I can hear you now, you're tired of sequels and you think they are only made because Hollywood can no longer produce original material. Well, if producers of the past thought that there would be no Thin Man series, no Star Wars or Trek epics and no Godfather saga. When we like something we want more of it and sequels are the way to keep a good thing going. The reason they sometimes fail is because the producer/director often strays away from the formula that made the original a success. NOT this time! I was impressed with The Black Pearl, and while wishing for a sequel I was hoping they wouldn't blow it. Fear not! This picture is bigger and better than the first one in every way possible. Jack Sparrow, excuse me, CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow, is reminded early in our story that he owes a debt to Davy Jones. He owes his soul, which he made a deal for some years ago and if he can't "fix" the deal he will have to serve on Jones' phantom ship, the Flying Dutchman, with the others sailors unfortunate enough to have "made the deal". He is accompanied on his quest by his old friends Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) as he both searches for what he must have to undo the debt and runs for his life from Davy Jones who is demanding his payment. This picture is an old time 40's or 50's adventure story, the kind we saw as kids (well, at least some of us). It has it all. Exotic locations, beautiful scenery, good guys, bad guys, damsels and monsters. But what really makes it work is the way director Gore Verbinski combines the adventure genre with the supernatural genre, like the Sinbad pictures, only better. It IS a pirate movie, but just when we get into that mode something jumps out and scares us. Johnny Depp was great as Captain Sparrow and seemed less, shall we say eccentric this time. I guess we got used to him. The story was great, the acting was superb, the jokes were funny and just kept coming and the special effects were fabulous. This was a dynamic sequel, Hollywood at it's very best. Oh, and there WILL be a #3. Trust me! "The captain is acting a bit STRANGE........ER!" RECOMMENDATION: See it! Don't wait for the DVD or tape (did I say tape?) DO NOT see this on one of those bootleg DVD's that you like to buy. This picture DEMANDS the big screen! See it there. Take the family. Rated PG-13 for adventure type violence and some scary images. TWO VERY SWASHED AND BUCKLED THUMBS UP!!! (Shiver me timbers! AARGH!) Movie Review © 2006 by Terry Anderson |
