Avoid this one like scurvy

Rating: 1/10 (12 July 2006)

I simply can't see how this movie is averaging a 7.7. OK, it's probably better than a 1, since gems like Manos Hands of Fate are getting around 2, but I had to drop the average score a little bit. There is no way this movie is above a 5 on any scale. I was a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean, and I love Disneyland - this one just failed to capture the swashbuckling and fun that the first one did. It just kind of dragged on for me to the point where I was ready to leave.
First off, the pacing and storytelling are just plain awful. There are entire 30-40 minute scenes of the movie that could have been deleted and there would be no effect on the coherency of the movie. Maybe they were there just to show how cool Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom were - but I didn't buy it. There are at least 5 different story lines, not one of which is really explained in any detail. There are also so many unexplained parts to the movie that you just wind up giving up and getting frustrated with it.
Maybe I'm just jaded, but I couldn't find any suspense in this thing either. The focus is haphazard and you wind up not getting a feel for any of the characters. Johnny Depp, while a cool actor and character, I thought his character had no redeeming qualities about him.
The other characters are pretty forgettable, and the performances are mediocre. The relationships between the characters were rushed and superficial.I didn't find myself connecting with anyone at all, and I didn't feel the characters connected with each other on screen either.
This movie is total flash with about zero substance. If you love special effects and can overlook good character development, plot lines, and emotional development, this is the movie for you. For me, that's fine for an hour or hour and a half, but 2 and 1/2 hours is asking too much if you're above the age of 10.