10. Pirates of the Caribbean
Why it was good: Any time an actor receives awards recognition for their work in a big budget blockbuster, it’s safe to call that feature something special. While overlong, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was immeasurably raised by the now-iconic performance by Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. Stunning production values and an equally potent performance from Geoffrey Rush as the devilish Barbossa resulted in nothing short of a phenomenon for Disney. Not bad for an adaptation of a theme park ride.
The turning point: The loss of Rush as the central antagonist, a swelling running length – 143 minutes to 151 minutes to an obscene 169-minute marathon of plundering for “At World’s End” – and the death (?) of Jack Sparrow really had the series walking the plank, even though two instalments pulled in north of $1 billion dollars worldwide.
Why it needs to die: The majority of its stars have already abandoned ship (no pun intended) and ironically it’s only Depp – the heart of the franchise to begin with – that’s keeping this series afloat (no pun intended). Not to mention, between Tim Burton and the “Pirates” films, Depp is being suffocated with presumed commitment and hasn’t chosen an interesting role in quite some time. If anything, for the liberation of a fantastic actor, this franchise needs a quick visit to Davy Jones’ Locker.
Published: Jul 10, 2012 05:50 pm