A lot of action violence, characters killed. Some images, including the literally skeleton pirate crew and a false eyeball that keeps coming out, that may be disturbing to some viewers.
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Main characters eventually work together to defeat an evil band of undead pirates. But they also constantly double- and triple-cross each other.
Positive Role Models
a little
Main character is a scoundrel, albeit a charming one, and authority figures are portrayed negatively. But other characters, including the two main women, are shown as strong and independent, each in their own way.
Diverse Representations
a little
Strong female lead avoids being a damsel in distress. An Afro-Latina woman (Zoe Saldana) in a supporting role captains her own ship. But for a film set in Jamaica, it seems odd that the scenes in town feature nearly no people of color.
Parents need to know that Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a swashbuckling pirate adventure based on the famous Disney ride that stars Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, and Orlando Bloom. The movie is not especially graphic but does feature things like an undead pirate crew that may be disturbing to some kids. There are revealing bodices and mild sexual references (not explicit and showing no nudity or sexual situations). Swearing includes "bastard," "damn," and "hell," plus colorful pirate language. Characters drink rum and get tipsy. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
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Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
I would call this a pretty mild PG-13. It will probably be too spooky for an early elementary school child. There are scenes of ghouls and skeletons taking over ships and terrorizing people. There are battle scenes where people die. It is mostly A-Team style explosions that send people flying, but there are some scenes where people are killed in cold blood. None of it seems gratuitous though. It is not the sort of thing that I suspect would whittle away at one's value of human life, unlike the other movies in the series which cross that line big time.
There are also several scenes that are sexually suggestive. For example, Jack Sparrow tears off Elizabeth Swan's corset to allow her to breath and save her life. An onlooker says "I didn't know you could do that", and Sparrow replies "you've clearly never been to Singapore." A 7-year-old would have no idea what that means. But if they ask about it, you'll have to answer somehow.
After reviewing this movie over the weekend, I'll be letting my 8-year-old watch, but not my 6-year-old. It's just too spooky for her yet.
I think it is not for young kids cause jack Sparrow is not the best role modal but anyone who knows not to pretend to be drunk can watch and it is really fun and funny with good plots, villains, heroes, and swashbuckling.
What's the Story?
In PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), daughter of a governor (Jonathan Pryce), is fascinated by pirates. On their voyage to Port Royal, Jamaica, from England, Elizabeth helped rescue a boy named Will Turner. While he was unconscious, she took his gold medallion. Now grown up, Elizabeth is still wearing the token and is loved both by Commodore Norrington (Jack Davenport) and Will (Orlando Bloom). When the dreaded pirates of the Black Pearl, led by Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), sack the town, Elizabeth offers them the medallion if they'll leave. They take it, and take her, too. Turner pursues in hopes of rescuing her, aided by the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), with Norrington and his men right behind them. It turns out that the medallion is the last of the cursed pieces of gold that turned Barbossa and his crew into the walking dead, always hungry and thirsty but unable to eat or drink. By restoring the gold to its chest -- with the right person's blood -- the curse will be removed. There are advantages, though, in being a pirate who can't be killed.
Just like the theme park ride that inspired it, this movie's greatest strengths are its atmosphere and art direction. The production design of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl skillfully incorporates elements of classic book illustrations with popular pirate themes and seems to get the essence of every detail right, from the curve of the sail to a pirate's pet monkey. The film's action sequences are energetic and entertaining. The script has some creepy twists and saucy lines to keep audiences well entertained.
The film also escapes the terrible pirate curse. Not the curse about pieces of gold that turn people into the walking undead, but the one about pirate movies, a genre better known for overacting and overblown budgets that empty movie studios' bank accounts faster than real-life pirates robbed their victims. Although this movie's origins as a Disneyland ride didn't seem promising, the film ends up being surprisingly enjoyable. There's enough swashbuckling, rope-swinging double-crossing (and colorful sidekicks) to keep you entertained, if that all sounds like fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about rules and guidelines. What were the consequences of the promises made -- and broken -- in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl?
Does the film encourage you to find out more about pirate history? Where do they come from, and what form do pirates take today?
Although a work of fiction, the movie takes place in a historical context. What do you know about the history of the Caribbean, or about Jamaica?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
suggesting a diversity update.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
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