Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Pirates of the Caribbean 1 was one of the few movies I’ve enjoyed just for the performance of its lead actor. Sure it had some nice action and a very pretty heroine. But what elevated the movie from being just another action film was Johny Depp’s performance. His staggering movements, slurred speech and befuddled expressions together created a very memorable character in Captain Jack Sparrow and he simply carried the movie on his shoulders. I didn’t think it was possible but Johny Depp gets pushed to the background in Pirates of the Caribbean 2. And without him taking centrestage, the film has a tough time holding our attention.

Pirates of the Caribbean 2 too has some great set pieces and action sequences. The group’s escape from the cannibals is chaotic but great fun and the sequences that feature the attack of the sea-monster Kraken are mindblowing. The long climax is non-stop action and brings in a lot of variety in terms of locations and props used. The sense of fun is never lost and all the fights feature moments that make us smile.

But separating these sequences are long patches marked by backstories, character development and even a little bonding. None of the characters introduced (or brought back) are as interesting as Captain Jack and they haven’t earned the emotional investment needed to make their stories interesting to us. It is in these places that Jack Sparrow is badly missed. He is not seen for long periods of time and even when he is around, he seems strangely subdued. He is just not as high-spirited as he was in the previous film and so is not as much fun.

But the film makes sure that everyone who sees it will be awaiting the next part eagerly. It brings in a new development that makes us curious about how it will play out, in the love story between Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. It also ends with a great cliffhanger (and brings back an interesting character from the first film) that promises even more action the next time around.