Genre: Adventure/Historical
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: Matt Parker
Based on the novel by Michael Crichton
Cast: Josh Brolin, Brendan Gleeson, Karen Gillan, John Hawkes, Rory McCann, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Douglas Booth, Jordi Molla, Daniel Bruhl
Plot: 1665, Jamaica. Charles Hunter (Josh Brolin) is drinking rum in a bar near the port. A group of guards enter the establishment and ask if there is a Charles Hunter in the building. Hunter raises his glass and identifies himself as the man they are looking for. They tell him that the Governor of Jamaica, Sir James Almont, would like to meet with him about a job. Hunter drops a few coins on the bar and follows the guards out of the bar and out into sweltering Caribbean heat.
Hunter is brought before Sir James Almont (Brendan Gleeson) in his palatial home. Almont cuts right to the chase, telling Hunter that he has heard good things about Hunter. Hunter asks what good things, and Almont says that his sources said that Hunter is a cunning a resourceful man. Hunter asks what the job is, and Almont goes on to tell Hunter about a galleon called El Trinidad that he would like him to acquire. Hunter says that Almont surely has plenty of ships at this disposal and asks what's so special about the El Trinidad. Almont says that the ship is supposedly loaded with treasures. It is awaiting protection at the island fortress of Matanceros. to be safely taken across the Atlantic and back to Spain. Almont's secretary, Robert Hacklett (Douglas Booth), enters the room and is annoyed at Hunter's presence in the palace, calling him a common pirate. Almont tells Hacklett to calm his tongue, and that Hunter is an educated man, making him far more than just a common pirate.
Hunter leaves Almont's palace and heads back into Port Royal to round up his crew. He enters a jewelry store where he is greeted by Donald Diego (John Hawkes). Hunter tells Diego that they have a job and to be on the Cassandra by dawn. Hunter then heads to a nearby hotel where he walks in on Lazue (Karen Gillan) having sex with one of the local men. Hunter tells her to head to the ship once she's done. Lazue agrees, and then continues having sex. Hunter has trouble tracking down the last two members of his crew until he hears a commotion down an alley way. He then finds Sanson (Rory McCann) and Bassa (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) in fist fight surrounded by a crowd. Hunter breaks up the fight, much to the crowd's dismay. He tells them to get their act together and get over to the Cassandra.
At dawn, the Cassandra sets sail toward the island of Matanceros. The first day at sea goes well and spirits are high on the ship. Hunter retires to his captain's chambers for the night, telling Sanson that he is on watch the first night. Sanson is angry, but agrees to his captain's orders. That night, Lazue enters Hunter's chambers and seduces him. Hunter wakes up at dawn with Lazue's naked body draped over him. Hunter gets up and heads up to the deck. He sees Sanson fast asleep. Hunter kicks him awake, chastising him for falling asleep while on watch. Sanson says everything is fine, but suddenly the morning fog breaks away and Hunter and Sanson both recognize that the Cassandra is surrounded by Spanish ships with their cannons armed and ready.
Hunter and the rest of his crew are locked in a cell aboard one of the Spanish ships by Captain Cazalla (Jordi Molla) and his first mate Bosquet (Daniel Bruhl). Cazalla demands to know where they are headed to, and Diego accidentally lets it slip that they were sailing toward Matanceros. Cazalla laughs, informing the group that he is the commander at Matanceros and he would never let common pirates such as them get anywhere close to his port. Bosquet asks if they are going to kill Hunter and his gang of pirates. Cazalla says they most likely will, but he plans to see if he can collect a ransom for them first. If not, then the men back at Matanceros can hunt the whole lot of them for sport for all he cares.
In the middle of the night, Diego manages to pick the lock of their cell they're being held in. Hunter leads his crew as they stealthily make their escape from Cazalla's ship and back on to the Cassandra. They turn away from Cazalla's ship to create distance between the two ships. Hunter orders his crew to continue on to Matanceros, but on the opposite side of the island from the main port.
Hunter, Diego, Lazue, Sanson and Bassa row their way to the shores of Matanceros. They make their way through the jungles of the small island and to the Cazalla's fortress. Diego pulls out a telescope and observes that Cazalla has docked his ship at the head of the harbor under the suspicion that they are still on their way to the island on the Cassandra. Hunter says that means they still have the element of surprise on their side. They sneak closer to the village around the fortress. Hunter has Bassa and Lazue set up some traps, and sends Diego and Sanson back to the Cassandra to bring it around to the port.
