why do people think for a film to be "art" is has to star Merryl Streep or something? Ive watched this film countless times since it came out and even 15 years after i first watched it theres STILL things i only just now notice Only other film that holds that distinction is The Dark Knight Little things like the crab trap being able to be seen tied around the rudder as they climb up the side of the Dauntless- nobody Ever mentions this and it took me til the start of this year to catch it myself Or character moments and development like how the only person in the film whose wits match Jack is Elizabeth. Everyone else stumbles around trying to enact these grand plans thinking theyve outwit jack only for him to come out on top. Will was written as a bumbling dork who thinks hes Eryl Flynn when really...hes an idiot who ruins jacks plan that would have saved a lot of lives Barbossa allows himself to be tricked by Jack in the end to send his men off and let jack live and serve under him, when he should have just shot him and been done with it. Jack does this so well he tells will his entire plan literally right in front of barbossa without him even realizing it Elizabeth meanwhile fakes entering a drunken stupor long enough to get jack to drink himself to sleep so that she could use all the booze to make a signal. She boarded the black pearl alone and freed the crew easily. Her only short comings in her plans is not understanding how pirates work in how they follow their all so precious code You can also tell the intelligence of the characters based on their GRAMMAR! barbossa likes to think of himself as smarter than he really is so he uses elevated language at the start of the film to mock elizabeth Will is a blacksmith so it stays mostly lowkey Meanwhile Jack and Elizabeth genuinely use elevated language entirely with purpose and jack even draws attention to it. But by doing so he paints himself in the eyes of others as a bumbling idiot on purpose. If they actually listened to what he has to say theyd realize how wrong they are but his facade of idiocy lulls people into thinking hes lesser than he is Elizabeth manages this by the simple fact that shes a woman in the 18th century. She even uses whats expected of her and the literal constrictions put on her by the era and her corset to draw her fathers and norringtons attention away from the escape plan in the opportune moment. This movie is millions times better than people give it credit for

[@ghaldurinanubios4290]

Will is a great Swordsman, and like you said, Elizabeth is as cunning as Jack. That's why Gibs said they were both Daft like Jack. Because ultimately the both of them together is equivalent to having Jack Sparrow.

[@Ari33sa]

I did not catch the differences in their speech. I mean barbossa sure, I caught that he likes to pretend he's smarter than he is and talks with bigger words than he probably should. But with the other's I didn't quite catch the nuances. Maybe that's were my grasp of the english language is still a bit limited but damn I need to look into this.

[@ConnorNotyerbidness]

@Manek Iridius the only people who say that i find can never make a reasonable argument as to why its not good

[@ConnorNotyerbidness]

@@Ari33sa i wouldnt put it as a language thing, dont catch yourself short. Took me years to realize exactly what they were doing and what it meant. Most people i tell it to even while Watching the movie dont catch it right away either

[@fashionovawigs]

I'm pretty sure it was the 16th century

[@ThisIsMeMorgan]

I was obsessed with these movies as a teen. I know almost all the lines in all the movies. The first one is the best for sure with the second two being so bizarre and all over the place, but I love them so much.

[@ravshakehgilgamesh6083]

Then whats the second line?

[@ravshakehgilgamesh6083]

Nice!

[@fleetskipper1810]

The second and third film’s are equally excellent, if you ask me. You have to pay close attention to keep with the plot twists-you have to be “daft like Jack.”

[@realyoriginalchanel3218]

I think the 2nd movie is the best but all of the 3 are basically interchangeably good

[@derrickstorm6976]

I don't understand what problems people have with Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. The music is even better, CGI comparable still to today's movies (thank you Industrial Light and Magic), the world gets expanded hugely but still in easily understandably, we get a new cool enemy in Davy Jones perfectly portrayed by Bill Night, and then a true schemer in Beckett. We get perhaps the best movie adaptation of Kraken, and awesome tale of Davy Jones and how the world has become largely as it is during the movies. We get incredible banther between multiple characters in every occasion, mostly lighthearted jokes for it is a chidrens movie after all, but several serious moments too. Perhaps most relatably though, we get to see the relationship of Will and Elizabeth developing as they walk us through incredibly confusing and scary years both in their personal lives, and in their relationship.

