Not the best this year, but still a hugely impressive film!

Rating: 8/10 (18 October 2006)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was the THIRD highest grossing film of all time. I have seen the two highest - Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Titanic, and they are a lot better and more meaningful than this. The humour is just weak in this one - people falling down holes is so old now. The ending is pants, and this film was really only made to satisfy the nippers for the summer. But by gum, it did do that, and made over $1 BILLION in the process. And I can see why - all of the highest-grossing films are big-budget epics. This is no exception. The action sequences are beautifully done and directed, Johnny Depp is once again great in his performances, the film is stunning to look at, and aside the rubbish humour, there is a brain and talent behind the script. Davy Jones is an absolutely brilliantly-made character - both in script and special effects. There is lots of depth and enjoyment in the characters - there is never a boring moment, and it is a very good recreation of the days when pirates were around. This film defines the word "epic" in every way - big budget, cast, and effects. With this and other modern classics like "The Ring" under his belt, Gore Verbinski looks to be on his way to adding his name to the annals of successful directors.
However, the ending practically gives the third film away - we know just what to expect. The last scene in the voodoo hut should have been completely scrapped - Jack Sparrow finally copped it in this film, but he bowed out in a simple yet very effective and memorable way. Aside the bad humour and ending - this is, in every sense of the word, a film giant, busting film records here and there - it looks to be a smash when released onto DVD. 8/10