[Spoon Poetic]

Those are good points. I forgot I was also perturbed at this new jerkwad Sparrow. I guess I'm holding out for us to learn why he was a jerk in the third, another master plan type thing...

But sometimes a gal likes a bad boy, anyway.

[Mirithorn]

I think he acted a bit more like a jerk, but not a lot more. In the first, I'm willing to bet he didn't have a master plan either, but I suppose he is kind of the Taoist ideal mind- he just does whatever he wants and figures out where to go next when the time comes, and that works for him. I think he was more focused on the well being of others in the first movie, but he wouldn't have sacrificed himself to save them. It looks to me like he never sacrifices himself for anyone, and he doesn't sacrifice anyone else for himself. Whenever he does something of the sort, it's always with the expectation that he'll do something later to fix it. After all, he is Captain Jack Sparrow.

[barend]

Davie Jones appears to be a cthulhu.

[Jedi_Arco]

PotC II: DMC --

This is short and sweet. Especially since my longwinded review of Superman was more than most wanted to read, I'm sure.

The long and the short of Pirates is this: It's a good, fun, exciting, and well paced action adventure flick that delivers everything it promised. The action is great, there are plenty of laughs for everyone, there's romance, swashbuckling, and supernatural goodies galore.

Most of you have seen it by now and know the story. And I've heard from a lot of people that Jack Sparrow seems almost too callow and self-absorbed in this one. So, I rewatched the first Pirates and you know what? He is in that one too. He's only out for himself and doesn't really care about Elizabeth or William, so much as he does about getting his ship back. One thing to keep in mind with the first film is that it was the establishing movie. If we, as the audience, couldn't connect with Jack as a likable character, then the movie never would've stayed afloat. (like the pun?) So, in the first he is a bit more fun but still only out for numero uno. In this movie we get to see thee Capt. Jack Sparrow, with his own ship and living by his own terms. He doesn't need anyone this time around because he has what he wanted, the Black Pearl.

Also, there is no romance between Jack and Elizabeth. I maintain that the compass just happened to be pointing at Jack because he is needed for her and Will to be together in the end. Think about it. It shows what she really wants. She really wants to be happy with Will. Jack is now needed (in light of the way this one ended) for her to be happy with Will, so the compass was right from a certain point of view. She doesn't love Jack, and he doesn't love her. He just wants to be her "first".

This movie is also a perfect example of how to do special effects, in my opinion. They never overwhelm the story or detract from it. They just are. That's it. It's that simple. It's not like Star Wars where the effects are screaming out for you to notice them. They are simple and gorgeous and not once did they pull me out of the movie. More filmmakers should watch this and learn from it. I'm not saying they're flawless, but they are unobtrusive.

The acting is great as well. Johnny Depp is quite possibly my generations finest actor. For my money he's up there with the greats: Clark Gable, Marlon Brando, Jimmy Stewart, etc... He is talented, and doesn't allow himself to be "typed" into any kind of role, and he's not so full of himself to only do movies that will be big pay days or box office smashes. Orlando is an okay actor for me, but he is perfect for Will. I've never really seen him as the tough-guy lead, but he's good as the romantic one who can muster up the will to save the life of the woman he loves. And the stuff between he and his father is really good. Kiera Knightley is also good in this movie as we see Elizabeth step up and take more of a control sort of roll. A strong female character is always good, as long as the actress can pull it off, and she did just fine. And finally, Bill Nighy as Davy Jones. What a great character, and a great job of acting! One of the creepiest villians out there, and the cg is beautiful on him. I liked all the little things brought to this character. The way he spoke, his clakking jowls, the way he walked.. great stuff.

Overall:
This movie is fun! First and foremost and never takes itself too seriously. It is a big film, but it is well done and handled almost as something more than just a spectacle. And for me, the most important thing: this film has heart. You can tell everyone involved had fun and wanted it to be great. And that energy carries over into every aspect of the film, and then out to us, the audience. If Superman had had half of the heart this film does, I might have liked it.

And as for the cliffhanger ending. BRING IT ON!! BRING ON WORLD'S END!! Such a great way to end it, with everything in this movie basically tied up, we know where we're going, and then BOOM! And it's not just some crappy cliffhanger ending with the bad "dum dum duuuummmm" music like in Matrix Reloaded. Just, here is it, aaaaannnnnddd Fade Out... Well done. I'm glad the box office is huge. Glad it's breaking records. And glad that we finally have a true summer blockbuster to enjoy, and munch on nachos to.

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man's Chest recieves a 9 out of 10.

"Summon the KRAKEN!!!!"

(Just so you know, I never give out 10's. Only two movies I've ever seen get 10's: Citizen Kane, and Ben Hur.)

[civilian_number_two]

9 out of 10 is pretty high praise for a popcorn picture. I won't dispute it; if you enjoyed it that much, then awesome.

I do question your assessment of Jack Sparrow in the first film. He is a self-absorbed cad, yes, obsessed with getting his ship back. He also for no good reason exposed himself to the Royal Navy to rescue from drowning a woman he had never met. His good nature is rewarded when he sees the coin around her neck; without his heroics, he would never have found out about it. Jack in the second one is more interested with escaping from the savages than in rescuing his companions. They are left to their own devices, and lucky for them they get away too. I don't know if the Jack in the second film would have rescued Elizabeth, and I'm pretty sure the Jack in the first would not have abandoned his ship when the Kraken attacked.

Small bite at this film: in two separate action sequences, characters are trapped inside a rolling object. Why did we get that twice?

[Jane Sherwood]

Everyone's going on about how less likable Jack is from the first movie, but doesn't anyone else have issues with Norington's development? By the end of Curse of the Black Pearl, I liked him – no, I respected him. But by the end of Dead Man’s Chest he did the most bastard, selfish move of anyone else in the whole movie.