[@businessgoose8931]

Him: they were going to r*pe Elizabeth and use Will as a human sacrifice. Me: 😐Well when you put it like that.

[@denisl2760]

Well it might be kinda hard (pun intended) to do that, them being undead skeletons and all. There's no bones in your penis, so they technically don't have one, their flesh is only an illusion.

[@businessgoose8931]

@@denisl2760 fingers

[@teotlcipactli7530]

@@denisl2760 perhaps that’s the reason why their lust was never satisfied when they got cursed, they were walking dead pirates

[@ChooknRS]

I also find it tragic that as Jack lowers his pistol, he doesn't exactly look triumphant, he looks like he truly understands the bitter and tragic irony of Barbossa's situation as he watches an old friend fall swiftly into the cold embrace of death.

[@melinaanibarro7324]

whoaa I never noticed that!!!

[@speedracer2008]

True. He’s completely serious throughout the whole ordeal.

[@musstakrakish]

I love the original trilogy so much!

[@jasonchilado]

Me too!

[@Grazi_Mesmo]

They're seriously my favorite movies of all time. I remember the first time I saw The Course of the Black Pearl when I was a child, and I remember feeling something I had never felt before; when the movie ended with that scene of Jack saying "Bring me the horizon" and the theme song played, I stood there paralyzed, stunned, and no movie has ever been able to make me feel like this ever since. I just love the first three movies (which means I really really hate the subsequent ones, but I tend to pretend they don't exist).

[@realyoriginalchanel3218]

Mine too, it's nice to see videos that arent just bashing the 2 and 3 movies just because they don't get what they were going for

[@NoxNovak]

@Redbeard -TLoPO Life All of the films are great- But the first 3 are legendary.

[@debraconner3884]

Will forever be one of my favorite movies! Johny Depp turned a supporting role into a main character. Nobody else currently in the industry has any chance of replacing him. It's not just the look, the way of moving, nor the humor, but an example of the whole being more than the sum of its parts!

[@skeletor6287]

The film wasn’t underrated but by god it was undervalued!

[@sopranophantomista]

The film was so tightly crafted from start to finish. From the tone to the characters to the stakes throughout the movie to the choreography of the fight scenes. Everything. Everything. It's certainly become undervalued overtime, and it's certainly the best 'real life adaptation' of a Disney property. When the remakes of the animated classics were announced, I wanted them to look and feel like this.

[@salvatormundi5184]

Just watched the trilogy this last two weeks. What movies, god... That is so good. I actually understood better how good it is watching these as an adult now. I even rediscovered episode 3, and it is so just amazing. Perfectly directed.

[@fleetskipper1810]

Gore Vidal’s direction elevated these movies from potentially good to magical.

[@NoxNovak]

These movies are better appreciated after expanding your knowledge in life and filmmaking... indeed.

[@RoguePlutonia]

POTC are my favorite movies of all time. Me and my family rewatch them twice every year! I could probably quote you the entire script. Stephan's anlysis video of POTC mentioned how in that one scene where we saw Will showing the sword to Elizabeth's dad and then Elizabeth telling Will to not call her Miss Swann but he does anyway and she leaves annoyed/angry and then we see Will saying: "Goodbye, Elizabeth" as she rides away. From one scene alone we managed to learn the whole story. It's genius. Every time you watch the movies you notice more things and understand things better. I love all of them but my personal favorite is At World's End, mostly because I find it the darkest and eeriest of all of them. Also when Jack and Will first fight Jack says "You look familiar, have I threatened you before?" because Will looks so much like his father who actually was the only one who didn't agree with the mutiny. I also love how Jack kept eating the apples because he knows just how much Barbossa loved them but couldn't eat them. Also when the governor rips off the candle light thing in prison like Will did in the beginning. Also, Norrington died for nothing. In the end, I love this franchise so much I really want to have a re-enactment of the marriage scene between will and Elizabeth. That is, if I ever get married and someone will be crazy enough to do this with me and I could actually afford it.

