Byzantine--but wonderful!

Rating: 9/10 (22 July 2006)

Having just seen the movie, I am dying to see it again in under 24 hours. Not only is Johnny Depp the only man alive to perform the role of Jack Sparrow (Captain! Jack Sparrow), he is the only actor able to give the role the shades of complexity it demands. Everything from the first film, with the expected progress of each character, becomes twisted and utterly unexpected. And with more...a lot more. The nature of each character is Byzantine, as are the turns of plot. It's no longer just the ride at the Magic Kingdom coming to life.
The humor is both light and dark--but all of it leaves you laughing and crying aloud. The effects are spectacular, the action a gripping tale every moment. Guaranteed this will make you more excited about installment three than you ever thought possible. As you leave the theater, you immediately discover yourself speculating and debating. For me, I left also with a sense of wonder and a little concern: the wonderful magic of the first movie, the likes of which had never been seen, is still here--but with complex character development and storyline, will that still be true of the third? You find yourself asking, "what 'is' Jack Sparrow? Fabulous film! Hats off to the cast and crew, and especially to Johnny Depp!