Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Movie, 2003, The Will & Elizabeth trilogy, Set in Port Royal
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is #1 of 5 in release order and #1 of 5 in chronological order in the Pirates of the Caribbean.
The story
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.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl recap
Years after a boy, Will Turner, is pulled from a shipwreck, he is a blacksmith in Port Royal, Jamaica, in love with Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter, who secretly kept a gold medallion from his neck. Captain Jack Sparrow arrives to steal a ship and is arrested. That night, the Black Pearl, Jack's former ship, attacks the town, and its crew, led by Captain Barbossa, takes Elizabeth, thinking she is the child of a pirate named Turner. Barbossa's crew is cursed for stealing Aztec gold: they cannot die and appear as skeletons in moonlight, and to break the curse they must return every coin and the blood of Bootstrap Bill Turner, Will's father. Will frees Jack to help rescue her, and they steal a navy ship and gather a crew in Tortuga. Barbossa marooned Jack on an island years ago, and he does the same to Jack and Elizabeth, who escape by burning the island's rum.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl ending explained
At Isla de Muerta, Jack secretly takes a cursed coin so he cannot die either and duels Barbossa, while the navy fights the cursed crew. Will drops the last coin with his and Jack's blood into the chest, breaking the curse just as Jack shoots Barbossa, who dies. Jack is sentenced to hang in Port Royal, Will saves him, and Elizabeth chooses Will. Commodore Norrington lets Jack escape to the Black Pearl.
Post-credits scenes
Yes. In the post-credits scene, Jack the monkey takes a gold coin from the chest and turns back into a cursed skeleton.
Where to watch Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is streaming on Disney+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 8.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 79%
Where it fits
- Release order: first, before Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
- Chronological order: first, before Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
What to watch before Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Nothing. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is the first of the Pirates of the Caribbean essentials, so it's the place to start.
Cast
- Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow
- Geoffrey Rush as Barbossa
- Orlando Bloom as Will Turner
- Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann
- Jack Davenport as Norrington
- Jonathan Pryce as Governor Weatherby Swann
- Lee Arenberg as Pintel
- Mackenzie Crook as Ragetti
- Damian O'Hare as Lt. Gillette
- Giles New as Murtogg
- Angus Barnett as Mullroy
- David Bailie as Cotton
Directed by Gore Verbinski.