FLICK REVIEW-- PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2: DEAD MAN’S CHEST

Avast, mateys!

Here be the swashbuckling sequel to that seaworthy treasure “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.”

‘Tis a long-winded tale with a plot a mite complex this be, but loaded with twists and merriment and a final hour that will blow ye down. So gather a ration of hardtack and a bottle of rum — or a hotdog and soda, if that be yer choice — and drop anchor with “Dead Man’s Chest.”

Swaying about in a constant state of bewilderment, three sheets into the wind, Johnny Depp’s second turn as our favorite, mascara-wearing prancing pirate is the prize of the seven seas — equal if not superior to the performance that won him an Oscar nomination in the first film. The thrill of discovering Jack Sparrow the first time around is gone, but it's still a joy watching him play this narcissistic, word-slurring anti-hero. Just seeing Depp run — and Capt. Jack runs a lot in this movie — is to behold a live Loony Tune chracter.

When we last saw our beloved sea dogs, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) had battled cursed skeletal pirates to retake his beloved ship, the Black Pearl, and his unwilling mates in piracy Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) were on their way to the altar. But before the happy couple can say, "I do," they're arrested by newly appointed Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) of the evil East India Trading Company for helping Jack escape the hangman's noose. To barter for their freedom, they must find Jack and retrieve his compass that doesn’t point north. But the good Captain has problems of his own. Thirteen—Thirty—whichever—years ago, in exchange for his captaincy of the Pearl, Jack offered his soul to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), the undead, half-octopus captain who controls the sea depths and his damned, barnacle-covered crew from his ghostly ship The Flying Dutchman. Unfortunately for Jack, Jones has come to collect.

Davy Jones and his crew are fantastic, flawless creations — you can't take your eyes off them. John Knoll's Industrial Light & Magic visual effects team have gone above and beyond the call here, creating a band of characters that impeccably serve the story without needlessly calling attention to themselves.

There's a Hammerhead Shark Man, a Hermit Crab Head ... Although they're almost entirely computer creations, they feel as real as the flesh-and-blood humans.
More real, in fact. If Depp was the Oscar nomination waiting to happen for "Black Pearl," it's Nighy's turn for "Dead Man's Chest." Here, even though everything about the squid-faced Jones, even the eyes, are artificial, Nighy's performance comes through loud and clear, full of magnificent menace, a villain for the ages.

Disney put back together the filmmaking team (Elliott and Rossio, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Gore Verbinski) and set off on to film Pirates 2 and 3 (titled At World's End, and scheduled for release next summer) back-to-back. Unfortunately, it seems Elliott and Rossio, felt bigger meant better. That's not to say “Dead Man's Chest” isn't good. It's just not as good as the first “Pirates” film, but it could have been.

"Dead Man's Chest" seems to believe that there needs to be more of everything to work. We’re given two of everything — villains, self-sacrificing fathers, love triangles — when one would have been plenty. I'll sail with Captain Jack any day, and the writers have crafted a fine story with Davy Jones and his famous chest that will keep you guessing and interested, but there are too many action scenes that go on a few beats too long. Jack's lengthy rescue from gibberish-speaking cannibals is a Disney cartoon adventure come to life, but does nothing to move the film ahead that couldn't have been done an easier (and shorter) way.

Still, one mustn’t miss a three-way sword duel between Jack, Will, and Norrington (Jack Davenport) atop a runaway mill wheel.

Lucky for us, Verbinski always finds a lighthearted moment or joke to keep the audience interested, which saves “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” from getting lost in a sea of confusing plot twists and average dialogue. Plus, you get a great set up for the next “Pirates” movie.

Miss Swann, who was so fresh and rebellious the first time around, seems more like an anchor in this film. Jack is being chased by Davey Jones and his pet sea monster, the kracken, while Will reunites with his dead father, Bootstrap Bill (Stellan Skarsgård). The writers give such attention to these two stories (as well they should) that Elizabeth's mini-adventure to join their company seems pointless in comparison. She sheds the frills and finery of home for the smelly rags of a pirate, and looks prettier than a school of mermaids in doing so. And she’s learned to swing a sharp sword. But once she meets up with the rest, her intentions are cloudy and she starts showing sudden feelings for Jack (the second triangle here). She’s not the bonnie lass we thought she was.

While action and effects are plentiful, it’s the characters who drive this nautical tale. Will continues the exploration of his inner pirate and whether that's such a bad thing, and Captain Jack keeps the other characters and the audience entertained and unaware of his intentions until the very end. All the eccentric side characters from the first go-round are back as well, and Elliott and Rossio keep the jokes flying as fast as the swords and cannon shots. The film ends on such a surprising one-two punch that it may take you a full hour to realize that neither shock made much sense -- a perfect summation of “Pirates of the Caribbean 2” and its charm.

Though the script sometimes gives us too much of a good thing, when the scenes cook they’re the essence of summer moviemaking. They shiver your timbers and make you feel like a kid eager to keep a weather eye on the horizon as you wait in line for the next “Pirates” voyage. See you “At World's End.”