Better than expected

Rating: 8/10 (24 July 2006)

My first screening of Pirates of The Caribbean Dead Man's Chest came on a very long day. I went into the movie very tired and not in the right mood. Knowing that I couldn't review a movie correctly after a tired day I went and saw Pirates again on a better day. I was glad I did. This movie was actually fun to watch, and though it is not quite as good as the first film, it is still very watchable.
Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp in one of the roles that will soon be one of his best) owes a blood debt to Davey Jones after Davey Jones helped him become Captain of the Black Pearl. Sparrow of course is not ready to fall into Davey Jones servitude as one of the ghastly sea creatures of the Flying Dutchmen, so he finds a way to avoid it, and this means trouble for poor Will Turner(Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann(Keira Knightley).
Of course both Elizabeth and Will already have their own troubles for when they allowed Jack Sparrow to escape in the first film, and their wedding is interrupted and Elizabeth put in prison. Now Will must find Sparrow and make a bargain to get his compass, which leads the way to the heart of the same Davey Jones mentioned above. If not, poor Elizabeth will face the gallows for the rest of her life. Of course Elizabeth herself has other plans, and so the story continues in the second part of what is to be a three part series.
The story in the second film is more confusing then the first because there are so many plot threads. That was probably why I had such a hard time seeing it the first time, however upon seeing a second screening it was much clearer. I was able to relax back and watch the entire movie without being distracted and found it to be quite an experience.
Just about all the actors and actresses return in the second film, and then their are some surprise appearances that nobody, well those who haven't seen it, will suspect. All the performances were pretty good once again, and Johnny Depp is as great as ever as the pirate with the very bad hygiene. He really is enjoying this character he created, and by the profits that this movie has already made, so is everybody else.
The special effects are top notch, and the scenery was quite enjoyable as well, but it is still not quite as good as the first film. I think it was because the first film had a feeling of mystery about it, whereas this film doesn't. The tale of Davey Jones and the Flying Dutchman just isn't as spooky as the undead crew from the Black Pearl, even though Bill Nighty gives a bravo performance as the villain just as Geoffrey Rush did in the first film.