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Plot Summary
Once again we're plunged into the world of sword fights and "savvy" pirates. Captain Jack Sparrow is reminded he owes a debt to Davy Jones, who captains the flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship, with a crew from hell. Facing the "locker" Jack must find the heart of Davy Jones but to save himself he must get the help of quick-witted Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan. If that's not complicated enough, Will and Elizabeth are sentenced to hang, unless will can get Lord Cutler Beckett Jack's compass, Will is forced to join another crazy adventure with Jack. (1)
Review
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Hello, Movie Buffs!
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest does right by the first installment as it maintains the same carefree spirit of the original and creates an, even more, fitting story to the whole Pirates lore. Another aspect done right in this film is that everything bigger and better than the first film. Returning Director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer make sure that there is more adventure, more violence, more pirates, and more myth while still holding on to some familiarity from the original.
Johnny Depp (Edward Scissorhands) as Captain Jack Sparrow is still a marvel in slovenly pirate behavior - with his slurred speech, swaying swagger and slack, waving arms is a bit reminiscent of the famed Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards – and the dualism of the character is intriguing that intrigues viewers once again. He is an energetic and daring macho man with somewhat of a sneaky streak but his delicate features, long, dreadlocks, kohl-rimmed eyes, and almost girly mannerisms give him a subtly effeminate air that contradicts his macho behavior. This time around, Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice) as Elizabeth Swann and Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings) as Will Turner have a little bit more to do in this film than in the last. With Elizabeth's growing attraction to Jack and Will's reunion with his father Bill "Bootstrap" Turner (Stellan Skarsgård, Thor) – whose soul is trapped on the Flying Dutchman – there is no shortage of drama between the two love-birds. Bill Nighy (Love Actually, Underworld) as Mr. Octopus face Davy Jones, once again makes his mark as an effective villain. Portraying his character with a rather curt delivery and laid-back attitude – which shines through all the special effects make-up and CGI –, Nighy’s performance rivals that of Depp’s usage of the arrogant rock star attitude, even if he has tentacles for a face. In all, writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio ensure the development of the three main heroes as well as the new villain through the use of individual sub-plots to fill in the otherwise empty plot-holes from the original.
Despite the Dead Man’s Chest lagging a bit in some places it relatively hurtles along at a pace only expected from the offspring of a Disneyland theme ride, rarely slowing for piddling bits of nonsense because there is enough entertainment displayed in the film. Dead Man’s Chest manages to dodge the common pitfalls to following a sequel because it does not memorialize a character from the original nor does it over exaggerate its plot range. The plot’s main focus is on Davy Jones' beating heart, with a subplot surround the Captain Jack Sparrow’s debt owed to Davy Jones. In the end, the plot of the movie boils down to one big chase to find the key to Davey Jones' chest whilst avoiding his gargantuan beast, the Kraken. Although the plot is not very ‘meaty’ as it was in the first installment, this was never the point of the film. As long as the plot offers a nice mythological backdrop for the pirates to plunder, then viewers will still find the movie entertaining; the adventure thickens and the swordplay is more indulgent. *** SPOILER*** During the chivalric swordfight inside a huge rolling waterwheel as it bounces along the island's foliage, director Verbinski chooses not to succumb to the easy usage of CGI but rather a camera on the wheel's axis forcing two actors to swordfight in a giant spinning wooden wheel. It was pretty awesome. *** END SPOILER***
Overall, Dead Man’s Chest is a fitting continuation to the first installment, Curse of the Black Pearl, with a wonderful story and intriguing characters both new and old. Since pirate movies are genres that Hollywood has barely bitten into, Pirates of the Caribbean is an adventure that will continue to keep audiences hooked long after the franchise ends. It is great entertainment filled with Captain Jack Sparrow sayings that viewers will be repeating over and over again. “There will come a time when you have a chance to do the right thing.”
- Elizabeth Swann
Final Vote
Worth Seeing: 4.2 of 5 stars
Worth Buying: 4.2 of 5 stars
I hope you liked this post, subscribe to my blog via email HERE, send in your comments, and watch Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006).
Movies Similar
Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
National Treasure (2004)
National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007)
Pan (2015)
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End (2007)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides (2011)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Sahara (2005)
Cast & Crew
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Writing Credits:
(Written by) Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio
(Characters) Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie, and Jay Wolpert.
Music by: Hans Zimmer
Cinematography by: Dariusz Wolski
Film Editing by: Stephen E. Rivkin and Craig Wood
Production Design by: Rick Heinrichs
Produced by
Jerry Bruckheimer --- producer
Eric McLeod --- executive producer
Bruce Hendricks --- executive producer
Chad Oman --- executive producer
Pat Sandston --- associate producer
Brigham Taylor --- production executive
Jack Kney --- field producer: DVD/EPK
Mike Stenson --- executive producer
Cast:
Johnny Depp --- Jack Sparrow
Orlando Bloom --- Will Turner
Keira Knightley --- Elizabeth Swann
Jack Davenport --- Norrington
Bill Nighy --- Davy Jones
Jonathan Pryce --- Governor Weatherby Swann
Lee Arenberg --- Pintel
Mackenzie Crook --- Ragetti
Kevin McNally --- Gibbs
David Bailie --- Cotton
Stellan Skarsgård --- Bootstrap Bill
Tom Hollander --- Cutler Beckett
Martin Klebba --- Marty
Lauren Maher --- Scarlett
Vanessa Branch --- Giselle
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