Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl

By GRAHAM REID

(Herald rating: * * * *)

With a few rare and now rather ancient exceptions, pirate movies have never, for some reason, cut it. Yet they have all the great elements for a ripping yarn: cutlasses, doubloons, cannon fire, ye olde skull'n'crossbones and terrific costumes.

This Pirates - oddly enough based on the Disneyland ride of the same name - is also a noble and very funny exception.

With scene-stealer Depp as the overdressed and charismatic Jack Sparrow at its centre, it spirals through such necessary set pieces as har-di-har pillaging, sea battles and cannon fire, sword fights, swinging in the rigging and lecherous grins from mouths full of broken, brown or gold-capped teeth. You'd expect nothing less.

And it does this with wry and often outlandish humour, and a script full of sassy asides and gentle mocking of the cliches. Yep, there's a parrot on one pirate's shoulder.

The story - which perhaps contains half a plot twist too many - has the roguishly likeable Sparrow pursuing his ghostly nemesis Captain Barossa (Rush) to retrieve his ship The Black Pearl. There is the requisite kidnapping of the governor of Port Royal's daughter (the luminous Knightley), the alliance with her childhood friend who is infatuated by her (Bloom as the increasingly piratical Will Turner who has a significant secret), and the inevitable pursuits at sea, dinghies in the mist, and cutlass duels over a pile of doubloons and other such booty.

Depp is outstanding and, in the film's boldest act of piracy, steals every scene. He has modelled himself on dissolute Rolling Stone Keith Richards, apparently, but speaks like a slightly tipsy David Bowie. It's an endearing part - flawed but good-hearted buccaneer with an eye to the main chance - but the supporting cast (watch for Gareth from The Office as a fawning pirate) is equally strong.

Director Verbinski (Mouse Hunt, The Ring) milks the atmosphere, and the special effects - one vessel has a skeletal crew, literally - are impressive. His pace is relentless.

But the film belongs to Jack Sparrow, a band of cut-throats and misfits, two rising stars in Hollywood - and to pirates everywhere who will appreciate the action, humour and parody.

Not often you get to say this so here goes: it's swashbuckling adventure on the high seas, me 'earties.

Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley

Director: Gore Verbinski

Rating: M (violence, supernatural themes)

Running time: 143 mins

Screening: Village, Hoyts, Berkeley cinemas