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Review:
 The
better part of a decade a go, the top brass at Disney decided that
it might be a good idea if they did some reverse “imagineering” of
some of their Disneyland rides. Not all of them were based on
films, and, so the thinking went, a film based on them might make
the rides more popular.
The ploy didn't work. All but one of these “ride-based” films
flopped big time. The lone exception was one of the biggest hits
of 2003, and was nominated for a slew of Oscars® and got quite a
few “lesser” awards. So “Pirates of the Caribbean™” had to become
a franchise. Fortunately, the filmmakers were prepared for this
occurrence. They made plans in advance for a trilogy.
Part two begins in the rain as the beauteous Elizabeth
Swann(Keira Knightley) waiting for her fiancée Will Turner(Orlando
Bloom) to show up at their wedding. Her father the
governor(Jonathan Pryce) is commiserating with her about Will's
absence, when the evil Lord Cutler Beckett(Tom Hollander), the
representative of the East India company arrives with our hero in
chains. He's going to bring charges against Will and Liz for
freeing the notorious Captain Jack Sparrow(Johnny Depp) back in
episode one. Things look bleak…but wait!!!
The evil Lord C, is just using the threat of the gallows as a ploy
to Will to find Cap'n Jack and steal his magic compass, which will
allegedly point the way to one's heart's desire. A nifty little
object indeed. But where's Jack?
He and the crew of the “Black Pearl” are fighting a bunch of
other pirates at a castle somewhere in the Antilles on a quest for
something special, something that looks like a key…what's it open?
Might it have something to do with the mysterious appearance of
the ghost of Bootstrap' Bill(Stellan Skarsgård), who brings a
message from that mysterious and mystical devil Davy Jones(Bill
Nighy)? Ah! and what does the beauteous [despite her teeth] jungle
witch Tia Dalma(Naomie Harris) have to do with all this?
That's the rub.
This film is a true joy. The writing is brilliant, and the
acting is even better, one of those films with as many laughs as
there are thrills.
The special effects are tremendous, especially the crew of the
ghost ship “The Flying Dutchman.” The CGI makeup makes Davy Jones
look like a human squid, and the hybridization of the ghost crew
with sea creatures just pops up out at you.
The supporting cast Joshamee Gibbs(Kevin R. McNally as Jack's
first mate, Lee Arenberg and Mackenzie Crook as the comic-relief
members of the crew, and Jack Davenport as Liz's former fiancée,
do their stuff like a well oiled machine, and with the stars are
absolutely perfect. I can barely wait for Part III next summer.
Eric Lurio
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