[@Serai3]

Jack's a chaotic neutral. And his other desire is fame - remember how he keeps insisting that you must have heard of him.

[@danijelandroid]

I don't think Jack betrayed anybody, technically. He somehow always kept his word.

[@ItsNik97]

He does that quite a lot, yet people are always surprised

[@amalnation4021]

“You actually were telling the truth” “I do that quite a lot, yet people are always suprised”.

[@RavenJack23]

I saw this one as a young adult - fortunately after the birth of my daughter made kids films okay again. I expected very little from this film - I mean the *last* ride-based film had been the Haunted Mansion with Eddie Murphy which was utterly forgettable. But by the time I walked out, I proclaimed out loud to my companions, in wonder: "There just wasn't a damned thing wrong with that movie. Not one!" With respect to your friend's "accidentally genius" video I don't at all see how something like this is accidental. I just don't think its possible. It is simply a wonderful movie.

[@trashpanda2481]

When I first saw the moment when the apple rolls out of Barbosa's hand I literally choked back tears and everyone looked at me like 'wtf' and I had to pretend that I choked on my popcorn.

[@dwbrannon]

If you watch this movie carefully, you'll notice something interesting. No one trusts Jack and they assume he's always lying, but, in fact, he always keeps his word and he is also always looking out for Will because Will is the son of his old friend. It's a subtle but very cool little touch. Well done!

[@ObaREX]

The whole thing of it just being an adventure with 4 different sides pitted against each other, is what I love in stories.

[@TheRedRobin96]

The short clip of the kid standing in the street screaming for their mother still gets me every time.

[@Go4Noctis]

Piracy especially in the Caribbean is such an interesting part of history. The colonial governments were monstrous and stealing resources while pushing slavery. Someone attacking that seems less bad.

[@MostLikelyMortal]

Granted, the romantic aspects of pirates is far from reality. They were more opportunists than freedom fighters, and did some horribly gruesome things to lots and lots of people. It is what it is though

[@spencercarruth9706]

MostLikelyMortal Considering that many pirates freed slaves, I wouldn’t quite call all of them opportunists.

[@evooff]

Sure, until you consider that pirates are raping and killing normal civilians.

[@Go4Noctis]

@@evooff I mean so we're the settlers to the native peoples.

[@evooff]

@@Go4Noctis "Native peoples". We brought diversity and multiculturalism to their lands, there is nothing wrong with that. Borders aren't real, countries aren't real.

[@sofiamaior2042]

I haven't seen the movie since I was a kid and therefore couldn't really appreciate anything at all. But I did watch all the video essays about the movie. Yours just made me want to slowly rewatch the whole movie and analyze it scene by scene.

[@mylittlethoughttree]

I kinda wanna analyse it too, I think I'd be too busy laughing to focus enough though 😆

[@Suho1004]

I honestly never thought of this as a kid's film. I saw this as an adult and thought it was one of those films that everyone could get something from, whether young or old. I remember being blown away by it when I saw it in the cinema because I was indeed expecting some silly kid's film and instead got a masterpiece. And I have absolutely no problem with calling it that. I enjoyed the sequels, too, for the most part (they should've stopped at three), but none of them can match the brilliance of the original. It was lightning in a bottle.

[@willbrogan2284]

Your appreciation for the nuances of Jack’s entrance (and rightfully placing it and the film’s score as essentially the greatest ever) is superb, and you can almost hear your smile as you speak of that scene. I love this film for all of these reasons you describe in this video. Well done mate! #savvy

[@chaoticsalem]

This is my favorite movie of all time, cause you can just watch it over and over again and some of the writing is just so genius... I'm always so sad that it doesn't get the recognition it deserves

[@holycowitsdave]

Black Pearl is probably my favourite movie, and the Pirates trilogy is my favourite series. Four and five? Never happened and you'll never convince me that they're real. There's just... so much detail in like, every part of these movies. Sea Turtles is probably one of my favourite running gags and like, manages to act as a perfect barometer for how comfortable the various characters are to bullshitting their way through any given situation. Like, it's just a stupid throwaway gag and even that still manages to tell you stuff about the characters. I could rant about those movie for ages. Fuck me they're good. My only disappointment with them is that in Two and Three, Jack ended up being written to play up the goofy side and less of his manipulative scheming, which is a massive shame.

