A mirage of complexities and agendas beneath the surface of all..

Rating: 8/10 (11 July 2006)

Once again I found myself outside the cinema as is tradition for a number of my birthdays (and most Friday nights I might add). This years choice was one I'm sure, hundreds of fans decided upon to part with a small fund to get the experience of the Pirates story that has already exceeded expectations in a legendary manor with the first instalment. The film was magnificent! It catered for ever possible need. It consisted of side-splitting comedy to mild horror, with the promise of a consistent storyline that remained true to the first film and the consistency of the first film. Although at some stages the film's plat became hidden somewhat, you were promised particularly with the last hours darkening sped up pace, a darkening storyline with a sudden and VERY unexpected climax at the end. The characters were as stunning as ever of course. Jack Sparrow played by Johnny Depp held your attention with his outstanding acting skills, and pleasing manor and looks (as I know from myself and friends that he was particularly sweet on their eyes). While of course being as funny as ever before if not better. He is the primary foundation of the film I conclude holding it spectacularily together. Of course there is still Elizabeth and Will. Will still a very good performance by Orlando Bloom if not tremendously outshined by Johnny Depp and the gorgeous and skillful Elizabeth Swann played by Keira Knightly. The film not only had great acting but it had fantastic stunts. What a star studded fearless stunt team, and the commitment made by the actors too was astounding. I find it exceptionally important that I mention the new characters-(Bootstrap) Bill Turner played by an actor with such a commanding presence and voice, and of course the Legendary Davy Jones of the Seven Seas, played to perfection with an astounding power on screen. I can't wait for the next film, particularly because of the new approach to the characters in this sequel. Every character was seen to show their own agendas very subtly and beneath the normal exteriors of the characters the actors managed to portray the complexity of feelings and conflicts going on beneath the surface of not one, but all the characters. I particularly loved the scenes with Elizabeth and Jack, because of the true conflict with in Jack to either stick to his double-crossing, past caring ways or succumb to the nagging good honest side within him; and the conflict Elizabeth begins to strongly feel, as fate (inspired by cracks in the her relationship with Will increasingly forming)begins to push her and Jack together in a way that I for one could never have expected. After all she had loved pirates as a child, maybe, just maybe her heart lies in the future, not in a ruled marriage with kind sweet Will, but a swashbuckling adventure with a pirate with an underlying honesty and love of freedom...(I wonder who that could be..think really hard)...