Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

i must have seen a different film!!

Admirable film.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

There is in this picture one virtue that covers everything else - this is a story. I compare this film with chess - after every turn or word of this or that hero the situation changes dramatically and the alignment of forces acquires a new character.Better than anyone can manipulate the moves of Jack Sparrow. He is very sensitive to the nerve of conversation, instantly assesses the situation and gives a decent response to any "gifts" of fate. From the first viewing it is difficult to realize how profound the film is.Behind external beauty, a good game of actors hides a famously twisted, dynamic and very clever plot.Everyone who does not like the picture, I advise you to review it more carefully, listening to the dialogue of the characters and trying to understand the motives of their actions. I assure you will get a real pleasure! An outstanding film!

The sequel of the excellent "Pirates of the Caribbean" is for me missed. So yes, Johnny Deep is still very good, yes, the special effects are very good but that is not enough. Already, I must say, I don't like the fantastic. In the first opus, it didn't bother me but in this one I really didn't like and so Davy Jones is certainly very charismatic but I really didn't hang. Otherwise, it remains a sequel and I find that, even if one remains in the atmosphere of the first, there is disappointment. And if not, concern the end (which I would not spoil), personally, I'm not really hyped, even a little dubious. Well, it's not a bad movie but for me, it's not a good sequel. I hesitated between putting 7/10 or 6/10 but after seeing the third film of the saga, which I preferred but which is not worth more than 7 for me, I opted for a 6/10. Not a good sequel.

When the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, Curse of the Black Pearl, became a cinematic sensation overnight in 2003, a sequel was all but assured. Thankfully, Dead Man's Chest builds on its predecessor, rather than coasting off its success. With Gore Verbinski back in the director's chair and salivating at the chance to up the ante on the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is simply electrifying. Thrilling, humorous, and straight up fun, Dead Man's Chest is a skillfully crafted summer blockbuster with more exuberant joy per square minute than just about everything else hitting cinemas today.Dead Man's Chest amps up the stakes dramatically from Curse of the Black Pearl. Where that film was a straightforward adventure in the vein of the classic pirate movies of the 1930s through the 50s, the sequel is darker and more dramatic, while still retaining the wholesome charm of the first film. Captain Jack Sparrow, once again played with enthusiastic charm by Johnny Depp, is the focal point of the plot this time around. A prior deal with this film's villain, the grotesque fish creature named Davy Jones (motion captured by Bill Nighy), leaves Jack Sparrow on the run as Jones and the cursed crew of his ship, The Flying Dutchman, lead a relentless pursuit. This short summary fails to capture the complexity of the story of Dead Man's Chest. There is a lot to keep track of here. The rules for the various ancient curses and spells are given an exorbitant amount of screen time and the peripheral characters each have their own side stories which converge around this film's MacGuffin, a chest containing the still-beating heart of Davy Jones. Would it be a better film if the story shed some of the superfluous side stories and charted a simpler path? I'm not sure that's the case. The story of Dead Man's Chest is very involved with many moving parts, but it is not particularly difficult to follow. Basically, Pirates 2 simply raises the stakes from the first movie. It's a grander adventure. A pirate saga where characters like Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann get some appreciated character development. Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly both give an earnest sweetness to roles that may have otherwise rang hollow. The story is also a good deal grimmer than the first movie. Most of that darkness comes from Nighy's Davy Jones. Jones and his crew are the standouts of the movie. The Flying Dutchman's half man, half fish creatures (envisioned by master designer Crash McCreery) are wonders of imagination in the way they combine man and sea in constantly inventive ways. Jones himself is one of the great special effects creations ever. The iconic coiling tentacles that make up Jones' beard are completely photo-realistic, even in extreme close-up. You never believe what you are looking at is an effect. Jones is as real a CGI creature as I've ever seen. It's in his eyes though that ILM's work really shines. Nighy's spirit is all there and his unpredictable motion capture performance gives Davy Jones tremendous menace whenever he's on the screen. If Johnny Depp's breakout performance as Captain Jack stole the show in the first Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest belongs to Gore Verbinski. Verbinski is clearly having a blast with this script (written by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio), and his passion is there from the opening frame. There is a youthful vigor and enthusiasm for filmmaking all throughout this film's two and a half hour run time. Verbinski has an eye for adventure, and his complete command over tone is unmatched. When Dead Man's Chest commits to scenes of classic swashbuckling excitement, this thing sings. The locations are so lush and vibrant, the characters are so charming, and the action scenes are so fervently inventive, that Dead Man's Chest completely overcomes any narrative bloat it might have. This movie is a feast of pure adventure spectacle. The big action set-pieces, the most exciting of which are an elaborate three-way sword-fight through the jungle on a giant wooden wheel and an epic attack by the mythical Kraken, are showcases for Verbinski's talent at giving his action scenes personality and life. Here is a director who just knows how to mix thrills and humor into a perfect entertainment gumbo. The balance is effortless. For their part, the cast does phenomenal work keeping up with Verbinski's manic energy as well. There is something to be said about how lively an action scene can be when you can see the actors savoring everything about the scenes they are in.And it's not just the action scenes that spring to life on the screen. The entire movie is supercharged with crowd-pleasing energy. This is one big, lovable film. Even with a story that sometimes feels arbitrarily drawn out, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a soaring success because of director Gore Verbinski's zest for big budget summer popcorn filmmaking. From Verbinksi to every member of the enormous cast, everybody involved with this film seems to be fully committed to the spirit of fun that made Pirates of the Caribbean one of the most deservedly popular movie franchises ever. Dead Man's Chest is a top tier summer blockbuster, with a visionary director working the audience like a fiddle. In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Gore Verbinski takes us on an unforgettable ride. In a theater with a big crowd, it's as good a time as you will ever have at the movies.93/100

