Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-ray Movie Review

Walt Disney Pictures uses the BD-50 format to deliver a pristine 1080p transfer.

Reviewed by Greg Maltz July 3, 2007

The first installment of Pirates of the Caribbean had us singing, "a pirate's life is for me" when it stormed through the theaters. Johnny Depp's swashbuckling, quirky portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow drove this tale that brought to life the Disneyland theme park ride. The acting and story lived up to the hype and avoided tired cliches in a story full of potential hackneyed deathtraps. The beautiful governor's daughter (Keira Knightley)--you were expecting just a pretty face but at times she showed more cojones than her male counterparts. A supernatural ship of doomed pirates melded impressive CGI graphics, quirky humor and PG-13 level violence. And Captain Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) simultaneously captivated and repulsed audiences as he commanded the damned crew of the Black Pearl.

Part scoundrel, part sea captain, Jack Sparrow becomes a screen sensation in The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Note that the first BD iteration of Curse of the Black Pearl has a slight problem related to the matting. This problem is barely visible and affects about one minute's worth of footage during the fight scene in the blacksmith's shop. Disney has corrected the problem and is now shipping BDs with proper framing. If you have the initial version with the framing problem, Disney welcomes you to phone their Blu-ray customer service hotline at 1-800-723-4763 (U.S.) or 1-800-877-2843 (Canada) to request a replacement BD. The studio sets a good standard by fixing the problem and supplying replacement discs to its customers free of charge.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Not since the release of "Casino Royale" has a blu-ray title generated this much excitement. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" makes full use of the BD-50 format with 1080p MPEG-4 AVC video and uncompressed LPCM audio. Those are the ingredients of a gorgeous picture and rich soundstage. You won't see Pirates in the HD-DVD bins. But you will see true reference quality when you watch this first film in the trilogy of Jack Sparrow and blacksmith Will Turner (Orlando Bloom).

The scenes that take place in open daylight were especially impressive. Near the beginning, the view from the governor's mansion, showing a bay and harbor, demonstrate breathtaking depth and richness. The view was so convincing that it seemed as if I could step into my plasma, head down to the beach, roll up my pants and wade in the clear blue waters. Effortless detail from the facial hair on Depp's chin to the embroidery on Keira Knightley's dress leap from the screen. The likes of this picture quality I had not seen since Casino Royale. It may have even surpassed the Bond Blu-ray.

HDTV enthusiasts have a winner here. Disney Pictures has used the BD-50 format to hit a home run with no pixellation in sight. Purists of 1080p resolution can add Pirates to their reference quality blu-rays. If you like your picture clean and detailed, with impeccable resolution, mostly clear of film grain, Pirates is for you. Thanks to the cinematography, the color palette is solid and deep. It really shines on this BD.

In comparison to the light, open imagery, the darker scenes are interesting. Watch the deck of the Black Pearl when the crew first appear as skeletons. It still yields outstanding detail, but these scenes give up some richness and depth. A minor complaint, this common factor with video subjected to CGI postproduction work is a small price to pay for the breathtaking special effects.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Man the subwoofers and let the cannons roar. Disney is to be commended for its attention to the audio quality of Pirates. From the gentle lapping of water to the crystal clear bellowing of commands by actor Geoffrey Rush, the uncompressed 48 kHz/24-bit LPCM bitstream provided an impressive audio palate. The soundstage appeared expansive, with a fantastic mix of both stereophonic depth and surround gimmicks.

Listen to the variety of sounds during the scenes on the open sea or when the pirates storm the island. From a classical score to screams and laughter in the midrange to cannon shots in the midbass to explosions and splintering wood in the treble and the foreboding deep bass rumble, Pirates is a system stretcher that will place demands on even the best home theaters. And if you are not set up to access the uncompressed LPCM, fear not mates. The Dolby Digital 5.1 content will not make you walk the plank. It rivals the sound of the best standard definition DVDs available.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disney packed a lot into this two-disc release. Disc 2 is loaded with more than 12 hours of bonus features in a 480i presentation. The supplements include games and activities, a movie showcase, a backstage special, a "making of" feature and a blooper reel. Not many of us have an entire day to spend checking out these extras, but true fans may find them as interesting as the movie. Just don't expect the pristine audio and video quality.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Film afficianados of all ages will find plenty to enjoy on this Blu-ray blockbuster. The sights and sounds shine on par with the most elite blu-ray releases. That's no faint praise because even at this young juncture in BD's rollout, we can thank Sony and Disney for a handful of jaw-dropping titles. But even among the best, the quality of Pirates may be unparalleled. If you haven't yet added this reference quality title to your Blu-ray collection, order it today.