Chapter 236: A Match Made in Heaven

Premieres like this are sure to feature professional film critics. Even if no critics take the initiative to attend, Disney Studios will invite some well-known critics with good relations with Disney to the premiere. Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper have deep ties with the Walt Disney Company.

Their collaborative film review program, "Ebert & Roeper and the Movies," was initially promoted by a television station belonging to Walt Disney. After Walt Disney acquired ABC Television, the two began to collaborate frequently with ABC Television. Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper would appear every year on ABC Television's "Oscar Night: The Red Carpet" and "Oscar Night: The Winners," two famous programs.

Their collaboration with ABC Television further solidified Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper's positions in the film criticism world.

Their presence at the premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" would not surprise anyone with insider knowledge.

It's not hard to imagine that film critics, to become commentators, definitely rely on the support of media platforms.

"Handsome guy plus beautiful woman and a weirdo..." Richard Roeper muttered, "Only God knows what kind of nonsense they'll shoot."

He shook his head as he spoke, "Michael Eisner saw the rough cut and thought it was a confusing film."

Roger Ebert slightly nodded, agreeing with Richard Roeper's view and not having much hope for this film. If the producer wasn't Jerry Bruckheimer, they wouldn't have any confidence in this film at all.

The film's genre, pirates, was already on the decline. Director Gore Verbinski had never directed a blockbuster before, and the three main actors had limited appeal. These factors made it hard to be confident about the film.

Matthew Horner and Keira Knightley were relatively unknown, and the most famous among them, Johnny Depp, was an oddity. He had never starred in a mainstream film before, always working with Tim Burton in the indie film circle and never proving himself commercially.

Could these three actors create a blockbuster hit?

Roger Ebert was doubtful.

The film's screening soon proved his skepticism had some merit.

After quickly introducing the childhood encounter between Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner, the film jumps to their adulthood. The first time Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner appear on the same screen together, there's a gasp of admiration.

"Wow, so handsome!"

"So beautiful!"

"These two are truly a match made in heaven!"

The audience was captivated by the appearances of Elizabeth Swann and Will Turner.

Everyone loves a handsome man and a beautiful woman, including Roger Ebert. He admitted that Matthew Horner , even dressed in classical gentleman's attire, exuded a rugged, masculine charm. Keira Knightley's classical elegance was like that of a British lady.

Each of them alone, whether in appearance or temperament, was enough to dazzle.

But what kind of interaction is this between Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann? Is this supposed to be adoration? Is it normal for a couple to express their adoration so blatantly in front of her father? A British gentleman and a lady, is this how they express love? Even if it's pretense, shouldn't it be more subtle?

On the screen, the two seem eager to get physical, as if they're only interested in each other's bodies.

Roger Ebert shook his head slightly, murmuring, "The lead actors have no chemistry, they just don't click."

Richard Roeper noticed this too, bluntly saying, "Mediocre acting, just two pretty faces."

Unlike these critics, the ordinary audience members were glued to the screen.

Daenerys, with her platinum blonde hair, touched her cheek, watching the handsome man on the screen. Beside her, Brian also couldn't take his eyes off the screen, and it seemed everyone was captivated by the characters.

"These two are a perfect match in the movie..." Many people thought of the recent rumors, "No wonder they became a couple off-screen as well."

Audiences are forgiving towards movie stars; few care if the lead actors' chemistry is a bit off, as long as they're attractive.

Of course, if they're not attractive and still try to be mere decorations in blockbuster films without delivering the required acting, even an Oscar-winning actress can be criticized as worthless.

Why do actresses often encounter bad luck after winning an Oscar for Best Actress?

On one hand, an Oscar signifies a peak; having won the coveted statue, audiences inevitably experience aesthetic fatigue.

On the other hand, most Oscar-winning actresses in this era are not known for their outstanding looks. Apart from rare exceptions like Julia Roberts, most Oscar winners haven't proven their commercial value by the time they win, meaning they haven't made significant money.

