Jul 19, 2006 10:02 PM
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Jack Sparrow is back as the Captain of the infamous Black Pearl-And back with a bang!
With fresh new adventures and some old classic battles, this movie is as good as the first movie and maybe even better!!! Johnny Depp embodies the role of the cunning, mischievous yet honorable pirate as he is in search of the key that opens the Dead Man’s Chest.
The story begins with Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), who are about to be wed when they are arrested by the new Governor, who had replaced Governor Swann (Jonathan Pryce) from the previous movie. They will be jailed and executed unless Turner gets Sparrow’s compass, which will point in the direction of that which one seeks most, in this case, the direction of the chest. When he finally meets up with Jack on an island inhabited by savage natives (much like Skull Island in King Kong), he negotiates with Sparrow: the Key for the Compass. It also happens that the one who holds the key also owns Sparrow’s soul and Bloom is the one to repay the debt, unbeknownst to poor Turner. The one to whom the debt is owed is Captain Davey Jones (Bill Nighy) of the Flying Dutchman.
After the foundation of the story is laid, the action and adventure begins. We see Sparrow made up in face paint, seated on a throne before his constituents. With four blue eyes on either side of his face, three below the eye and one above, so that when his eyes are closed, they look open (and very bizarre), particularly when he then opens his eyes and the real Johnny Depp comes alive. He is truly the perfect Captain Jack Sparrow and plays him like no one can, much like his quirky Mr. Willie Wonka.
The movie continues with one action adventure after another, much like a fast ride, complete with the best sea monster characters (akin to the Predator), ships, adult and childish humor and great sword fights. The most fantastic parts were the ones in which the giant octopus takes on the Black Pearl and the final battle with Sparrow. Each member of the Davey Jones crew is a unique and detailed character: Captain Davey Jones as the piano playing octopus who lisps and draws his words out in a sultry drawl, the hammerhead shark with a temper, the Hermit Crab who frequently loses his head and William Turner’s father, the overwrought Barnacle infested mate who seems to have more critters attaching to his face and body with every scene. There is even a cameo by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. I was disappointed that we did not see more of him. I also missed Sparrow’s coin trick, which he supposedly modeled after Richards, mimicking his guitar savvy. Still a few favorites: the nasty little monkey, the one eyed pirate who always loses his eye (which the monkey seems to find and tease him with) and his sidekick, the balding man with more hair on his face and neck than his head.
One of the most memorable scenes is of the crew of the Black Pearl on the island, captured by the natives, strung up into skeletal jails in the shape of a ball, is of the best. It was clever even if familiar, not only for the action but for the comic relief. Equally great was the escape of Sparrow from the fire pit where he is strung up for a BBQ, the main dish Sparrow Kabob with fresh melon and coconut.
The climax is one of the best of all with the great battle in which the giant octopus casts up around and through the Black Pearl and swallows her up with Jack Sparrow chained to the mast. Cladden with his Sword and his fiery attitude, Sparrow is to be the martyr in the eyes of his crew and braces himself as he looks into the mouth of the foreboding creature. Only Elizabeth knows the truth. It was she who shackled him there. What will be his fate? What is the fate of the Black Pearl and what happened to the Treasure that caused this chaos to begin with?
Directed by Gore Verbinski and Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer (of CSI), this is a MUST see if you like Depp, Pirates and action. The action went for 2 hours and 30 minutes but the only part that dragged was the very beginning and when the movie ended, I really wanted more. And more there will be since they already have much of Pirates of the Caribbean 3 completed.