[@fleetskipper1810]

The plot points, running gags, and outrageous situations all manage to illuminate the characters, who somehow manage to grow while staying the same.

[@RoguePlutonia]

I think 4 and 5 were equally great! Sure i missed Will and Elizabeth but I just love all the movies

[@SuperCrow02]

Idk why everyone hates 4. I thought the idea of Jack going on disconnected adventures from the first trilogy was a great idea. IMO 4 is as good as the first 3, except you don't have to watch a whole trilogy of movies for the full experience. 5 sucks though. Genuinely terrible movie.

[@joshuafischer684]

I do dislike the way the script makes Jack a bit less important of a character, but it's also a side effect of having more characters and plots. His motivation is always simple though. In Chest, Jack wants to save his own hide. He screws over Will, his crew, and it takes an immense amount of effort for him to do the right thing. In World's End, he takes a lesser role by sheer virtue of being in need of rescue. The script does allow him to be the one to figure out how to escape the Locker by flipping the ship, which makes him an active character again. The rest of the film he takes a lesser role in the main plot because he has no real motivation relevant to it. He toys with the idea of immortality but the price is too high for him. He just wants to save his own skin.

[@max_9157]

He played literally every side in 3 he was the most genius person in the movie

[@OGdadpool]

"Severely underrated film" Ha. I remember when it came out, the hype was real. I didn't know anyone that thought negatively or ho-hum about it. That movie blew the doors off the theater. It was undoubtedly a sleeper hit, but never underrated. Maybe lost in the pile at this point but Curse of the Black Pearl was never underrated.

[@oh8929]

Ikr??? Me and my friends went to the theater to see either the 2nd or 3rd movie when it first came out and I’m pretty sure most of the seats were filled up when we got there

[@NoxNovak]

The better term is "undervalued" It was popular but never was it taken as seriously as it should have.

[@Ryhno999]

The only problem I have with this is that when you talk about Elizabeth digging into the food like a rabid animal, she isn’t doing it because she is hungry she is doing it to keep her captors thinking she is nothing but a maid by being improper. You really undercut her genius in that scene

[@gardeniabrune2125]

I didn’t even realize that!

[@jeffmuller1489]

My impression is that Barbosa is astounded by her ferocious gorging, and not so much that he's voyeuristic about it. I've always thought him offering her the wine and the apple were cheeky ways of mocking her and implying that her digging in like that at her captors' table was a bit foolish, but I do think that may have been the point, like you said. If it was, I think that could have been more clear, but it's definitely a wonderful scene either way.

[@CrystalShadow]

Exactly!

[@AkaLxndon1]

this was genuinely a good movie, the acting was solid, it had intriguing characters, and it was honestly pretty good considering it was made in the early 2000’s

[@rosasutubechannel]

I definitely agree that it is better than just a "simple entertaining movie"; anyone who thinks that is nuts! 1st it is like the MOST entertaining movie ever. 2nd there is SO much more then just that! Its so smart, the music and how each scean often dose so much at the same time. Just, Just Everything you pointed out and more!

[@brianthom6798]

Before this video, I don't think I had ever seen an analysis like this in which I literally agreed with every single point. Bravo!

[@thegneech]

PotC is a lot like Raiders of the Lost Ark: An amazing labor of love that introduced an iconic hero to the world... which was then lost in a sea of "cashing in" movies, whatever merits those later ones had. I will always love it, tho. Probably the last great pirate movie we'll see, which makes me sad, but genres do come and go.