Hunter notices Cazalla and confronts him with his sword. Hunter and Cazalla engage in a brief sword fight. Cazalla is clearly the better swordsman, but Hunter leads Cazalla over to one of the traps his crew set up. Suddenly, Cazalla is impaled by sharpened wooden spikes. Hunter makes his way toward the port as the Cassandra appears.
Hunter tells Lazue and Diego to command the El Trinidad until they get out to the open ocean where they can split up the treasures aboard the ship. Once they are out to sea, the crew notices Cazalla's warship off in the distance, pursuing them. Diego says that he thought Hunter killed Cazalla. Hunter says Cazalla indeed died, so it must be Bosquet pursuing them. Hunter has Lazue guide the Cassandra through some shallow, rocky waters, hoping to lose Bosquet that way. Lazue's keen eyesight helps the ships avoid hazards and lose Bosquet for the time being.
Diego observes that a tropical storm is off in the distance and will hit the area by the end of the day. Hunter announces that they should split up the treasure between the Cassandra and the El Trinidad just in case one of the ships sinks in the storm, and all the treasure is lost to the seas.
When they return to the open ocean, they find that Bosquet's war ship is quickly approaching. Hunter is aboard the El Trinidad when it sustains massive damage from cannon fire. He tells Diego to hurry and arm the ship's two cannons. The first shot misses the warship, but the second lands a devastating blow on the warship, causing it to explode and begin sinking. Hunter comments that the cannon must have hit the warship's artillery hold.
There is little time to celebrate the destruction of the warship as the rain and winds begin to hit the Cassandra and El Trinidad, which is currently captained by Sanson. As the two ships sail, they are separated by the fierce winds and strong current. Hunter orders the crew aboard the El Trinidad, including Lazue and Diego, that everyone needs to wait out the storm below deck. It's too dangerous on the deck. When the storm subsides, Hunter tells his crew to start heading back to Port Royal, hoping that they will find Sanson and the Cassandra when they get there.
When Hunter and the El Trinidad arrive back at Port Royal, a courier informs them that Sir Almont is gravely ill. His secretary, Robert Hacklett, has taken charge as an interim governor of the island. Hunter tries to go and collect his crew's payment from Hacklett, but Hacklett has Hunter arrested instead. When Hunter is brought before a judge, he witnesses Sanson lie to the court in order to incriminate Hunter. Hunter is brought to a jail cell after he has been sentenced to death by hanging. Hunter then notices that the man in the cell next to his is none other that Sir Almont.
Hunter manages to break free from his cell with the help of Sir Almont. Hunter manages to track down Lazue and Diego, who inform him that Sanson is in league with Hacklett. Hunter breaks into Hacklett's quarters and shoots Hacklett in the groin with his pistol. Hacklett begins crying in pain. Hunter demands to know where Sanson is. Hacklett tells Hunter where is holding up. Hunter begins walking away from Hacklett, but before he leaves the quarters he turns back around and shoots Hacklett one more time - this time in the head, killing him.
Hunter confronts Sanson in a small along the shore. Sanson boasts that only he knows where he hid the half of the treasure he had on the Cassandra. Hunter attacks Sanson, but has trouble against the strength of Sanson. Hunter is getting badly beaten when he notices Sanson's crossbow off to the side of the room. Sanson laughs at the bloody Hunter crawling across the floor. Hunter manages to reach the crossbow, and quickly fires the loaded bolt, hitting Sanson right in the chest. The impact of the crossbow arrow in his chest causes Sanson to stop laughing. He looks down at the arrow, and falls to the ground. Hunter crawls over to Sanson, takes the arrow out of his chest, and begins stabbing Sanson with the arrow until he is confident that Sanson is dead. The injured Hunter limps out of the hut before collapsing onto the beach.
Hunter wakes up in an infirmary. Lazue, Diego, Bassa and Sir Almont are all present when Hunter awakes. Diego asks if Sanson revealed the location of that half of the treaure. Hunter says he did not, but it isn't a total loss since they still have half of the treasure. Split five ways, that's still quite a fortune.
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