Pirates of the Caribbeanis a one-of-a-kind swashbuckling adventure franchise, but an underrated 2014 fantasy film is perfect to fill the void as the wait for a sixth movie continues. Taking a page from earlier adventure films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, 2003’sThe Curse of the Black Pearlbrought the Pirate genre roaring back into the mainstream.
The fun continued in four sequels, but the quality slowly began to decline.Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Taleswas the lowest point for the beloved franchise, and the 2017 film was a far cry from the series' former glory. Nevertheless, fans of the franchise have been clamoring for morePirates, buta sixth film hasn’t materialized.
SincePirates of the Caribbeanis such a rare specimen among modern blockbusters with its combination of action, comedy, and supernatural elements, there are very few substitutes that have the same grand scale. However, when looking outside of Hollywood, there’s actually an epic fantasy pirate movie from 2014 that checks many of the same boxes as the Disney movie series.
The Pirates Has A Lot In Common With The Pirates Of The Caribbean
It wouldn’t be off-base to say that the 2014 South Korean film,The Pirates, was heavily inspired by the success ofPirates of the Caribbean.It tells a tale of high-seas adventure with comedy and even a smattering of the supernaturalthrown in as well. Despite its obvious inspiration, there are a lot of original concepts in the film too.
Instead of following the typical pirates of the 17th and 18th centuries,The Piratesgoes all the way back to the founding of the Joseon Dynasty in the late 1300s. It’s integrally tied to Korean history, and eschews the usual pirate environs that have dominated the genre for decades.
It preserves the campy energy ofDisney’sPiratesfranchise, and the story is built around the search for a single piece of treasure that’s been swallowed by a whale. That premise alone is an intriguing and new concept brought to the pirate genre, but it’s how the story is told that makes it such an enjoyable ride.
It’s far from a perfect movie, butThe Pirateshearkens back to an age of blockbusters that has sadly faded away. Even if thePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise got worse,The Piratesis a perfect substitute for the later sequels. It’s familiar enough to please fans of the Disney series, but new enough not to be stale or repetitive.
The Pirates Also Has A Sequel That’s Worth Watching
If onePirates of the Caribbean-inspired moviewasn’t enough,The Piratesgot a sequel in 2022.The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasuredoesn’t follow the same cast of characters as the first, but has a very similar premise to its predecessor. Bandits and pirates search for lost treasure, and there is plenty of seafaring action to please any pirate fan.
The Pirates: The Last Royal Treasurewas released on Netflix in North America.
The Last Royal Treasureisn’t as good as its prequel, but it is still a fun movie with plenty of highlights. The lack of returning characters made it difficult to get too invested in the series, but it has merits of its own.Pirates of the Caribbeanis irreplaceable, butThe Piratesduology is certainly fun in its own right.