[@davehooper4498]

I agree with everything you have said. This film became a big favourite film of mine when it came out, I have seen them all and love them all, but the first film as always been the best one of them. It is so very clever it is funny the acting is 2nd to none even from people I don't even know. And yes It Is so very underrated, It's not just a kids film at all Its definitely a family film that adults and kids can love. However, only the adults would understand how clever it really is. And the part when you realise Barbossa and crew are really dead was truly awesome the visual effects are stunning. I can't praise how good this film really is. It's spellbinding. And that very beginning with Jack stepping off his sinking boat is genius. 10/10

[@keifuchan7265]

Funny thing that is...Was grown up when I first watched but Pirates of the Carribean is still my favorite film.

[@mylittlethoughttree]

I think that's part of it's brilliance: that it's so, so fun regardless of anyone's age

[@ThorMaximus]

I never had more fun watching a movie since I was a kid watching Star Wars & Indiana Jones

[@mylittlethoughttree]

The third Indiana Jones is one of my other favourite fun films

[@realyoriginalchanel3218]

When I was kid pirates of carribian, Indians Jones and star wars were 9 movies I always kept watching back to back

[@diegovera1353]

What amazes me the most how much they’ve made with so little, the entire franchise was born from just a simple attraction in Disney world

[@kyleVanZan]

Agree with everything you said!!! This movie is genius, expertly crafted and wonderfully told. You don't need to make the "apologie" at the beginning, this movie is as close to perfect as a movie can be

[@-Raylight]

That "Captain Jack Sparrow" for you xD Really lovely movies, it just kinda a shame what happened Johnny Depp. He didn't deserve to be treated that way, especially the way Disney fired him.

[@jenkinsfamily2229]

Honestly, I agree with literally every point you make in this video, ranging from “yup, that’s how I feel” to “OH MY GOD RIGHT!?” This movie is just amazing and I’m glad you chose to talk about it.

[@CptDawner]

“...and even Mr. Gibbs’ downfall in.... life” that probably wasn’t meant to be funny but I was laughing at that shit, that’s funny asf!

[@Rendref]

And it is much more than fun too. I cry when I re-watch it. Especially when I extend that love to 2nd and 3rd movie - the maelstrom fight and endings of 3rd movie with their perfectly synced music just obliterates me. So fun and sad at the same time. Truly masterpieces. Oh, and that Jack vs. Will fight in the forge - music plays such a big role there, perfectly synced to every action. Don't see that much in the movies.

[@HaleyWest]

I wish pirate movies got more attention... we need more in this genre. I feel like pirates are a pretty popular thing, especially with kids, yet potc is really the only good series. Idk I just feel like it’s an under-exploded genre. Curse of the black pearl has to be my favorite as well :) great video and thank you for shining light on movies that need more attention!

[@VesselOfBlood]

This was a fantastic video, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. As someone who fell in love with the film years ago and has now memorized the entirety of the script, this made me very happy to watch. Thank you!

[@Knightwingofbludhaven]

it's the "indiana Jones" of that era, its fantastic from pacing to character development you leave feeling the theatre like you have been on an adventure!

[@erikrandan7294]

Whenever I talk writing with my filmmaker friends, I always cite Captain Jack Sparrow's introduction as the PERFECT intro. 90 seconds on screen, we already have a good grasp of who this guy is, what he represents, and the "Does he plan it all out or make it up as he goes" aspect spelled out for us....with ZERO dialogue. Even his first shot, that over the shoulder shot of him sailing into Port Royal, we see his gaze locked onto the Interceptor in the distance. He knows what he is there for, and it subconciously puts it in our heads too. The whole epic Heroic stance atop the crows nest sailing into port, just to be revealed to be a sinking dinghy... then his salute to the dead pirates (which I remember hearing somewhere that one of them was Calico Jack Rackham, who IRL was executed in Port Royal and diaplayed in a crows cage as a warning to other Pirates)....We know about 75% of who Sparrow is within the first 2 minutes of screentime. Perfectly executed intro! And the brilliance of Depp's performance single handedly saved the character. It was originally written as more of a Burt Lancaster Swashbuckler type with Hugh Jackman or Matthew McConnehey in mind. Depp brought the swagger, the duplicity, and that signature walk...in his words, Jack has spent so much of his time on a ship, that he has Sea Legs, so while he is perfectly stable on a ship, he cant find his footing of stable land. And the black guyliner was also his idea, thinking about how desert namads in the middle east wear the black around their eyes to reduce the glare of the sun, similar to how athletes wear eye black. He even reworked and ad libbed most of his dialogue. He definitely took a rather blandly written part and made it iconic!

