A whole different experience from The Black Pearl

Rating: 4/10 (22 December 2006)

I love pirate films, I really do. I'll even admit to liking "Cutthroat Island". This film however, I do not like. OK, I did not walk out of the theatre on it but when I finally did (after the film was over) I was very disappointed.
So, what is there not to like? Plenty. This is the first Johnny Depp film I have seen where he is not interesting to watch. I would not say he is outright bad in this, but he is sort of on autopilot, reducing his Jack Sparrow to a very 2D character, who I lose all interest in weather he lives or dies. The same is unfortunately true for the other two main characters. The CGI is sometimes horrible, but at the same time in other places it is oddly enough some of the best I have ever seen! Further: the plot. Where in the Curse of the Black Pearl, it was the Aztec gold that was cursed, I could buy that. Now everything and everyone seem to be at least a little bit supernatural, which is not just as fun. Also where the CotBP was a well-balanced film for the whole family, this should not be seen by anyone over 12; it is all slapstick and effects.
It would have been nice to see another CotBP-type sequel and not the typical Bruckheimer- sequel: more of everything (especially grand effects), leaving no room for the actual film.
But the worst, by far, of it all is that I will still go and see the third... Even though that is also part of what annoys me; instead of getting a good and enjoyable film, we get a product that just makes sure that we buy it. I wish that someone could have loved this project like Peter Jackson loved LOTR. Do not get me wrong though, I am all for a free market and I do think that we deserve what we buy and since I'll continue buying this, I guess I deserve it.