I’ve been of the mind for quite some time now that a good (operative word) pirate film is way overdue. The “Pirates of the Caribbean” films are fine and all, the first one especially. Blending the mythos of a pirate story with that of, essentially, a ghost yarn was a brilliant way to make the oeuvre more palatable to audiences.
Because let’s face it, the reason these films aren’t made today is two-fold: audiences see it as passe and they aren’t cheap to produce. It’s the same unfortunate circumstance with westerns.
For me, however, the fantasy of Disney’s franchise isn’t enough. I want more, and I want something tangible. High seas adventures in general, not just pirate tales, can really sing on the big screen. Peter Weir’s “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” is a perfect example, a brilliant, somewhat forgotten film that is sincere and compelling throughout.