[Jedi_Arco]

civilian_number_two : well put, well put. Jack is different in the first film.. but to me, only slightly. Yes, he dove in and saved Elizabeth, however, isn't it possible that he was just looking for a way to get out of the position he was in? Saving a damsel in distress may have managed to help him find a way out by appearing heroic. Who knows. I have to believe that Jack had something else up his sleeve throughout the new movie and that it will/might be revealed in the 3rd. I hope. If not, it's not that big a deal to me in the long run. And like I said, we had to like him in the first movie or it wouldn't have been such a success. In this one, they could make him a bit more of a cad and the audience would be a bit more forgiving because we already like and identify with him. At least, that's what the movie makers are hoping. But you raise a very good point, and I look forward to seeing if they address it in the 3rd film.

Jane Sherwood -- I agree with you! Thank you! You're the first person to really mention it that I've heard and it bothered me too. So you are not alone. I suppose they are trying to show that he never gave up on trying to catch Jack after the first movie, and never forgave himself for letting Jack have that head start. It appears to have driven him nearly insane. And for a moment, near the end of the film, I thought he might not do what I was afraid he would do, but he did. I hated it too, but I think that's what they wanted the reaction to be. Here's this guy you kinda admire a bit at the end of the first movie, and then this movie he's lost it all and joins up because he has no choice, and in the end he betrays everyone. Bothered the hell out of me. Makes Jack look like not such a selfish prick now, doesn't it? I think they want us to hate him for it, but it is a drastic change in his character from the end of the first movie, but again he's lost his mind a little bit. But I agree with you Jane, it bugged me sooooooooo bad.

[Mirithorn]

Yup. Norrington bothered me. Actually, I didn't even remember him until I went back and thought through every character in the first movie he could have been, since I hadn't watched it in a while. Probably my worst annoyance in the movie.
There's something else about it that irked me, but I don't know exactly what. I feel like Jack- Elizabeth hinted romance is forced, just like the scene with Norrington, Jack, and Will all fighting in the wheel. It just feels contrived, no matter how much they try to throw in fancy embellishments for old time's sake. It just lacks the energy of the first movie- the characters just aren't thrown far enough off kilter for them to be genuinely terrified, surprised, and have moments of weirded-out-ness by the quirks of the other characters. The characters are bleeding together a bit too much- some of that seemed deliberate, but a large amount of humor is lost without the flaws particular to each. The characters are stepping out of their roles- Elizabeth and Will are forced to be outlaws, and the whole East India Trading Company thing is starting to get a bit too evil for my liking.

I think it's a great movie. I just don't like it as much as the first.

[Jane Sherwood]

...and the whole East India Trading Company thing is starting to get a bit too evil for my liking.

Really? I thought it was kind of interesting how the most sinister character/force in the movie is no longer undead or supernatural pirates, but something entirely human. One greedy, manipulative, capitalist out to destroy everything the likes of our beloved Captain Jack hold near and dear; order and control versus chaos and freedom.

Of course, I'll need to see it again so I can analyze it better. Now that I know exactly what happens and the inner fangirl has been sated, I should be able to pick everything apart without bouts of "EEEeee!"-ing and pure delight getting in the way.

...That is, unless I lose it again at Jack's entrance/brilliant escape. That was made of awesome.

[Mirithorn]

...except that now I got all that ranting out of my system I'm actually feeling like I really liked Dead Man's Chest. xp I declare myself officially too completely random in responses to comment on this.

[Jane Sherwood]

Note on a Random Scene: You know that part where the two sailors find Jack's hat drifting in the water, pull it onboard, and their ship is immediately attacked by the kraken? Was anyone else's instant response, "OH MY GOD THEY SO GOT THAT FROM CURSE OF MONKEY ISLAND!!11one!"?

[Zatoichi]

Saw it on opening day and loved it, just haven't been here for a bit.

a few character complaints though:

Davie Jones - I really didn't like the voice at all. It sounded like it belonged to someone of a much smaller stature with a bit of congestion. Unfortunately, because of it, the character did not even strike the littlest inkling (no pun intended) of fear in me. Greatly enjoyed his organ playing though.

Norrington - Total respect for the dude at the end of the first. Almost none at the end of this one. I so wanted him to run that little prick through at the end there. If someone had taken from me my really sweet Admiral Sword because he was a petty little shit, I'd run him through.

that little prick - struck me as short, annoying, irritating and just plain villainous in a really crappy way. Fucker probably can't even swing a sword. The whole time I was thinking that he was just some petty little shit that someone would scrape off their boot. Just waiting for the annoying little twat to die. You may have noticed the many references to his height. I can't remember if he was really short, or just seemed that way. One of the suckiest bad guys that I have ever seen in a film that I liked. I shall believe that he has some kind of inferiority complex.

Jack's crew - a. there were more of them in the end of the first (was hoping to see that chick) than was shown. The easy explanation is death, but I was slightly irritated about that anyways. Also, some characters ended up playing so much off of their specific traits that it became way too ridiculous for me. It was the midgit antics that did me in. Alright, I get it, he's really short, enough already.

Jack - only felt that he had at least earned one kick in the balls by somebody. It may be the way the character really was, but it doesn't mean that he didn't earn it. Okay, at least one bitchslap. (I like how Will took one for him)

Will - said absolutely nothing to Elizabeth after he saw her and Jack kissing. Seriously WTF happened there?

These complaints aren't too big for me though. I found the film to be absolutely hilarious.

[barend]

... a cthulhu i tells ya!

[Jane Sherwood]

He's going to be a big hit in Japan...

... ... ... ...

[Emu]