Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest! – Review

credit: www.impawards.com

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Cast:

Johnny Depp……….Jack Sparrow
Orlando Bloom……….Will Turner
Keria Knightley……….Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport……….Norrington
Bill Nighy……….Davy Jones
Jonathan Pryce……….Gov. Weatherby Swann
Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd ……….Bootstrap Bill
Naomie Harris……….Tia Dalma

You have to keep in mind when watching this film that it IS a Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It IS based on a ride at Disneyland. Going in knowing that… this movie is one hell of a ride!

Dead Man’s Chest begins some time after the first film. Jack Sparrow has parted ways from Will and Elizabeth. Jack has moved on to his next big adventure while all Will and Elizabeth want to do is get married. Too bad a warrant appears for their arrest for helping Jack escape. The punishment: Death. However, the East Indian Trading Company has other plans. If Will retrieves Jack’s compass then he and Elizabeth will not be killed.

Jack has problems of his own. It seems he owes a debt to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy, complete unrecognizable as the half squid-half crab man). Unfortunately for Jack, Davy has returned to collect. Jack, however, as always, has other plans.

Jack Sparrow getting himself into trouble once again.

This film isn’t all too different from the first one. It is however bigger, and yes, maybe even better. In this film we get an army of creepy looking oceanic people (everything from hammerhead sharks to hermit crabs) instead of an army of skeletons. We also get crazy, over the top action sequences, dizzying sword fights, a voodoo witch, the Kraken (a mythical squid-like creature), cannibals, Bootstrap Bill, and few more moments from the ride they couldn’t squeeze into the first film.

Johnny Depp made the first film, no question, and the same goes here. Reprising the role he brought to life, he’s a joy to watch ever minute he’s on screen. Orlando Bloom, while doing a fine job, still hasn’t any great screen presence and the scenes focusing around him suffer for it. Keria Knightley is beautiful as always, even when hiding in men’s cloths. She isn’t given a lot to work with story wise, but she has a few great fight scenes. Bill Nighy is fantastic as Davy Jones. He and his crew are much more fearsome than the skeleton crew of the first film. There is no comic relief in that bunch.

Davy Jones with his infamous chest.

This film is everything you want it to be: it’s action packed, hilarious, suspenseful, and leaves you wanting part three to come out next week (can’t say too much more on this subject). Sure it goes over the top at times…WAY over the top. But that’s what these movies are all about.

One interesting part of the film is the uniting of father and son. When Will finds himself on Davy Jones’ ship, The Flying Dutchman, he meets his father, Bootstrap Bill. Bootstrap is a slave to the Flying Dutchman like everyone on board. The longer they are there the more fish-like they become. Stellan SkarsgÃ¥rd does a great job as Bootstrap, hiding behind all the make up. When he puts his own life, such as it is, on the line to save Will, you believe it.

A wonderfully choreographed fight between Norrington, Will, and Jack.

The special effects in this film are amazing! The entire crew of The Flying Dutchman is so creepy. And the Kraken!!!! When those giant tentacles pull a ship down into the ocean, it’s truly a sight. There are a couple great fights with the Kraken and there should have been a few more.