Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

We should all be very thankful for the fact that Johnny Depp has kids. If he was childless, he wouldn't have had the need to make a movie for them, which in turn would have meant that there be no Captain Jack Sparrow. And even though I'm sure the Pirates movies would still be fun without him, they would have missed that extra element that makes them stand out so much. For Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is without a doubt the most fun you will have in a cinema all summer. It may be a bit less epic than something like Superman Returns, but watching Jack and his friends travel all over the world, ending up in one bad situation after another, will no doubt shiver any moviefan's timbers.

After the terrifying adventures of the first movie, you would think that Captain Jack Sparrow (once again played by Johnny Depp, who, like practically the entire cast from the first movie, returns for a second outing) has taken some time off, but nothing could be further away from the truth. Yes, Jack is on a sunny island somewhere in the Caribbean, but relaxation is not on his mind, as Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) finds out when he comes looking for him. Turner needs Jack's compass, which is the only thing that can keep him and the lovely Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) from being hanged. They have both been thrown in jail by new Commodore Beckett, a man intent on stamping out piracy once and for all, and who has eyed Will and Elizabeth for aiding in Jack Sparrow's escape in the first movie. The only way Will can save both their lives, is by bringing back Jack's compass, which holds some mysterious powers that Beckett is planning on using.

But Jack has other things on his mind, quickly dragging Will back into his world, which once again involves a lot of running and swashbuckling on sinking ships and dangerous islands, with none other than Davy Jones hot on their trail. This Davy Jones is a man who once cut out his own heart when he could not take the heartbreak a lost love caused him, and who is now roaming the seven seas on The Flying Dutchman, a doomed ship that leaves a trail of burning ships in it's wake. Davy Jones and Jack Sparrow have a debt to settle, and it will take all of Jack's wits to stay out of Jones's hands.

But this is not just their movie, since there's also Commodore Norrington, one of Jack's enemies from the first movie, who has fallen on hard times and now seems desperate for a new job. There's Bootstrap Bill, Will's father, whose dramatic fate makes for some of the more emotional moments in the movie. There's Pintel and Ragetti, the bumbling henchmen from the first movie, who provide some extra comic relief. And there's Elizabeth's story, because even thinking that somebody as feisty as her can be kept in jail for long is ludicrous.

All these different storylines make a for a big, sprawling movie that whizzes you from one memorable scene to the other. You thought the many action setpieces in the first movie were impressive? Just wait until your first view of The Kraken, Davy Jones' pet seamonster, which shows even less mercy than his master does. Davy Jones' ship, the Flying Dutchman, is also a visual masterpiece, rising up from the bottom of the sea and striking fear in the hearts of everybody in it's vicinity. The ship looks completely organic, keeping in tune with it's crew, made up of doomed men who have taken on visual traits of a wide variety of sea animals. It keeps in tune with the overal darker tone of this second movie, the filmmakers seemingly going for an Empire Strikes Back vibe and thus giving their movie more weight. This is most apparent in any scene taking place on the Flying Dutchman.

The crewmen may sound funny, and they may look funny, but there's nothing funny about the characters themselves. They're even more ruthless than the evil pirates from the first movie, with hardly any comic relief, almost any scene with them in it being dark and moody. They are also quite ruthless, disposing of their enemies in a way that I thought went a bit too far, at least for a movie that is considered to be a family flick. There is only one among them who isn't a total bastard, and that's Will Turner's father Bootstrap Bill. His name was mentioned many times in the first movie, and seeing what has become of him will break your heart. His life has literally gone to hell, his face forever contorted into a sad mask of pain.

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Once again Johnny Depp infuses all his moments with that special blend of kookiness that he brought to the first movie, and which is at times absolutely hilarious.
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Um, you might be thinking now, isn't this supposed to be a fun rollercoaster ride of a movie? Well, yes it is, for most of the other scenes provide great thrills, from the first scenes involving Jack Sparrow on the run from a tribe of cannibals, to a three-way swordfight near the end of the movie which is both exciting and insane. The people making this movie must have had a great time doing it, because how else could they have come up with scenes like the one in which Will Turner and the rest of the crew try to escape from a prison that is hung above a deep ravine, or the scene in which Jack Sparrow meets the Kraken face to face. It's all great fun, and already while I was still watching this movie I was planning when I could go and see it again.

