A drawn out mess laced with charm and effects

Rating: 6/10 (7 July 2006)

The much anticipated sequel to Pirates of the Caribbean is finally here, and it's clear that the cast hasn't changed their gameplan. Johnny Depp is still swaggering about, stealing the show with his swashbuckling charm, while Bloom and Knightley keep making their way into Jack Sparrow's plans to repay the debt he owes to Davy Jones.
The film runs over two hours, and some things probably could have been cut out, especially for an audience that is used to films under the 120 minute mark. But Pirates has many of twists and surprises for the audience, many of which are reminiscent of the first film. Those who are familiar with the first will notice many references in the first to crack a smile or make a point. Which isn't bad, but it's a little overdone.
I was very impressed with the CG in this film, Davy Jones and his crew were always a joy to watch, and the mystical sea creature, the Cracken, was extremely well done. Environments and props were crafted to perfection, and the film draws you in very well in this department. I don't think they could have had a more convincing atmosphere for Dead Man's Chest. But it doesn't make up for the film as whole, which has some issues.
Overall the movie looks like a perfect specimen from a far glance, but it has a serious gimp. There are a ton of plot holes, inconsistencies and it's incredibly absurd considering how many characters make returns and how much Dead Man's Chest has to lean on its predecessor to keep itself from stumbling over itself. Some of the magic from the first film is there, but the only thing that has improved are the CG pirates and the sometimes almost mystical environments. The third installment will have a lot of explaining to do thanks to Dead Man's Chest, and I don't know how they are going to keep it under three hours without it making any sense and still have it be as wildly entertaining as the first.
Overall it's an enjoyable experience, with laughs here and there, but in the end you're going to be saying out loud, "what?" Let's just hope that the final installment can patch up the holes and make this trilogy a solid, consistent winner, and make Dead Man's Chest a little more understandable. Perhaps then it will lose its gimp. But for now, I'll have to say the highlight of the film was Davy Jones blasting away at his organ. 6/10