Jack Sparrow Character Analysis
The Pirates of the Caribbean film series is one of the most popular film series to run its course through theaters in recent years. Action, adventure, and romance are some of the things we come to expect when we sit down to watch these amazing film adventures. But one of the things we can rely on most is the presence of Captain Jack Sparrow. While Sparrow was conceived to be only a supporting character, he proved to be popular after he was added into Disney’s theme park ride that spawned the movie series.
Of course, a character as “far out” as Captain Jack had to be played by someone equally out-there: Johnny Depp. First we’ll talk about how Depp got into the role of Captain Jack and then I will analyze how Jack is portrayed as a character. In 2001, Depp was at Walt Disney Studios looking to do a family film. However, the fact that the Pirates theme park ride was going to be adapted into a film caught his attention first.
Depp looked at the movie adaptation as a chance to revive his favorite movie genre, and he was even more pleased when he found out the script fit his personality perfectly: a quirky pirate looking for adventure and in the end, showing he has a soft side. Depp was cast on June 10, 2002. Producer of the series Jerry Bruckheimer said that Depp was “an edgy actor who will kind of counter the Disney Country Bears soft quality and tell an audience that an adult and teenager can go see this and have a good time with it. When the cast got together for their read-through of the script, Depp surprised everyone by portraying the character in an off-kilter manner. After Depp did some research of his own on 18th century pirates, he compared the swashbucklers to modern rock stars and said he would base his performance on Keith Richards. In a comic follow-up, Richards would later appear in two cameos as Jack’s father, Captain Teague, in At World’s End and On Stranger Tides. Director Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer had confidence in Depp, in part because Orlando Bloom would be playing the traditional “hero” character in the series.
Depp also improvised the film’s final line, “Now, bring me that horizon”, which was writer Ted Elliot’s favorite line. Disney executives were, at first, confused by Depp’s performance. Some even asked him whether the character was drunk or gay. Michael Eisner even proclaimed while watching the events unfold, “He’s ruining the film! ” Depp actually fought back and responded, “Look, these are the choices I made. You know my work. So either trust me or give me the boot. Some industry insiders also questioned Depp’s casting, as he wasn’t known for working in a traditional studio setting and had even been called an unconventional actor. Depp’s portrayal as Captain Jack Sparrow was critically acclaimed. Alan Morrison said “Gloriously over-the-top . In terms of physical precision and verbal delivery, it’s a master-class in comedy acting. ” Roger Ebert also found his performance “original in its every atom. There has never been a pirate, or for that matter a human being, like this in any other movie his behavior shows a lifetime of rehearsal. Ebert also praised Depp for moving away from the how Captain Jack was written. Depp won a Screen Actor’s Guild award for his performance, and was also nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actor, the first in his career. Film School Rejects argued and wrote, “That because of Pirates, Depp has become as much a movie star as a character actor. Johnny Depp returned as Jack Sparrow in Dead Man’s Chest, the first time the actor ever made a sequel. Drew McWeeny stated, “Remember how cool Han Solo was in Star Wars the first time you saw it?
And then remember how much cooler he seemed when Empire came out? This is that big a jump. ” Depp received an MTV Movie Award and a Teen Choice Award for Dead Man’s Chest, and was also nominated for an Empire Award and another Golden Globe. For his performance in At World’s End, Depp won an MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance, as well as a People’s Choice Award, a Kids’ Choice Award, and another Teen Choice Award. He has signed on to reprise the role for future sequels. Captain Jack appeals to us as moviegoers because he brings out our inner-most sense of adventure.
We want him to succeed and we feel like we are right there when he takes us on an adventure. The first time we meet Captain Jack in The Curse of the Black Pearl he is sailing into Port Royal on a dinghy-like boat that is sinking to the ocean floor the during the whole scene. He eventually walks onto the dock from the crow’s nest, acting if nothing ever happened. He immediately pays off a dock worker in order to skip the mandatory ID check required to enter the city. This is what we love from a character; someone who makes the best of his situation and finds a way to get into the crowd.
In the real world, we would never considering acting like Jack does. But in the movies, his adventure-seeking nature is something we crave. Despite all of the moral faults of Sparrow, the audience still finds him loveable. This is all thanks to Johnny Depp’s masterful portrayal. Depp was able to create a very human, multifaceted, believable character. What’s even weirder is that Jack is not the typical pirate that peaks our interests. He is not bulky, muscular, or very intimidating. His actions at some times are very effeminate.
Although he used his brain more than brawn, the films will show us that he is very athletic on his own. Sparrow also shows us that it doesn’t matter who our friends are. Just look at his crew while he is commanding the Black Pearl. It is the most rag-tag group of pirates you will ever see. It even included a woman in the first movie, something that was very taboo for Captains to have in their crew at the time. Another bright spot on Sparrow is that he uses everything that is available to him. He may not be the best swordsman, but if there is anything that could possibly be a weapon near him, he will use it.
Anything you can think of really; whiskey barrels, horses, even him fighting on a water-wheel that generates power. In Dead Man’s Chest Jack was found to be the accepted leader of a tribe of Caribbean natives. He somehow mastered their language and was living in the lap of luxury until he found out that he was going to be a human sacrifice. Things like this are what draw us to The Captain. His wild and crazy adventures may come to an end someday, but he will always be memorable to me and definitely left a mark on the movie world.