[@Amystika_1316]

This has been my favorite movie since it came out in 2003 and I'm so happy that in recent years people are finally starting to make videos about just how great it really is and not just a simple kids movie! I enjoy all of the Pirate movies just because I love the franchise and Johnny and Geoffrey, but this one will forever be the best one and my absolute favorite all time movie!

[@TheIardis]

I feel very similar about the movie - I maintain that the first one was a stroke of genius but was somewhat tarnished by the following ones. I greatly enjoyed watching you video. Thanks for sharing your thoughts like this.

[@ethanh6370]

I feel like a lot of these really good adventure-type movies from the early to late 2000s have aged better than they may have otherwise because so many movies now - the Star Wars sequels, Jurassic World, even the MCU - use glitzy special effects and a TON of fan service to mask thin, focus-group-approved plots and dialog. Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean, Lord of the Rings, The Incredibles, and even Master and Commander would likely get watered down if they were made by a major studio today.

[@recklessabandon8089]

I was so sad for sad Barbossa, like dang poor guy didn’t even get to eat his apple

[@fleetskipper1810]

So glad you profiled this film, a tasty tidbit that balances a tightly-written plot with fast pace, consistent characters, and underlying pathos limned with a brilliant comedic edge. You didn’t mention it, but the cinematography, lighting, costuming, editing, and sets are top-notch, too-a potentially cartoonish world made totally believable. This is one of the few movies that I rewatch at least once a year- much as I rewatched “The Wizard of Oz,” which shares much in common with “The Black Pearl,” when I was a kid.

[@jliller]

This movie strikes the right balance between silly and serious. The sequels did not.

[@user-jk8sf4lh4i]

2nd are 3rd were still great

[@jliller]

I wouldn't say 2 or 3 are bad movies. But I feel like they lost the balance and tipped too far into grim-dark with a side of "isn't Johnny Depp a wacky guy?" I thought Pirates 4 actually did a better job striking the balance than 2 or 3, even if it was not as good of a movie overall. (I never watched 5.)

[@BagelsnOj]

@@jliller 2 and 3 werent as good as 1 but they're still really good. They slowly lost their charm as they became "Disney-fied" as I like to put it. 4 and 5 were awful, though. Shockingly awful.

[@fleetskipper1810]

In movies 4 and 5, Jack lost his magic, thanks to poor writing and even worse directing. Jack became the cardboard cutout of a movie pirate that the reviewer remarks he charmingly avoided becoming in movies 1, 2, and 3.

[@MrMrjack18]

@@BagelsnOj Dead Man's Chest is the best Pirates movie ! because it has far better villain, faster pace, more suspense and even better action !!!

[@brandonk8948]

If you liked this film you should watch the S. Korean movie, "The Pirates." It captures elements of POTC but dabbles in several other avenues as well. Tbh, subtitles or no it's up there on my top five fave films of all time.

[@APWPaint]

These came out when I was already an adult. I think they are all brilliant!

[@rachelmendelson7446]

Just found your channel through the dr. phil video! I love this movie and love your take, but I want to point out somehting about the scene of Elizabeth eating that you may have missed. She isn't just eating so enthusiastically because she's hungry, she's doing it because she remembered she's posing as a servant girl and eating like a 'sophisticated lady' would give her away. You can see her notice him watching her, and then she makes the decision to eat that way as part of her act. And barbossa isn't just watching voyeuristically, he's also evaluating her performance.

[@mylittlethoughttree]

A very good point, thankyou!

[@LukeSkywalker6]

The first 3 Pirate Movies are an underrated trilogy. Some very great story’s and characters.

[@eliot327]

I recently watched the first three on disney plus. I was honestly blown away at the first two the third one is okay and doesn't stick the landing. The first one was so engrossing I was shocked to see it only had a 63 on metacritic.

