Pirates of the Carribean:Dead Man's Chest - movie review

To say that I was excited for the release of this second Pirates film is an understatment. But I still managed to wait until the middle of the week to go see it. These two conflicting realities are a suitable match for my overall reaction to the film: lotsa excitement but also a bit of waiting.

To clarify, Pirates is awesome. It is a visually stunning film that is even more impressive than the first in its use of clever references and CGI. But is also a half hour too long and the audience feels it. Not even the antics of Jack Sparrow (sorry, Captain) can save the drag on this particular ship. And that is a shame because the movie is wonderful otherwise.

The success begins with Johnny Depp. Can the man's genius be expressed enough? In this installment he takes Jack to a darker place. He is selfish and cowardly and not above turning on his friends to save his skin. Sparrow the pirate is in full force and there is movie magic in having the lead character walk the fine line between hero and villain. Whereas he emerged as the former in the previous film, Depp leans very much to the latter side this time around. If it is at all possible to call someone a sinister wingnut then Jack would fit the bill.

Secondly, the film is helmed (again) by Gore Verbinski. I gotta say I am a fan of this guy. And his long-winded pacing aside, he knows how to put together a solid action film that is not braindead. Although Depp gets most of the kudos for the success of the Black Pearl, that film owes much to Verbinski for taking a flimsy concept and shaping an exciting experience. He does the same again and reteams with writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio (also from the first film) to craft a smart summer swashbuckler. This film is filled with sailor lore. Mythology runs deep with references to famous pirates, ancient titans, black curses and deadly sea monsters. The merging of the Kracken legend with images of tentacles dragging ships to the depths is beautiful. Add in the internal references to the first film and the entire affair becomes a meta seafood buffet. The actual story is complex, winding and unresolved. But it is also a fabulous tale about the heart of men of the sea - figuratively and literally.

And then there are the effects. Undoubtedly one of the standout qualities of the first film, the audience is not to be disappointed here. This time around the pirates are plagued with the ravages of the sea. They have sold their souls to the sea and held captive by Davey Jones - who himself has been squid-ified with age. As the years roll on the pirates become the sea itself, their bodies turning into fish, plants and reefs. And so the effects include a fabulous array of semi-transformed sailors that breath the life aquatic. It is spectacular.

Finally, the film pays off the relationships most notably in the return of crushworthy Brit Jack Davenport. Then there is THAT moment between Miss Swan and Captain Jack that is not what poor Will Turner thinks it is. Plus the introduction of one new villain, one freaky lady, one doomed father and the return of an enemy. Really, there is alot of life in this dead man's chest!