AmateurMovieReviews.com

First of all let me just say that there are very few sequels that live up to the glory of their predecessors; this is a well-known fact. Although I enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean 2 (Dead Man's Chest) it was certainly wasn't as grand and exciting as the Curse of the Black Pearl. Since there was a lot of hype and excitement over the sequel and people were expecting great things, it did fall short in a few ways.

The acting was great as usual; the characters of Commodore Norrington and Will Turner in particular underwent some major personality changes that were fascinating yet somewhat hard to believe. Jack Sparrow was his same great self; superbly constructed into a likeable and realistic pirate hero. Elizabeth Swann, daughter of Port Royal's governor, was a strong female role in Pirates 1, but in the second movie, let's just say if you like Captain Jack Sparrow, you may first yourself not liking the character of Miss Swann quite so much anymore. I found her character downgraded to more of a tagalong sidekick than a main female role.

I saw Curse of the Black Pearl with my father and wasn't too thrilled about a pirate movie, but since I love history, I decided to watch. Soon I was hooked, and was happy to discover that a sequel was being made. When I could finally watch it, I was on the edge of my seat. One thing I have to say is that there was a bit more violence in this movie than in the first. Some of the fighting scenes are more intense; sword-fighting doesn't bother me because it's done so adeptly, but people getting eaten by a huge sea monster was a bit disturbing. Most children are used to seeing fighting in some form or another in the movies, but I don't know if I'd recommend some of these parts for young kids.

One odd feature of the movie is that, like the first Pirates, an exact year is never mentioned. You know it was the era of the pirates, it's set in Port Royal (in Jamaica, in the English domain of the Caribbean) but one could wonder how accurate the historical portrayals are. Usually in a historical movie (although of course *most* of it is fantasy) the year or era is mentioned. This isn't a big deal if you're not a history buff, however, and kids will probably never notice. There are some great lessons if you watch Dead Man's Chest closely. Will Turner, a kind blacksmith who is head over heels for the governor's daughter, gets a test of his courage in this movie - in Pirates 1, he was more of a back-burner character, but now he's in constant action. He finds his father on a pirate ship doomed for eternity, and instead of wishing something for himself, all he wants to do is free him.

Jack Sparrow is marked to become a servant of Davey Jones but he doesn't go down without a fight. There are some funny moments that will make you giggle, but then gasp at a scene you weren't expecting. I consider this to be more of a movie that explains the characters then a constant action film, although there *is* plenty of action. The ending was the only part of Dead Man's Chest I could have scolded the writers for! Way at the end of the movie, an unexpected character (thought to be dead in the first movie) appears, alive as can be, with no explanation at all, and the movie ends, leaving many (including me) with their mouths hanging open. It was probably done for suspense, but it was still a big shocker.

The goal that was worked toward for the entire movie is not completed, which makes this very unusual among movies, and you have no idea what comes next. I understand they are paving the way for Pirates 3, but I don't think I have ever seen a movie in which none of the plot lines that form the story are resolved. I guess I'll have to wait until Number Three comes out, and hope for a more conclusive ending. (Of course, if there is ever a Pirates 4, the ending of Pirates 3 may also leave us with an annoying cliffhanger!)

By Lacie R. Schaeffer