"This is either madness... or brilliance."

Brilliant Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl certainly is. A hearty slice of classic entertainment that's a true treasure of the swashbuckler genre. Boasting marvelous production value, a first-rate ensemble of memorable buccaneers, dynamite filmmaking, sturdy if occasionally convenient writing, rousing orchestrations, and damn near timeless effects, director Gore Verbinski and crew bring the titular theme park attraction to the silver screen in the most spectacular fashion while launching a bizarrely amusing trilogy under his wild and skillful eye. Too bad Disney pushed matters over the edge with On Stranger Tides and Dead Men Tell No Tales, two unpunctual and ultimately unwelcome sequels that lack the flavor of the prior three chapters.

The entire experience is a grand blast from beginning to end. It's the type of ride filmgoers dream of and thankfully get when the creative stars align in just the right formation for big-budget fare like this. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl strikes the perfect chords of style and spirit to deliver a tremendous piece of pure fun for all.

"Savvy?"