A Pirate's Night for Me
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.
The CGI has improved greatly since 2003, which is rather unfortunate for some. This movie's creatures from the deep were far more grotesque than the former crew. The images of barnacles growing on people's faces or the thing leeching on Bootstrap Bill's forehead (which I figured out late into the film was a starfish) will stay with me for a long time. I am better built for the last movie's "haunted but campy" look, more akin to the Disney ride. This film had more of a "hope your bile ducts are strong" kind of quality, which overall gave it a much darker veil.
Speaking of Bootstrap Bill, I'm glad they brought him back. I was always concerned about what happened to him after the curse was lifted. I never liked the idea of him drowning in a whisper after 11 years of being chained under the water.
There were some good comic moments, especially from Pintel and Ragetti, but most of the jokes worked off Black Pearl. And the dialogue just did not have the punch of its predecessor. Not to mention that it was awfully convoluted as to who wanted allegiance with whom and why and oh, there's a random murder in the beginning. Politics were bound to enter the equation, but it could have been slightly less complicated.
It was another blow that Jack's position wasn't entirely clear. In the first movie it was fairly obvious that he was quirky and devious, but overall, a decent human being. He came off here as more self-centered with foggy intentions and not the ally of Will and Elizabeth that he should have been. "Pirate", yes. But this is Jack Sparrow we're dealing with, not some petty thief.
Dead Man's Chest did seem long, though in actuality, it's only seven minutes longer than Black Pearl. But Dead Man's Chest lacked the well-woven comic/action pace of the first and the music did not have as powerful a lure. At points you might feel that Davy Jones' Locker has claimed your soul as well.
Overall, 2.5/4, cliffhanger endings can eat my hook, and I'm pissed that I won't be able to stomach calamari for at least a week.
The CGI has improved greatly since 2003, which is rather unfortunate for some. This movie's creatures from the deep were far more grotesque than the former crew. The images of barnacles growing on people's faces or the thing leeching on Bootstrap Bill's forehead (which I figured out late into the film was a starfish) will stay with me for a long time. I am better built for the last movie's "haunted but campy" look, more akin to the Disney ride. This film had more of a "hope your bile ducts are strong" kind of quality, which overall gave it a much darker veil.
Speaking of Bootstrap Bill, I'm glad they brought him back. I was always concerned about what happened to him after the curse was lifted. I never liked the idea of him drowning in a whisper after 11 years of being chained under the water.
There were some good comic moments, especially from Pintel and Ragetti, but most of the jokes worked off Black Pearl. And the dialogue just did not have the punch of its predecessor. Not to mention that it was awfully convoluted as to who wanted allegiance with whom and why and oh, there's a random murder in the beginning. Politics were bound to enter the equation, but it could have been slightly less complicated.
It was another blow that Jack's position wasn't entirely clear. In the first movie it was fairly obvious that he was quirky and devious, but overall, a decent human being. He came off here as more self-centered with foggy intentions and not the ally of Will and Elizabeth that he should have been. "Pirate", yes. But this is Jack Sparrow we're dealing with, not some petty thief.
Dead Man's Chest did seem long, though in actuality, it's only seven minutes longer than Black Pearl. But Dead Man's Chest lacked the well-woven comic/action pace of the first and the music did not have as powerful a lure. At points you might feel that Davy Jones' Locker has claimed your soul as well.
Overall, 2.5/4, cliffhanger endings can eat my hook, and I'm pissed that I won't be able to stomach calamari for at least a week.