Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

The second Pirates of the Caribbean movie was definitely not as good as the first. Dead Man’s Chest was born of the incredible and unprecedented success of the first film. I thought it was a good film, but it was a lot more transparent as an attempt to bleed more money from a successful film. The plot was good, and I really enjoyed it, but it didn't live up to the expectations set by the first film.

The plot sees Captain Jack Sparrow attempt to track down the heart of the legendary Davy Jones, stab it, and become the captain of the Flying Dutchman, sailing the seven seas forever. It is the first part of a two-part series, and nicely introduces a couple of legends of the pirate mythology. Jack’s quest naturally puts him in a number of hilarious situations, such as being lauded as a God by natives of an island. Johnny Depp returns with his brilliant, funny and unique style to the role of Captain Jack Sparrow, who has lost none of his wit and eccentricity. Orlando Bloom also returns, but this time, Will Turner is a much stronger and less ‘whiny’ character, and has much more of a key role to play than in the original film.

Keira Knightley, who I didn't talk about in the first Pirates of the Caribbean post, plays a very similar character in both films. She is confident, headstrong, defiant and immensely strong willed, and this is a marvellous way to present a character who stereotypically would be some helpless maiden at sea with pirates. She is very clever and immensely divisive, as shown by her acceptance of Norrington’s marriage proposal in the first film, by her sacrificing of Jack to the Kraken, and by her role as Pirate King in the third movie. Still there is a much more sentimental side to her and she is a very different character when she is around Will. From the start of the franchise it is obvious that she is in love with him, and the way that they are torn apart at the start of this film is quite sad. Not as tragic as the way they are torn apart at the end of the third film though.

I thought that the plot around the rising power of Cutler Beckett was a nice backdrop to these films, and definitely added a sense of ‘background’ to the ‘one-off world’ feel that we got with the first movie. Beckett is a reprehensible character, but the audience’s attitude towards him is another example of the marvellous manner in which the director makes the audience like the bad guy. Throughout the franchise I was always rooting for the pirates, and so the way the films are presented to the audience are very good. I’m not sure if all the points I’m making here can be extended to On Stranger Tides because I haven’t seen it, and so I’m not going to consider that particular (disappointing) instalment in this series of reviews, but I plan to watch it at some point.

In Dead Man’s Chest we are introduced to Davy Jones, who is exceptionally portrayed by Bill Nighy. Nighy is one of the most recognisable British actors going at the moment, and is one of my favourites. As ever, he doesn't disappoint in this role, and the way he is presented by the visual effects team is incredible. To have him and his crew slowly developing into a part of the ocean is such an original idea, and makes the crew of the Flying Dutchman all the more scary. He is a fierce and powerful character, and Bill Nighy does such a good job in this role that I found myself looking forward to more instances of him on the screen, much like Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. In the third film we are presented with more of his history, but in the second film he is a continuous threat, and there is a sense that he is always hanging on the shoulder of Jack and his quest. The resources he has available to him are also quite imposing. His ship is faster than the others, and can even sail under the sea. When the ship emerges from the sea it is quite threatening, and serves to strike fear into the hearts of the crews that he captures. The scariest thing about Davy Jones is his control of the Kraken. The Kraken is another masterpiece of visual effects, and the film crew has produced a terrifying beast with this particular monster.

Overall, Dead Man’s Chest is a good film, but does not live up to the lofty standards of the first film. It is enjoyable though, and seems to be a continual series of events leading to the climax. It’s one of those films that keeps you entertained and I never checked my watch to see how long was left. If you have seen the first movie, then watching the second one is not a bad idea. However, if you are planning to get into the franchise, Dead Man’s Chest is not the one to start with. The twist at the end for starters is only understandable if you have seen the first film.