Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Name: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Action
Released: 2003-07-09
Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport

2003 | 143 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Action

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Audiences adore it (7.8 out of 10), people are still talking about it, it drew serious awards attention and it made about 5 times its budget. Make plans for this one.

Our take: A theme-park ride turned swashbuckling hit, powered by one of the most unexpected lead performances in a blockbuster.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for fantasy fans and action fans. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood: Exciting.
The pace: Fast-moving, at 2 hr 23 min.
What might put you off: Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

When wily pirate Captain Barbossa seizes Jack Sparrow’s beloved ship, the Black Pearl, and kidnaps the governor’s daughter, Elizabeth Swann, blacksmith Will Turner reluctantly teams up with the unpredictable pirate Jack to rescue her—only to uncover a terrifying curse that turns Barbossa’s crew into the undead.

How it earned its rating

CriticsSolid
79% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesVery strong
7.8 out of 10
AwardsStrong
Nominated for 4 Oscars.
Box office & staying powerStrong
$655 million worldwide on a $140 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 953K people sought it out in the past year