Did not live up to expectations...

Rating: 5/10 (22 July 2006)

I have seen the first movie of this sequel many times. After watching Dead Man's chest, I wonder if it would have made any difference to have seen The Curse of the Black Pearl at all. The movie begins with Will Turner's arrest on his wedding day? Why does this movie even have to begin like that? It would have been better for the arrests to occur on another peaceful day.
In my opinion, some scenes in this movie seemed to struggle to have a scene come out as a children's scene or a real adult scene. What was up with the classical music when the prisoners, (Will Turner and the crew), attempted to escape from the circular chambers made of human bones by grabbing on to the nearest vine? The best part of the movie had to be the artwork, costumes, and graphics. Awesome graphics with Davy Jones and his crew. I liked the tribe and their paintings, and the tense fear they set upon the audience. Nice eyes, Jack Sparrow. The big squid monster was very nice too.
Acting was average, especially since much of the scenes did not need any more emotion or action then did the first movie. Orlando was Orlando, Keira was Keira, and Johnny was Johnny. I guess I cannot expect more. Why make Johnny Depp a selfish coward? He may have come back in the end, but throughout the whole movie, he was just annoying and mean to everyone. If he's going to die, supposedly, at the very end, make him nice as heck. Come on.
Also, where do these two guys come from, the old members of Barbossa's crew? At first, I thought they would have a greater impact. Guess not. I think they were the wrong characters to fight off Davy Jones' crew.
I do not like the way it ended, with much of the audience asking questions. More should have come out of that. How will the British use the heart? How will Barbossa help by coming to life? How is he alive in the first place? All in all, this movie did not live up to my expectations, especially with the same caliber actors as the first.
5/10 from me.