Ayyy, The Rum Too

Rating: 7/10 (8 July 2006)

Greetings again from the darkness. Must admit that the first POTC was one my favorite films of 2003. Filled with action, humor and freshness, it brought a unique approach to the screen. Of course, sequels are always challenging and usually a let down. Although, I hesitate to call Dead Man's Chest a let down, it does lack the spontaneity and spark of the first. That said, it is still an extremely enjoyable movie-going experience and one not to be missed.
Director Gore Verbinski returns with a bit darker, less tongue-in-cheek approach as Captain Jack Sparrow (the amazing Johnny Depp) searches for the key to regain his soul. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley also return with a lame love story that luckily gets very little play after the first 15 minutes. The darker approach this time includes a fascinating pirate character named Davy Jones, who may be the most eye-catching creature ever captured on film. You simply can't take your eyes off of him! Jones is played by the totally unrecognizable Bill Nighy (who everyone remembers from "Love Actually"). Watching Davy Jones play the organ is itself worth the price of admission.
Also new to the cast is Stellan Skarsgard ("Good Will Hunting") as Bootstrap Bill, Bill Turner's (Bloom) lost soul father forever banished to serve Davy Jones. The scenes with Skarsgard and Bloom lacked the punch one would have expected. Actually most of the scenes with Bloom lack punch. Maybe we have grown a bit tired of his simple eye-batting method acting.
Depp, of course, is the real star. His Captain Jack Sparrow is one of the more popular screen characters of all time. Kids and Adults love him. He is not quite wicked and not quite a good man. We can tell Depp has fun with the character, but it is easy to take his performance for granted the second time around. Try not to. It is a real pleasure to watch.
Yes, the story is pretty weak and very little character development occurs. But that's not what this series is about, is it? The new sea creatures are remarkable (putting the first of the new round of "Star Wars" to shame). This is a visual (not an intellectual feast), so enjoy it for what it is ... and try not to have tentacle nightmares afterwards.