POTC - DEAD MAN'S CHEST : Tons Of Fun, Even If It's Not Quite As Creative As The Original...

Rating: 8/10 (24 August 2006)

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : DEAD MAN'S CHEST
Though this blockbuster sequel fails to capture the intelligence or the overall-quality that the first film holds, DEAD MAN'S CHEST opts to take the no-holds-barred approach. In CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, though there were many special effects and exciting moments, they all seemed to branch out of one strong storyline. In DEAD MAN'S CHEST, the plot seems to be created in order to accommodate the many different action set-pieces that the creators could come up with.
That's not to say the story on hand isn't a great deal of fun or rather engrossing. DEAD MAN'S CHEST follows Jack Sparrow as he struggles to free himself of a debt he owes Davy Jones. Turns out he was promised the right to be Captain of the Black Pearl for only a certain number of years before he will be forever a member of Davy Jones' underwater crew. However, when Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann show up in an attempt to clear their names with the government, they get tangled up in Jack's plan for escaping his debt.
The plot is engrossing, though not complete. However, that can be blamed on the fact that this piece is merely the first half of a two part film, to be later wrapped up with the third installment. As a single film, the plot is engrossing, but not rewarding. However, it does set up some interesting story lines that will inevitably make for an exciting final chapter in the franchise.
Something about this film lacks the freshness of the original, where Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow was a complete revelation. Also, at that time the high-seas adventure hadn't been brought to the silver screen in such a way for many many years. Though the formula is more familiar this time, the creators have come up with so many thrilling special effects and action sequences that one forgets for a moment that what they are watching isn't very original.
In the end, DEAD MAN'S CHEST delivers on it's promise to be one of the best times you can have at the theatre this summer. It's constantly entertaining, with the Kraken sequences and the island natives providing some of the most fun. Also, the character of Davy Jones is a visual feast. It's absolutely incredible to watch a character brought to life so realistically through CGI (only KING KONG eclipses this in quality)... and on top of that, Nighy's performance is a great deal of fun to watch. Johnny Depp still manages to ring every possible laugh out of the character of Jack Sparrow, and Keira Knightley continues to prove that she has an incredible charisma on screen.
Overall, DEAD MAN'S CHEST didn't need to be "rewarding" for me, because it kept me so thoroughly entertained for it's entire 2 1/2 hour running time. And above all things, it managed to make me a bigger fan of the successful series... someone who can't wait to see how these story lines are wrapped up and brought together in the final chapter. Sure, it's not of the same quality as the first film on many levels, but it's just as much fun. DEAD MAN'S CHEST (aside from X-MEN:THE LAST STAND) is at this point the only summer blockbuster to fully live up to it's hype for me, and that's not too shabby.
... B+ ...