I just saw the Pirates of the Carribean today and loved it! It is certinaly the supprise hit of the summer and in my top 2 list for the year. And it kept me entertained during its longer than usual length. It certainly is a Disney movie, and I was pleasantly supprised that the Disney executives did not interfere or muck with the movie too much (there was little swearing but still a lot of violence).
Spoilers follow…

Johnny Depp makes a good deposed pirate captain. He acts very well at being crazy/drunk/quirky/flamboyant and seems to enjoy dishing out his lines (although too much mascara). Keira Knightley also does a good job and portrays a strong heroine (stronger than Charlie’s Angels). Orlando Bloom does an okay job (I certainly didn’t recognize him as Legolas). And there is even not one, but two comedic side-kick pairs.
You get to watch many pirate things in this movie: pirate speech, walking the plank, ships firing broadsides, boarding ships, pirate’s plunder, and the Pirate’s Code.
The movie also paid hommage to the Pirates of the Carribean ride in Disney World/Land in a couple of scenes.
The special effects were good and often subtle although there were some Hollywood-type explosions. There is even one scene that makes an undead monkey look cute.