By far and away one of my favorite movies of all time, not just because Bach is liberally used throughout but also because of the storytelling. I have referenced this movie umpteen times in management training. I flat out adore this film. I'd forgotten that Pirates came out that same year; I am much more a student of good stories, and the layered richness of the characters, including the young boy who would lose an arm then lead a raid of men three times his age is not just charming but the back story about him is equally engaging. This was one of Crowe's very best films, a far more nuanced hero and a man in his fullness, if you will. There was discussion of a sequel, but Lucky Jack didn't age well, and I fear that to do one now he'd have to have a stand-in for that swashbuckling form. I agree with your assessment. I have two very full bookshelves with DVDs, and this is one of those I return to repeatedly, when I am in the mood for Bach, and to revisit the Galapagos, where I too have walked. The tale is unflinching when it addresses the horrors of ship life, onboard gossip and leadership as well as how smarts win wars even as battles are sometimes lost.