User Reviews

Although many of the characters are based on real pirates, they are not portrayed with historical accuracy. In real life most pirates had short careers and ended up hanging from the gibbet. The Black Sails pirates have an intellectual quality interspersed with violent tendencies and stimulating intrigue. Teach is a real genius. Ann Bonny is a supreme female fighter with sensitive feelings. Rackham, Flint and Silver have complicated discussions about the rights of pirates and their capacity to control Nassau. Eleanor Guthrie and the other women are beauties with sparkling white teeth and clean hair. The English soldiers are the Nazis of the 18th century and can be cut down by the dozen.

The reality is that pirate control of Nassau was short lived from 1713 to 1718 and when the real life Woodes Rogers arrived he kicked their ass and the British ruled the Bahamas for over 250 years. It's a good story, well-photographed and directed but it would be nice if it was a bit more historically accurate. Pirates were cold blooded killers not heroes.