A great summer movie!

Rating: 8/10 (8 July 2006)

Back in 2003, when we really needed a great summer movie to get things going, we got "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," a surprising gem of a movie whose magic and fun was only overshadowed by the performance of Johnny Depp and a deep fascination with the beauty of Keira Knightley. The movie pretty much came out of nowhere and took millions of unsuspecting moviegoers by surprise. I, myself, was so amazed by the movie that I went back two more times over the 2 1/2 months that it remained in my theater! So, needless to say, I'm a fan! When I heard that the sequel, "Dead Man's Chest" was on its way, I was undoubtedly excited.
Then I saw the trailer.
To me, the trailer made the movie seem like a hodgepodge of boring CG characters and bad acting from Orlando Bloom ("We have to go back for Jack...OK nevermind"). To say that I was disappointed would be a huge understatement. Furious and skeptical are, perhaps, better descriptors for the rage that consumed my soul. Despite this, I simply had to see the movie for myself, being a huge fan of everything the original movie had to offer.
The movie begins, by almost all accounts, poorly. We find good ol' Elizabeth and Will are to be married but are arrested for their involvement in the escape of Jack Sparrow (seen in the original). Will eventually strikes a deal with Cutler Beckett, the operator of the East India Trading Company in Port Royal to go after Captain Jack and bargain with him to return to ensure the safe release of Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Elizabeth escapes, herself, and leaves in pursuit of Will. Jack Sparrow, all the while, is being hunted by the notorious Davy Jones, with whom he has a debt to settle. This is essentially the plot of the story. Stated plainly in a few sentences, it actually takes the movie about 45 minutes to get to this point and this is why the first part of the movie is so dull. There is hardly any action for this period of time, and it's quite painful to sit through. Needless to say, I was regretting my decision to see the movie. However, when it finally picks up, it REALLY picks up.
The movie is filled with humor, just like the first, and Johnny Depp's performance is, once again, Oscar-quality (though the magic from the first film has worn off a little). There are numerous humorous references to the first movie, mostly about rum, which are funny at first but eventually wear a little thin. Additionally, most of the funny, quirky characters from the original have returned to serve as comic relief. It really is a fun, if not funny, movie.
additionally, the action sequences in "Dead Man's Chest" are top notch. Where as the first film essentially involved a lot of sword-fighting and cannon-firing, the writers of DMC rightly made sure to mix things up a little this time around. There are, of course sword fights and cannons (it is, after all, a pirate movie), but there are other circumstances that are happening simultaneously that keep things fun and interesting. Possibly the greatest addition to the action is the kraaken, a giant squid (or octopus. I'm not entirely familiar with the mythological beast.) When it's around, its one of the coolest CG monsters to ever grace the big screen, perhaps even topping those in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Additionally, the kraaken is truly creepy, almost frightening, as it engulfs ships like candy.
Another memorable newcomer is Davy Jones, played by Bill Nighy. When I saw the aforementioned trailer, Davy Jones looked ridiculous with his octopus beard. However, I must say that I was really impressed with his character. Nighy does a phenomenal job of making this otherwise plastic character seem utterly real and complex, and his performance is on the level of Depp's. Also, Bootstrap Bill, played by the always great Stellen Skarsgard, is another great character. As it turns out, Bootstrap, who we know died, is enslaved to work on Davy Jones' ship for an undisclosed amount of time. When he encounters his long-lost son, it really is a touching moment, and their relationship is really, at times, captivating. Additionally, the relationship between Will and Elizabeth is more interesting this time, as is the relationship between Elizabeth and Jack.
Overall, the movie is nothing more than a popcorn movie; a fun, big, exciting, phenomenal popcorn movie. Anyone going in to see an Oscar-caliber movie is probably going to be disappointed. Pirates of the Caribbean has never sought to be an epic movie like the Lord of the Rings, or other trilogies. It is simply a fun summer movie, one that you will undoubtedly enjoy for years and years to come.
Oh, and the aforementioned line in the trailer said by Will, it never actually happens. How about that?
Writing: 3 out of 5 Stars Directing: 4 out of 5 Stars Acting: 5 out of 5 Stars Overall: 4 out of 5 Stars