Pirates plunder old plot elements in this Dead Man's Chest

Rating: 6/10 (5 August 2006)

Let's see: long lost father in league with the dark side, an evil emperor (of the high seas instead of the galaxy), a maverick soldier of fortune captain who cares only about himself, sword fights (instead of light sabers), a love triangle developing, a second installment that is just one long set-up for a concluding third installment, a character apparently dies but is strategically positioned for resurrection, etc...This sounds like a been-there-done-that situation.
I guess part 3 will introduce some fish that resemble mini-me-Wookies that help fight Davy Jones. The guy and the girl will find out they're brother and sister? Will they start saying "May the Caribbean Sea be with you, says I, maitee" and then make 3 prequels? Fill in your own Star----oops, I mean, Pirates plot twists here.
Overall, it's an OK movie, but with some flaws. Johnny Depp was brilliantly dashing yet devious in the original as Capt. Jack Sparrow, and has made this character part of our cultural lexicon. However, the awkward scripting this time on how Sparrow evolves is a challenge even for Depp's talents. Unnecessary action is thrown in, apparently to pad the running time, so that you don't notice this whole thing is just a commercial for part 3. The entire chase scene with the island natives means nothing in the story line. The free-for-all-mayhem where several characters just start fighting over stuff at the end has too much slapstick; the 3-way sword fight and the odd way it is shown are almost too much to endure.
On the other hand, if you prefer a film that has loads of action, you'll love the pace of this movie. The ship-to-ship engagements are not bad at all, and the Kraken's "Moby Dick" style appearances are highlights of the flick. The Flying Dutchman creatures are also very creative, but their design is almost comic relief, rather than scary, in nature.
A half-hearted thumbs-up on this one. The movie's strong points outweigh the weaknesses. However, this movie is shallow compared to its predecessor, and I hope the installment that it spends a lot of time pointing to is better than this, as well.