Character intelligence is the thing! - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Reviews

With the trailer, and Disney, I was SO sure I wouldn't like this film, but it was just one amazing pleasant surprise after another! I loved it! What a wonderful thing to be completely taken by surprise by a film in a positive way. And with T3, Hulk, and god help me but I loathed it so much I can barely type it, Matrix Reloaded, well it's definitely the first positive surprise this year. Other reviews will talk about the action, acting, visuals, etc. and they're all great, so I'll just point out the one thing that I loved the most and that is so rare in Hollywood movies today: the characters are INTELLIGENT! They act according to their natures, with intelligence...seeing through each other's deceptions, trying to double and triple-cross each other, using complex strategies, and so on, and that includes the enemies, which generally are morons in Hollywood films, to allow for the "hero" to win and the Oprah crowd to drool in appreciation. And through it all, the movie somehow manages to meld action and humor in the most perfect, credible balance. I am amazed. A small note about the acting: some reviews are claiming that Depp and Rush chewed scenery, and I was cringing in advance because of it, but the truth is I didn't think they did at ALL. They both did a SPECTACULAR acting job (and I haven't normally liked Rush's work before...must have been the bad taste in my mouth from "Quills"). This is easily the best film of the summer so far, and with the track record otherwise, it may well end up being my fave of the year. A wonderful surprise.