Oscar-winning actresses require substantial investment, so, for financial reasons, most turn to purely commercial films after winning. However, purely commercial Hollywood films rarely feature complex female characters, with most female roles being purely decorative.

Ironically, those capable of winning Oscars, who can excellently portray complex psychotics or repressed characters, often fail at the simplest roles.

It's funny how the industry works; the "acting talents" praised by the academy and critics struggle with the simplest characters.

"Such a delightful sight,"

Lister, used to seeing attractive people due to his job, couldn't help but marvel at the scene of Matthew and the female lead together, "For those who appreciate beauty, just watching these two can fill two hours."

Roger Ebert's brows were furrowed until another main character, Jack Sparrow, made his entrance, which finally caught his attention.

This pirate was unique; Hollywood had never seen such a character before. Johnny Depp stole the show the moment he appeared, overshadowing the others.

"Something seems off, Helen..." Amanda said, watching Jack Sparrow cause chaos at the dock, "This character is too striking, it could easily overshadow Matthew's role."

Indeed, Matthew was handsome and cool, especially when delivering the sword to the governor, his tricks were pretty, but compared to Jack Sparrow's captain at the dock, he was far behind.

Helen Helman appeared calm, but her continuously twisting hands on her lap betrayed her anxiety. This was her first time seeing the completed film. Matthew and Keira Knightley's entrance was indeed eye-catching, but as Johnny Depp appeared, it turned into a one-man show for Captain Jack Sparrow.

Even with her calm, she couldn't help but worry. If the rest of the film continued like the beginning, Matthew would be reduced from a leading to a supporting role. If this happens, his salary negotiations for sequels wouldn't see a significant increase. Even if the film is a success, if his role is considered a failure, advancing to a higher tier would be difficult.

Amanda, a typical audience member, didn't think much, simply feeling that Captain Jack Sparrow, who appeared last, was the protagonist. Matthew and the British actress seemed to be just setups for his entrance.

"A supporting role then, that's fine." Richard Roeper occasionally discussed with Roger Ebert, "Using two average supporting roles to highlight the captain as the protagonist is a common tactic."

Roger Ebert nodded slightly, "It seems there's a discrepancy between the production team's promotion and the actual content of the film."

If the pirate captain is the absolute protagonist and the other two characters are just there to support him, then those supporting roles have to be somewhat ordinary to not steal the spotlight from the main character, otherwise, it would be a disaster for the film.

From Captain Jack Sparrow's dramatic entrance to save Elizabeth Swann to his solo venture into the blacksmith's shop, almost all viewers in the theater were captivated by his enchanting demeanor, with no one paying much attention to Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann anymore. Even Brian and Daenerys, who were obviously fans of Matthew, were no exception.

The charm of the captain was overwhelming, and even Matthew, sitting in the front row, had to admit this.

Michael Eisner thought Johnny Depp ruined the character, but in reality, it was the opposite. Johnny Depp encountered the role that best showcased his unique talents. The uniquely designed character of Captain Jack Sparrow also found its perfect actor. While many say a role makes an actor, Captain Jack Sparrow and Johnny Depp are not such a case!

They were simply a match made in heaven!

Matthew believed that once "Pirates of the Caribbean" was released, Jack Sparrow would be synonymous with Johnny Depp, and Johnny Depp would forever be Jack Sparrow.

In this regard, Johnny Depp was both fortunate and unfortunate.

Matthew had a good relationship with Johnny Depp but was powerless in this situation. Not even a genius director like Tim Burton could do anything.

Without special opportunities, Johnny Depp might spend his life trapped in the character of Captain Jack Sparrow.

Thus, the brilliance of Jack Sparrow was inevitable.

But Matthew knew his portrayal of Will Turner wasn't completely overshadowed by Jack Sparrow. If the film continued to lean entirely towards one character, it was because Will Turner's action scenes hadn't yet begun!

Will Turner's character was built around a series of action scenes, which was where Matthew and Johnny Depp could truly compete.

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