Two pirates lives for me...

Rating: 7/10 (4 August 2006)

It's not everyday that a movie based upon a Disney theme-park ride, is created, and even rare is that such a movie would gain a sequel. However, the days of humorous pirates has been given new life with the sequel to one of the most enjoyed movies to date; Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest has finally arrived in port.
Dead Man's Chest continues soon after the ending of its predecessor, yet all is not well. Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Will (Orlando Bloom) are set to be married, but their past dealings with Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), has caused both to be deemed criminals. However Will can right his wrongs, and save Elizabeth from death, if he can meet up with Jack, and return with Jacks compass. Jack on the other hand is tied to death itself, as he has a debt to pay to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy).
Dead Man's Chest is a whole other beast to the original. Where as The Curse of the Black Pearl was a lighthearted film filmed with humour, Dead Man's Chest sidelines much humour in favour of some dark and intense scenes. In fact, there's nothing in the first half, which remotely resembles Pirates of the Caribbean's awkward yet fun self. It's moody and dark, and contains nothing in value of laughter. It's only till the film begins reeling the second half, does the charm of the original begin to be realized, and it's far better the original too.
Acting is once again top-notch but there's not enough Jack. With trailers seemingly shouting Jack all over this movie, Dead Man's Chest actually centres more on Will. This isn't entirely a problem as the story does entail Will to have more screen time, and the ending suggests that it was worth it. Davy Jones deserves a mention as being a cruel villain, but he's never evil enough for the part he plays. There are also many references to the past movie, which really adds depth, and in part humour, to the characters.
Another redeemable quality of Dead Man's Chest, is that the editing problem of the first, has now been corrected, and the film has a better flow to it. This could however be because of some incredible fighting scenes, which really brings the whole concept of pirates and the world they lived in, to breathtaking life. Yet, it's a tad dark for the overall experience.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, plays a fine line of dark moments, with light moments, yet never comes close to achieving this balance. Both are almost two separate parts, where as The Curse of the Black Pearl, still had some light within it's 'dark'. The first half is a letdown, and never achieves what the original created, but the second half is a wonder to watch, and will have you laughing in no time. The films closing scene points to the ending of the trilogy, and with a better focus on balance, the final Pirates of the Caribbean, can be funny and intense at the same time, thus washing away the inconsistency of Dead Man's Chest.