Do you fear sequels?

Rating: 7/10 (3 April 2020)

It takes a while for 'Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)' to come together but, once it does, it's an enjoyable adventure that maintains the spirit of its superior predecessor. Depp continues his tightrope walk of a performance but he isn't quite as sure-footed as before. His character is even more selfish, basing his relationships entirely on a series of double-crosses and triple-crosses so that he can come out on top. He does have an arc that sees him, essentially, admit that he really does care for his pirating buddies, but by the time it's complete it's almost too little too late. This makes him less empathetic and, combined with his ever-so-slightly annoying mannerisms (which are accentuated through the actual screenplay this time), creates a less compelling character than you'd expect. The villain this time is Nighy's Davy Jones - an impressive, entirely digital character - who hunts our hero for the hundred years of service he owes and somehow manages to add an extra vowel to every other word. He's a good baddie, suitably callous and commanding, but he can't compete with the previous entry's Barbossa. The plot is sprawling and sporadic, featuring less swashbuckling than its predecessor and relying on the fact that it is, in essence, 'part one'. Indeed, the narrative doesn't actually complete itself in a satisfying way; it just sort of ends, with the denouement being dedicated entirely to cheap sequel bait. Still, the story is entertaining and the set-pieces are well-conceived. The stand-out is clearly an extended sabre duel between three of the focal characters, which starts on a beach and ends on a rampaging, ever-spinning wheel. The thing does a brilliant job of keeping track of its characters, with everyone's position and motive being clear at all times. This is as important in the action as it is in the set-up, which sees most of the core cast separated. By the time everyone comes together, the movie is in full swing and it's a fair bit of fun. It doesn't match the quality of the first film in the series, but it's a decent continuation and a good time in its own right. 7/10