If you enjoyed the first, you will most likely enjoy this.

Rating: 10/10 (19 August 2006)

If you enjoyed "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" then you will enjoy the sequel just as much. This had everything that made the first one enjoyable. There is amazing sword fight/action sequences, creepy bad people created with incredible special effects, romance, humor, and of course Captain Jack Sparrow.
Captain Jack Sparrow made a deal with Davy Jones. The deal was for Jack to be captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years, then give up his sole and become a crew member of the Flying Dutchman. Those thirteen years are up, and Davy Jones is after Jack Sparrow. Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann are also on the lookout as well. After being arrested by the British government for aiding in the escape of Sparrow, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann are blackmailed into helping track down Jack. Lord Cutler Beckett forces them to find Sparrow and obtain a magical compass from him in exchange for pardons.
There were many similarities to "Empire Strikes Back." This is darker compared to the first film, just as "Empire Strikes Back" was to "A New Hope." Captain Jack Sparrow has that classic Han Solo type feel, Will Turner is a lot like Luke, and even Elizabeth Swann has a similar feel to Leia. Even Ragetti, tall and skinny, and Pintel, short and round, are back and have some comedic roles, just like R2D2 and C3P0. There is a cliffhanger, which will catch most people by surprise, much like "Empire Strikes Back" did.
Once again, there is a great villain. Davy Jones was a better villain then Captain Barbossa. What made him better was that Davy Jones a more multi-dimension character then Barbossa. Barbossa was just pure evil. At least once did you think that Davy Jones had a passionate side, but then the next scene he would do something totally brutal and evil. Davy Jones is sure to become a classic villain.
The special and visual effects, once again, are top notch. From the look of Davy Jones to his henchman, it was spectacular. Davy Jones was created the same way that Gollum/Smeagol was in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Some of the special effects used to make his tentacles are possibly the best use of CGI ever shown on screen. Davy Jones and his crew all looked like creatures from the sea. Davy Jones' main defense, which he summons to destroy ships, was the Kracken, a giant tentacled beast with a toothy throat similar to the fictional creature called a Sarlacc from "Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi." Just like in the first movie, you should expect some major sword fights, and those fights are improved.
A "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie cannot be reviewed without mentioning Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow. Once again, the rum loving pirate steals the show and shows that his character is the coolest character since Hans Solo in the original "Star Wars" trilogy. His introduction was humorous, but not as memorable as the first one. Hopefully, Johnny Depp is once again nominated for best actor. It will be exciting to see him and Keith Richards, who was Johnny's inspiration for Jack Sparrow, on the screen together. In case you did not know, there will be a third movie and Keith Richards will be playing Jack Sparrow's father.
Some of the side characters we all knew and loved are back, such as Governor Swann (played by Jonathan Pryce), Pintel (played by Lee Arenberg), Ragetti (played by Mackenzie Crook), Mr. Gibbs (played by Kevin McNally), and Marty (played by Martin Klebba). Those people got the same amount of screen time. Norington (played by Jack Davenport) has received a bigger, more in depth role. Orlando Bloom (who plays Will Turner) has shown a little improvement and has improved quite a bit since he donned bows and arrows in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Keira Knightley (who plays Elisabeth Swann) has also added a little bit more to her character.
The new additions are also well done. "Bootstrap" Bill Turner (played by Stellan Skarguard), Will Turner's father, is finally introduced and he had very nice chemistry with Will. Another interesting character was a woman named Tia Dalma (played by Naomie Harris). She was very strange and was possibly even weirder (maybe just more mysterious and unknown) then Jack. Maybe they will explain more about her back-story in the next chapter. Of course, we know about Davy Jones (played by Bill Nighy).
If you are looking for the perfect summer popcorn movie, you are in the right place. This was just as enjoyable as the first movie. This is must see on the big screen and hopefully you do not forget to leave until after the credits. Bring your family, bring your friends, and do not forget to start singing, "Yo ho, yo ho, the pirates life for me." "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" is very recommended!