The follow-up chapter to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl might appear inferior in content & a step-down in quality of narration but it nonetheless succeeds as a worthy sequel that presents significant upgrades in many aspects, takes the spectacle of the first film to a higher level and despite a few hiccups remains a highly entertaining & amusing ride for the most part.The second installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Dead Man's Chest continues the journey of the savvy pirate Captain Jack Sparrow as he's reminded of the debt he owes to Davy Jones, Captain of the Flying Dutchman, and then races against time to steal Jones' heart in order to strike a bargain with him. But he isn't the only one as other friends & foes seek the heart for their own agendas as well.Directed by Gore Verbinski, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest opens on a really interesting note, takes more time than before to set up its premise because of which a few sequences feel static but once the board is set, the movie truly delivers the epic spectacle it promised. The screenplay follows multiple story lines often interacting with each other at times but it does come together in the end to form a coherent structure.The technical aspects present a massive upgrade, thanks to the higher budget. Set pieces are even more impressive than before and both the Black Pearl & the Flying Dutchman are magnificently designed & detailed. Cinematography exhibits a dynamic range in capturing all the action & drama, the exotic locations are beautifully photographed and it also makes extensive use of the colour palette to provide its tale a more vivid touch.Editing fails to give the narrative a tightly-knitted structure like it did in the earlier chapter for there are a few sequences that could've been further trimmed, even the pace is uneven at places and its 150 minutes of runtime is felt on few occasions. Visual effects is a major step-up that ups the ante by a significant margin and what it did with CGI back then was an achievement in itself, most impressive part of it being the sea monster Kraken as well as the convincing portrait of Davy Jones.Finally, the music department exhibits a major forward leap as well. While the previous film was scored by one of Hans Zimmer's prodigies, it's the master himself who takes the front seat for this sequel and delivers a soundtrack that certainly goes down as one of his finest compositions. Orchestrated with bigger instruments, Zimmer's score pulsates with an epic feel that encapsulates the whole picture and goes a long way in enhancing the experience.Coming to the performances, Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom & Keira Knightley reprise their respective roles of Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner & Elizabeth Swann and further build upon their inputs of the first film. Depp once again overshadows everyone with yet another swashbuckling turn as the savvy pirate but his performance isn't as terrific as it was in the previous movie. Also making an instant impression of his own is Bill Nighy in the role of Davy Jones, who happens to be a strange mix of aquatic flora & fauna.On an overall scale, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest might be slightly inferior to The Curse of the Black Pearl but it's just as enjoyable, entertaining & amusing, if not more. The plot tends to be more inclined towards the fantasy element but it takes the humour with it and the sense of adventure is kept alive throughout its runtime. It's just that few scenes exist only for viewers' amusement & contribute nothing to the story. More epic in both scope & ambition, Dead Man's Chest is definitely a fun experience that gets most things right, if not all. Delightfully recommended