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Somehow, this sequel to one of the most unexpected pleasant surprises (in terms of films) in the last few years just didn't quite work for me. It definitely had its highlights, and the last 30-45 minutes was very enjoyable in particular. The main problem for me was that the film felt rather directionless and muddled, with no particular well-defined quest that the characters were aiming for (I know for the most part they were searching for the chest in the title, but they didn't really seem to be actively searching). Other parts that I had been looking forward to were also handled poorly, like the introduction of Bootstrap Bill, the father of Orlando Bloom's Will, who just seemed to turn up with little fanfare. A lot of the exposition was delivered by characters with very strong accents, making it hard to understand and follow at some points.
Much has been made of the fact that the makers see this as their Empire Strikes Back, with a darker tone than the original. However, the tone didn't need to be darkened (the same mistake was made with Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom), because it lost some of the sense of fun. Also, it wasn't just the tone that was darker; there were also too many scenes set at night, robbing the film of the original's attractive colourful aesthetic. Disappointingly, a lot of Captain Jack's humour felt forced this time round too. It seemed like the writers were just trying too hard to be funny. Despite my numerous criticisms, the film wasn't a total failure by any means. The cannibal island detour was enjoyable, if a little redundant; and the swordfight near the climax involving the waterwheel was excellent, putting most other movie swordfights to shame. A disappointment, then, but not a complete washout.
The summary
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is sporadically entertaining but too long and convoluted for its own good.
