High Expectations....unfulfilled

Rating: 4/10 (7 July 2006)

Let me first give a precursor to my review. When I went to see the first one, I had no expectations, I basically only went because my wife really wanted to see it in the theater, so I obliged figuring it wouldn't be the worst movie I've been to. In the end, I ended up loving it, and to this day, I can sit down and watch it again and again and not get tired of it.
With that said, I went into Dead Man's Chest with really high expectations. When it was all said and done, I came out completely disappointed. Maybe it was due to my expectations, maybe I'm just too critical, or maybe it really did suck in comparison to the first one. I can tell you this though, our theater was almost filled to capacity, and not once during the entire film did the theater go "ooh" or "ahh" or even laugh out loud together. Oh sure, there was that one girl in front of us and maybe 1 or 2 people behind us that laughed out loud more than a few times, but that was it.
**** SPOILERS *****
Basically, Capt Jack Sparrow had made a deal with Davey Jones to be captain of the Black Pearl for 13 years in exchange for giving his soul to Davey Jones for 100 years. Why anyone would make such a stupid deal for just 13 years of captaincy is unexplained in this movie, I guess you have to assume that he must have just really wanted to be the captain of that boat. But if I recall, Capt Barboso simply led a mutiny to overthrow Capt Sparrow, so if it was that easy to just become the captain of that ship, why the heck would anyone sell their soul for 100 years to just captain it for 13 years? Then there was this scene where Davey Jones, William Turner and his father were wagering their souls for eternity playing a dice game. The rules of this game were not explained at all, and when it was over, I had no idea how the game was played, why the guy who lost actually did lose, all you know is that he did lose.
At the end of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, you felt like Capt Sparrow, Elizabeth and Will Turner would remain long life friends forever after everything they had been through and done for each other. However, the first time they run into Capt Sparrow in this one, you'd have thought they were still rivals against one another.
Then there was the VERY weird tribal scene on the island where Capt Sparrow was the chief who was to be eaten when the drums stopped playing. What the heck was that all about? It really had no rhyme nor reason for being in the movie other than to eat up some time and prolong what was already too long of a movie.
I still don't understand something towards the end of the movie. When the "cracken" (sp?) came up the first time to attempt to destroy and bring down the black pearl with everyone in it EXCEPT Capt Sparrow who was in a rowboat about 100 yards away running away like a coward, why if it was really after Capt Sparrow and not the boat (like Elizabeth told Capt Sparrow before she handcuffed him to the Black Pearl later) did it not just attack him in the rowboat instead of trying to bring down the Black Pearl when he wasn't even on it? If it was Jack and not the boat it wanted, wouldn't have been easier to just swipe him from the rowboat since he was basically right there in the water anyways? What was the purpose of the attack on the Black Pearl w/o Jack on it? Another question, what was up with the jar of "land" or dirt as Jack called it? Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall any explanation as to it's purpose. It ended up getting broken but yet there was nothing to come of it as far as I could tell, but yet there was this big to do about it when that woman gave it to Jack. Anyways....
Also, why was the Commodore being arrested? Yes he did let Jack have a day head start based on the ending of the first movie, but according to the second movie, he lost his ship in a Hurricane trying to catch Capt Sparrow. So if he was after him, why was he charged for assisting his escape? He never conspired to assist Jack's escape, if he had, he wouldn't have lost his ship in a Hurricane trying to catch him again.
In the end you're left wondering how Capt Barboso was still alive. Not to mention what ever ended up with the governor (Elizabeth's father), assuming Jack was now dead which we know isn't true since there is a 3rd one so that really had no effect on the viewing audience as we know he must somehow return. Also, I guess we are to assume that since the Commodore was the one who brought back Davey Jone's heart and not Will or Elizabeth, that they are still on the run from the Lord. So now I guess we are forced to see part 3 just to see the answers to those questions. I hope part 3 is a lot better than part 2.