Dead men tell very few lies
Pirates of the caribbean 2: Dead man's chest
Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley
Rated: PG-13
2.5 Stars
Let me begin by saying I was pumped for this movie I love the first Pirates of the Caribbean, and I've been looking forward to the sequel ever since I heard there was going to be one. That being said, perhaps I was overly excited and expecting too much. After all, while Depp has had moments of supreme grandeur in the past, he is only a man, and can't be expected to be great all the time. What this is all building up to is that I didn't find Dead Man's Chest to be nearly the movie that Pirates was. Maybe it's not fair to compare them because on it's own, I think Dead Man's Chest is an amusing film. But that's what happens when you make a sequel, there's a movie to compare it to. Deal with it.
The film starts off at the scene of Elizabeth and William's wedding, only it's quite obvious that there will be no wedding. The couple is being arrested for aiding in the escape of a pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow. They are thrown into jail, but Will is offered a deal by the suspicious king's man: retrieve Sparrow's special compass and he and Elizabeth will be set free. Hence Will takes off with the promise to return triumphant. For Elizabeth's father, this promise is not enough, so he takes matters into his own hands, and breaks Elizabeth out of jail and sends her to England. She never makes it to England, because she sets off to find Will and aid him in his quest. Meanwhile, Captain Jack Sparrow learns that the debt he owes to Davey Jones (who is pretty much the devil) is payable as of now, so he is running around frantically trying to find the chest that will end Davey Jones's power over him. Ultimately the three meet up and gallivant around the high seas with the usual deception and trickery. Expect to see many familiar faces from the first film in surprise places, but don't expect any sort of conclusion to the story. This film is mostly just a liaison between the first and now apparent third films.
While the plot is suspenseful, there is, at times, too much to keep track of. Additionally, the onscreen chemistry between Depp, Knightly and Bloom that was so vibrant in Pirates comes off feeling forced in Dead Man's Chest. It almost feels as though the movie takes everything that worked about the first film and just tried to shove more of that into the second movie, which ends up seeming unnatural and very scripted (yes, I realize that a movie is actually scripted, but this one seemed too scripted). Despite it's shortcomings, Dead Man's Chest is still an entertaining movie. It is packed with exciting battles and swordfights, intrigue and deception, and is humorous though every turn. I recommend this movie, but just don't get your hopes too far up.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
