Equal to the original

Rating: 10/10 (9 July 2006)

There are many times in a movie goer's life when the sequel to a blockbuster is a rehash of the original. This is not one of those times. From beginning to end, Dead Man's Chest delivers. Johnny Depp's performance is flawless (as it always is) as Jack Sparrow. My only lament is that I wanted to see more of him. Orlando Bloom seems more at home in his character this time around, and hooray to the writers and director for giving my love, Dirty Naughty Norrington, more development and screen time (I would go to see a movie just about him; can you tell I love Jack Davenport). Bill Nighy is stupendous as Davy Jones; movie fans will appreciate the fact that under all of the CGI tentacles, the actor shines through in both his voice and his mannerisms. The only performance that was lack luster for me was Keira Knightley. I usually enjoy Keira's performances, but Elizabeth Swann seems to be, at times, in the way of the male cast and their action sequences. However, she more than makes up for this lack of spark in her scenes with Jack Sparrow. The chemistry in the banter between the two is edgy and entertaining.
All in all, this film is a multiple must see for all land lubbers who dream of the sea. (A friend of mine saw it twice within a 24 hour period, if that is any indication of the quality of this film.) A year is too long a wait for the third installment.