[@echodelta2172]

the first one is an absolute classic, the second one makes an expansion it wasn't ready to exploit, and the third one is the failure to exploit the new material effectively.

[@pfeilspitze]

2:44 "And it's touches like this that help stop the premise of undead pirates from being stupid and laughable" 🤣

[@121lolipop121]

Wow i love it when you post about movies i like, ive become so interested in your opinion since i started watching your videos. Keep up the great work 😄

[@mylittlethoughttree]

Thankyou again 😄

[@jenkinsfamily2229]

I love the mention of the score. Personally, it's my favorite film score of all time. No, I haven't forgotten about the genius of John Williams. He's like the other 4 in my top 5.

[@maxcasteel2141]

Get yourself a man who can go from an in depth shot by shot analysis of the extremely deep and complicated therapy of Good Will Hunting to indulging in how great this goofy, Disney, pirate film is and be entertaining and have great points and insight doing both. Love the Pirates movies and just most things pirate in general, love the video and love your channel! I will be checking out the other analysis video you referenced, it would be helpful if you linked that in the description so it was a little easier to get to it.

[@bingbongbigslong3527]

The first 3 pirates films is what Disney was trying to achieve with the Star Wars sequels but it failed really bad

[@jeffmuller1489]

"You cheated!" "Pirate!" One of my favorite exchanges in any movie ever.❤

[@Historian212]

I adore this movie, and have watched it many times. As for the scary bits: I was 48 y.o. when it came out, and got creeped out several times. Nice review!

[@Bubblebars]

I got about a minute and thirty seconds when I got that urge to watch the black pearl, I did then I came back to finish this and start back at 1:30

[@reaganorton1710]

Pirates of the Caribbean is my favorite movie series. They did the first three so well. I adore it

[@RichardCano]

Why do I keep hearing people say The Pirates of The Caribbean movies are underrated? These movies made BILLIONS of dollars, and outside of Marvel and Star Wars, are the most well-known, successful, and beloved Disney franchises out there. They're probably Disney's most successful original property. Depp won several awards and got an Oscar nomination for the first movie, and the second movie won the Oscar for visual effects. People freaking love these movies. Especially the first three. They just may not understand or be able to articulate why they love the movies, like you do here. These films aren't underrated in the slightest. They've just fallen out of the spotlight because the first one is almost 20 years old.

[@mylittlethoughttree]

Well I don't know about anyone else, but I meant underrated in the sense people love it, but regard it just as an entertainment film (such as the Roger Ebert review). My argument was that it's more than entertainment

[@rorynell4962]

The script is so good as well and I left actually caring about the characters too

[@josephinecarpenter3376]

I watched the other guys entire 52 minute long video and then this one. I think I have a problem but its just movie gold. I really loved this video btw so thanks!!

[@Grumpycat95]

I love Pirates of The Caribbean , I rewatch all of them in a whole week at least once a year , Johnny Depp did a great job and all the stories are awesome , a lot of gold , a simple adventure , the old slang , Barbosa and his jokes , the way they team up the way they split again , the various ships , curses , I love it .

[@thesisypheanjournal1271]

I love all the people responding to Jack's bad breath.

[@handleb00ba]

I never really thought of the crew of Barbossa as villains but just pirates who wanted to be human again but had to do it with anything they could. Great video and yes, this is my favorite of the POTC movies since it assembles all four of the mains and the recurring Gibbs, the two idiots, and the original crew.

[@moonsnakesheddingskin]

I really enjoyed this! I love this movie for a lot of the same reasons, there's so many little details in every aspect of the film that just make it fun. Looking forward to more of these!

[@mitchspurlock3626]

In the good old days of DVD rentals my family rented this and insisted I should watch it with them. As a difficult teenager I insisted I wouldn't like it, but as I was passing the living room to go to the kitchen for yet another round of pizza rolls I saw the scene of Jack Sparrow miraculously sinking/sailing a boat into port and was hooked in a moment. I assume I wasn't the only one this happened to!

[@coyote4237]

Totally agree. This film is a classic for me.

