Better than its reputation

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2009)

Disney's 2003 surprise hit based on a theme park ride spawns a full blown franchise with this $1 billion earning sequel which garnered a lot of criticism on its release in 2006.
All the main cast from the first film return as Captain Jack Sparrow sees his dept to Davy Jones (a CG Bill Nighy), captain of the Flying Dutchman, called in and destined to be sent to Davy Jones's Locker as the East Indian Trading company takes hold of the seas.
From the opening shot of the impending wedding between Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) ruined by the intrusion of a thunder storm and the arrival of the villainous Lord Beckett (a slimy Tom Hollander) to the reintroduction of Depp's Captain Jack, emerging from a coffin after escaping a coastal pirate prison where still living pirates are left hanging to have their eyes pecked out by black crows, you know you're venturing into darker waters with this sequel.
And I think that is the main problem many had with this film on its release.
The first film had a wonderful whimsical tone to it, even in its most macabre moments that just seems to be missing at various points throughout the film. It's almost as if the filmmakers have gone darker for the sake of going darker, rather than keeping the lighter tone of the first film (which still would've fitted with this story) There are still fun moments (the rather enjoyable escape from the cannibal island is a wonderful interlude) but not enough of them as the film gets lost trying to set up all the plot points that won't be resolved until the next film.
The film also suffers from that familiar condition of many of todays blockbusters.....it's far too long!!! I honestly think that the judicious trimming of around 15/20 minutes would improve this film further as it does drag its feet at times.
However despite all that, surprisingly, I found myself enjoying Dead Man's Chest more than ever.
I think the film actually improves on repeated viewing's as you have more time to take everything in, especially the many plot points that are spun. There's still much to enjoy in this film, Depp is as wonderful as ever, as is the various crew of the Black Pearl. However the stand out has to be Bill Nighy who does an amazing job (along with ILM) of portraying Davy Jones as the complex, cruel yet heart broken character he is. The FX work on Jones and the Dutchman crew outdoes that of the cursed Black Pearl pirates from the first film, the production and costume design is even more outstanding and the locations look just breathtaking in HD.
All in all it's amazing to think that this film almost didn't get made (Disney came close to pulling the plug very late in pre-production due to worries over the script and cost of the two sequels) but I'm glad it went ahead as the film is very enjoyable, despite its failings. Well worth a re-evaluation 9/10