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Pirates Of The Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest (2 Disc Special Edition) [2006]


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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review

Take the first Pirates of the Caribbean film, add a dash of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and a lot more rum. Shake well and you'll have something resembling Dead Man's Chest, a bombastic sequel that's enjoyable as long as you don't think too hard about it. The film opens with the interrupted wedding of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), both of whom are arrested for aiding in the escape of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) in the first film. Their freedom can only be obtained by getting Captain Jack's compass, which is linked to a key that's linked to a chest belonging to Davy Jones, an undead pirate with a tentacle face and in possession of a lot of people's souls. If you're already confused, don't worry--plot is definitely not the strong suit of the franchise, as the film excels during its stunt pieces, which are impressively extravagant (in particular a three-way swordfight atop a mill wheel). It may help to know that Dead Man's Chest was filmed simultaneously with some of Pirates 3, so don't expect a complete resolution (think more The Empire Strikes Back) or the movie will feel a lot longer than it really is. Bloom shows a tad bit more brawn this time around, but he's still every bit as pretty as the tomboyish Knightley. (Seriously, sometimes you think they could swap roles.) Bill Nighy (Love, Actually) weighs in as Davy Jones and Stellan Skarsgård appears as Will's undead father. But the film still belongs wholly to Depp, who in a reprise of his Oscar-nominated role gets all the belly laughs with a single widened eyeliner-ed gaze. He still runs like a cartoon hen and slurs like Keith Richards--and he's still one of the most fascinating movie characters in recent history. --Ellen A. Kim


The best of the trilogy
Review date: 2008-10-26 Rating: 10 out of 10

I have one piece of advice for you: IGNORE ALL THE BAD REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They are all complete codswallop! I mean, GET A LIFE! This is only the best of the three! Not to mention the extra disc with how they made it (very interesting - have to watch the bit about Davy Jones).

This is an ALL TIME FAMILY FAVOURITE in my house - no kidding. There's some dispute in my family about which of the three is best, but we all agree that POTC 2 is the funniest. I mean, there is a three-way battle on a giant water-wheel! For heaven's sake! Not to mention the- No, I won't spoil it for you. Because you're going to watch it. Aren't you? OF COURSE YOU ARE!!!!!!!!!!!

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Reviews


not as good as the first
Review date: 2008-06-07 Rating: 4 out of 10

dissapointing sequel that has three things going for it 1)johnny depp 2) the cannibal bit 3) the sea monster

Pirates Of The Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest
Review date: 2008-02-03 Rating: 2 out of 10

Pirates Of The Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest is the most disappointing movie I have watched it was obviously made to cash in on the unexpected success of the first movie. It has some ridiculous characters and it just gets so silly as to be pathetic- if you enjoyed the first movie you are bound to be disappointed by this and if you hated the first movie you will loathe this pathetic effort. sucks........for very, very small children only.

Not as good as the first
Review date: 2007-10-09 Rating: 6 out of 10

I thought this film was nowhere near as good as the first one. There didn't seem to be a strong enough plot.

Johnny Depp seems to have to live upto all the hype created in the first film and I think he tries a little too hard.

With the budget for this film I was expecting something better.

Not Dead Man's Best
Review date: 2007-09-03 Rating: 4 out of 10

From hunting mice to hunting a compass on the high seas. Gore Verbinski's Mousehunt was an enjoyable romp which had characters who made it fun. These two elements are desparately lacking from Dead Mans Chest and as a result it pitches completely over the side. The big screen doesn't see much of seafaring films and although there have been one or two attempts to revitalise the genre, it's never really happened, which is pity.

I came into this series with this, the second instalment, on the strength of my daughter telling me that I didn't need to see the first one. Fair enough. She was right, but as it turned out, I didn't need to see this one either. It's one of those films which you just know is going to be a duffer even after three minutes. After forty five minutes the film was still struggling to find any direction, not knowing whether it was comedy or drama and from then on, things got worse. The plot has all the control of a headless chicken and sloppy directing and poor pacing give the film the feel of a sixth form play. That's not a criticism of school drama but we are talking blockbuster here.

Cliches abound, although there do seem to be nods towards other films: The Crimson Pirate, Indiana Jones (see below), Apocalypse Now (surely not), as well as the work of Terry Gilliam. Monty Python? Star Wars. Or perhaps I was looking a little too deeply. And there's the problem; I never really knew what I was watching. OK, you may say, why not just watch it for what it is? But that's what I'm saying - what is it?

I soon began to doubt Gore Verbinski's abilty to direct; certainly his strongest scenes are the action set pieces, but even these desparately need a more expert hand. Spielberg came to mind here. With Indiana Jones he has cast a mould in the action department which it seems, cannot be broken although many have tried. And failed, as Verbinski certainly has.

Action needs characterisation to make it work and Verbinski has also failed to give his characters any real sense of purpose with the result that most of them don't appear to give a damn about the film at all. With the material which they have to work with though, that's not surprising. I'm sure that a little bit of direction would have done the trick.

Johnny Depp, who manages to be both a star and an actor who is able imbue his characters with great depth and sensitivity, simply employs facial tics, grimaces and a funny walk and is just...well, daft. An utterly pointless character who fails to command any screen presence at all. Johnny cannot be proud of this performance surely, but he does a very good English accent. That's got to be worth one star.

And the second? Well, I think that just leaving it at one would make me appear meaner that bloke with the tentacles. Yeah, Bill Nighy, he was pretty good.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Keira Knightley
Geoffrey Rush
Orlando Bloom
Johnny Depp
Stellan Skarsgaard

Creators:
Johnny Depp (Primary Contributor)
Geoffrey Rush (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm
EAN: 8717418099756
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2006-11-20
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 145 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2006
Language: English (Original Language)

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