Most of this is thanks to all the wonderful characters. Normally I am not so big on sequels, but in this case it's great to see what has become of Jack, Will, Elizabeth and all the others. The fact that so many people have returned from the first movie makes it possible to pick up the story right where we left it last time. And it's not just Johnny Depp who steals the show, although any scene with him in it is an instant highlight for this movie. Once again he infuses all his moments with that special blend of kookiness that he brought to the first movie, and which is at times absolutely hilarious. But even though Captain Jack is a funny character, there is also a layer of extra depth to the role, revealing Jack to be a shrewd pirate, always on the lookout to save his own skin, even if that means having to double cross friends and enemies alike. Depp has let it be known that he would not mind making many more Pirates movies, let's hope they take him up on his offer!

Next to Depp, Orlando Bloom also makes a great return. His bland hero from the first movie is more fleshed out this time, with some funny scenes as well as much darker ones, the storyline of Will Turner and his father being the most tragic of the whole movie. Bloom shows he has what it takes to be a classic action hero, and if he cannot find any hits outside of the Pirates universe, then let's at least hope he will keep tagging along with Johnny Depp for all the future movies. I'm still not sure about Keira Knightley, however. I like her as an actress, and she has some great scenes in this movie, but whenever things get more dramatic she tends to overact a little bit, which is clearly not needed by this movie. And it's a shame, since it's so much fun seeing her fight it out with the boys that she is also a character that should keep returning.
Bill Nighy does a great job as Davy Jones. You may not see his real face, but he is still able to give his character real personality. Yes, he is dangerous and loathesome, but there is also a tragic side to the character that keeps you from hating him completely. And much respect to Stellan Skarsgard for his great acting as Bootstrap Bill. Next to all the outlandish creatures this movie is populated with, his role is the most serious one, and he fills it with great dignity. I can't wait to see what will happen to him in the next movie! Besides all these, it's so much fun to see characters like Pintell and Ragetti, Gibbs, Cotton, and even Captain Barbosa's pet monkey return. This last character is good for some of the funniest gags in the movie, that are both kind of cruel and hilarious at the same time.

There's much to love here, which made me keep a blind eye to some of the less successful things in this movie. The ruthlessness of Davy Jones' crew does a good job of portraying them as the scum of the earth, but their executioner style killings are a bit over the top. And it's a shame that, even though this movie brings up lots of great new storylines, it also unravels some threads from the first movie. I watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl again after seeing Dead Man's Chest, and found that my viewing experience of that movie had chanced after seeing the second one. Some things have closure in the first movie, but are then 'unclosured' again in part 2, and that's too bad. Still, I'm fairly confident the third movie will just tie everything back up again, and even though I was more or less outraged at the openness of the ending of this movie (pulling out hair, yelling "they cannot do this", you know the routine), I cannot wait for May next year, when Pirates 3 sails into harbour.

****½

Comments

[Tahlia Kertesz]

I think dat all ur info is pretty gud but i heard taht elizabeth kisses jack for some reason and will sees it and im kind of lost of what happens with all that

[Candace]

Pirates 2 is just as good as pirates 1. I've watched them many times and I can not wait for Pirates 3.. I think Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley make a wonderful couple and I hope she realizes that and the writers realize that is what the public wants in this movie. Every since he saved her at the beginning of Pirates 1, we've been waiting patiently for Captain jack and Elizabeth to fall inlove.

[jacksparrow'sgirl]

well, i agree with you all 100%. Jack and Elizabeth need to get together, otherwise it's kinda pointless for me. but i don't think that they will end up together b/c that would just be to good to be true, god forbid the writers actually accomodate the audiances. anwho this is an awesome movie and i am sure number 3 will be just as good if not better( unless jack and liz don't get together)

[evilangelness]

hmmm i think that in the end (as it happens in all movies)
Elizabeth will stay with William.
and who wouldnt? lol
Orlando Bloom plays the party too well ;D

cyaz

[watch movie]

I loved this movie. Jack Sparrow is one of the best characters of all. will turner is also a good one but there is no doubt that jack rules!

[Chanel Handbags]

I won't accept such sort of family though it is quite comfortable. I prefer the family with mom which is not rich but ample in my heart

[generic cialis]

I love this saga, Jack Sparrow is one of the most important pirates in the history of the movies,Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest was released in the United States. The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its special effects and criticism for its plot and running time. Despite this, it set several records in its first three days, with an opening weekend of $136 million!

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