Captain Jack Sparrow returns for a new adventure, and shenanigans ensue.

Rating: 8/10 (30 June 2012)

Who knew that a movie based on a ride at Disneyworld could enjoy such immense success? Incredibly, the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise is one of the most lucrative to date. However, only the first film is considered a critical triumph. The rest are accused of lacking the quality plot, humor, and originality of the first. I agree completely in the case of the third and fourth films, but I feel that the second installment is highly underrated. Few of the flaws that plague the franchise are present here, and Dead Man's Chest is actually a worthy follow-up to the original.
The only thing that makes these movies watchable is, of course, Johnny Depp's fantastic performance as Jack Sparrow. Without him, there could be no Pirates of the Caribbean. His weird mannerisms, hilariously endearing personality, and total unpredictability have made him one of the most beloved characters in movie history. Dead Man's Chest gives viewers plenty more of Captain Jack, and he's just as wonderful as ever. If anything, I almost felt that he was better than in Curse of the Black Pearl. He's given a great introduction in this movie, and he never fails to bring humor to any situation he's put in. He contrasts wonderfully with the serious and somewhat clichÃ©d love story between Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, and is always there to lighten the mood when things start feeling too sappy.
One thing I can say for the first movie is that the evil skeleton crew was incredible. I particularly enjoyed fight scenes where they would flash in and out of the moonlight, transforming. They were beautifully and artfully done. It is clear that in this film, they tried to rival it with the creepy, marine life-infested crew of Davy Jones. While special effects have improved drastically, there is sort of a "been-there-done-that" feel to these new characters. Davy Jones himself, though, played by Bill Nighy, was a breakthrough in motion capture effects. Even with a beard of tentacles and complete lack of a nose, his excellent performance shines through and never seems silly. Nighy made quite a wonderful villain, as good or better than Geoffrey Rush from the first film. Plus, something has to be said about the Kraken. That was an awesome creature! It looked amazing, and was built up really well throughout the movie. By the climax, it feels like you're watching an old-fashioned monster movie; and it is great.
Many people complain about the plot of Dead Man's Chest. Personally, I don't assign much importance to the story of movies like this. Admittedly the storyline is rather convoluted, and some may not appreciate the large cliffhanger at the end. But that is kind of the point of the story. The second and third movies were filmed back-to- back, and are really two halves of a whole. They share the same characters, same villains, and some of the same plot threads. Admittedly, there may be too many said plot threads to be completely coherent, but let's be honest: no one came to see Pirates of the Caribbean for the plot. It's either for the incredible action scenes (and boy, are they incredible), Jack Sparrow's character, or Orlando Bloom's face, all of which this film delivers in grand excess. Only in the third and fourth films did the plot to detract from my enjoyment of the movie.
People will compare Dead Man's Chest to the first movie endlessly, and there's nothing anyone can do about that. But as a sequel or a standalone film, it's not at all a bad movie. While not perfect, it's well-executed, well-acted, and a damn good time. I give it 7 out of 10 stars.