Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's ChestJack owes an unpaid debt to Davy Jones and his army of sea-phantoms…his soul. Now, he must find a way to save himself from becoming one of them, and suffering forever.

Directed by
Gore Verbinski

Genres
Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Cast
Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Jack Davenport, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook, Kevin McNally, David Bailie, Stellan Skarsg?rd, Tom Hollander, Naomie Harris, Martin Klebba, Alex Norton

Lay and I went to see this movie Friday night. We’d been waiting for the crowds to be a bit smaller before we went. We watched the first movie Saturday evening.

I will make my comments without spoilers so that people who haven’t yet seen the movie can read it.

One of the worst things that can happen in a sequel to a successful movie is that audiences will feel like they’re seeing the same movie again with slight variations on the theme. Dead Man’s Chest gives us all the characters we loved in the first movie, but puts them in a refreshingly original movie. The action sequences will keep you on the edge of your seat. And there are more laugh-out-loud moments in this movie than in most comedies. I felt entertained from the beginning right through to the special scene after the closing credits.

Dead Man’s Chest does the right thing as a sequel: It maintains the same carefree spirit of the original and creates an even more fitting story to the whole Pirates lore. After narrowly escaping the gallows–with the help of his friends Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley)–and reclaiming his cursed Black Pearl, it still seems Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) has a few more fish to fry. More specifically the barnacle-encrusted undead on board the ghostly Flying Dutchman, lead by Mr. Octopus Face himself, Davy Jones (Bill Nighy). Jack apparently owes a blood debt to the inky captain and if he can’t find a way out of it–namely locating the secret contents of Jones’ famed locker–Sparrow will be doomed to eternal damnation and servitude in the afterlife (insert Jack Sparrow’s face of disgust here). Making matters worse, Sparrow’s problems manage to interfere with the wedding plans of Will and Elizabeth, who are forced to join Jack on yet another one of his misadventures.

This is the most fun I’ve had in the cinema in the longest time. I can’t remember the last time I was so entertained. Although it is a bit slow at times, and a bit predictable (although fun in it’s predictability), it hardly lets up and continuously entertains.

If you loved the original, you will DEFINITELY love this film. The ending not only makes you laugh, it makes you think “What the hell?” and will make you eagerly anticipate (major understatement) the third installment. There are some great lines, the same fun characters, an inventive and fun story, and some brilliantly staged action sequences.

In summation: SEE IT! See it on the big screen. If you miss it, you will surely regret it.

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B. John

Records and Content Management consultant who enjoys good stories and good discussion. I have a great deal of interest in politics, religion, technology, gadgets, food and movies, but I enjoy most any topic. I grew up in Kings Mountain, a small N.C. town, graduated from Appalachian State University and have lived in Atlanta, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Dayton and Tampa since then.