[@ih82r8]

I agree that it was a fun film that left you energized. Calling it an entertainment film shows that Roger Ebert has the emotional depth of a teaspoon.

[@gammaphonic]

I agree. It’s up there with Back to the Future and Jurassic Park in my book. Far from high art, but an extremely well crafted entertainment product.

[@thetangerine5747]

I absolutely love this movie and I’m glad someone is giving it the praise it needs. I can watch this movie 10 times in a row and find things that I didn’t notice before and be entertained. THANK YOU!

[@dangermonkeygostones]

Not sure if anyone has brought this up yet, but the Thirsty Skeleton trope was a delightful part of The Last Unicorn, back in 1982. Voiced by the late, great Rene Auberjonois, a skeleton trolls the adventurers and withholds information; eventually he is convinced by Shmendrick (the incomparable Alan Arkin) that an empty bottle contains wine, which he drinks until his cheekbones literally turn red and he is satisfied.

[@thelastcrow5660]

Not just Curse of the Black Pearl. The first three are all amazing, and I'm pretty surprised that they are not seen as classics. I guess some people just don't appreciate the creative mind of good old Gore Verbinski ;))))

[@isaks3243]

accidentally genious is the perfect description of this movie!

[@diy_cat9817]

I loved this movie so much. You know when Jack falls off the same cliff Elizabeth fell from when she couldn't breathe? Someone told me that he intentionally chose that cliff and that way of falling because she miraculously missed the rocks on the way down. The "accidental" fall was completely intentional. Isn't that funny?

[@fleetskipper1810]

Yes, and the double entendre of the line “I can’t breathe”- Elizabeth, because of her corset (symbolizing the oppression of women as being the property of men) and Jack, because he values freedom over societal rules that bind other men such as the commodore and the governor.

[@diy_cat9817]

@@fleetskipper1810 yeah!

[@diy_cat9817]

@@fleetskipper1810 men also wore corsets, though.

[@MuzzyBarker]

It's interesting that Jack was often the least violent among both the pirates and the Brits. Makes one wonder if the pirates would have been nearly as aggressive before the curse.

[@titojdavis8374]

I think another thing that was lost after this first film, and it was soooo crucial to Jack's character being utterly unique, was that he was on top of being ridiculous and scheming, he was genuinely cool. Sitting back with his hat over his eyes just before the "I know those cannons" Is a moment I know would never have made it into a later film.

[@adsfornothing3146]

8:53 I SAW THE VIDEO OF HIM BEFORE I WATCHED THIS

[@benkim6103]

Sometimes I feel like I "grew out" of watching movies, because they just don't seem to move me anymore. And then I watch Pirates of The Carribbean AGAIN and forget that I'm in my living room.

[@suficer7827]

I don’t know why this video came up in my recommendations but I watched it, now I want to watch the films again after listening to this lol. Nice video of analysing it.

[@arian___tehrani]

It is not underrated or a kids film I just feel that it’s been forgotten by the new generation of movie watchers. I grew up watching these movies with my dad so these movies hold a special place for me.

[@FeNite8]

The introduction to Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the greatest character introductions in history. In a few moments we learn everything we need to know about Captain Sparrow

[@tomerfeller9993]

I know we're in a time when disney and other big studios reboot everything and relay on terrible unjustified sequels and prequels but hear me out- The trilogy of Pirates of the Caribbean has created such a beautiful and deep world and complex characters and storylines (which together craft such real and breathing movies) , that i truly believe that there should be a mature, a bit R rated (not like deadpool shit just enough to bring the violence and sexualism of the 17th century pirates era to life) and a bit more artistically Pirates of the caribbean movie/movie trilogy. It has such a HUGE potential with the right production and art design like with the first trilogy, and can be the very very best action adventure movie to ever be made

[@fleetskipper1810]

Only if Gore Vidal directs.

[@tomerfeller9993]

@Alice oh damn my bad😅 thanks! I guess i got confused as from what i know, some of the characters were still born in the 17th century according to lore

[@tomerfeller9993]

@Alice well you've certianly did more homework than me😂

[@ronidude]

There making another film but without captain Jack sparrow