PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST

US, 2006, 151 minutes,.
Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Jack Davenport, Bill Nighy, Jonathan Pryce, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook, Kevin Mc Nally, Stellan Skarsgaard, Tom Hollander, Naomie Harris.
Directed by Gore Verbinski.


In the early decades of the 20th century, Douglas Fairbanks Sr and Douglas Fairbanks Jr along with Errol Flynn cornered the market on pirates with Black Swans, Sinbad, Captain Blood. Robert Newton was both Long John Silver and Blackbeard. Tyrone Power and Burt Lancaster also had their chances. However, in recent times, it is said that pirate movies do not succeed at the box office. Roman Polanski's Pirates was a case in point as well as Cutthroat Island.

That may all be over now as the Pirates of the Caribbean sail on to our screens. Based loosely on the ride in Disneyland, the project has been written by the authors of Shrek, Aladdin and The Mark of Zorro and produced by the ace of big action shows, Jerry Bruckheimer. And audiences have enjoyed it.

Set in the early 18th century, it has all the popular ingredients of sea battles, abductions of heroines, sturdy fighting heroes, an array of cutlass-armed sailors and prissy British authorities. It has a new element in so far as the pirates are under a curse and cannot die until the blood of one of their colleagues is spilt on some gold medallions. This enables the special effects crew to have the pirates look normal until the moonlight shines on them and we see them as skeletons.

The surprise of the first film is Johnny Depp as the laissez faire Captain Jack Sparrow whose ship has been stolen by Borbosa. He escapes the island where he has been marooned and steps into all kinds of trouble in the port. Depp sports a made-up dreadlock style with a swaggering, slightly alcoholic accent, giving the wink to many of the old pirate conventions. He was so popular that this was the first of four sequels

Orlando Bloom (Legolas in The Lord of the Rings) is the blacksmith hero and Keira Knightly quite a feisty heroine with Jonathan Pryce as the governor, her father.

It is quite long but enough going on and the performances good enough to keep us attentive.

It’s probably best to say first that this sequel to the popular Pirates of the Caribbean runs for two and a half hours. In a cinema foyer recently I overheard two little boys (6 and 8 or thereabouts) standing by the giant poster for the film telling their father that they wanted to see Captain Jack Sparrow. It looks as though Jack Sparrow is a cinema icon for old and very young alike. But, at 151 minutes, parents need to be warned that concentration might not hold up and there may be need for toilet breaks.

Having got the practical advice out of the way, we can say that this episode of the Caribbean adventures is a jolly and rollicking show with some grim bits scattered throughout – which again may be a bit much for the littlies. Though, when you come to think of it, Robert Louis Stevenson was no slouch at including grim bits in one of the most popular books and films about pirates, Treasure Island. Long John Silver was certainly no saint.

The popularity and huge box-office returns of the 2003 original were a bit of a surprise. Johnny Depp had proven that he could do all kinds of roles from the eccentric fantasy of Edward Scissorhands to his undercover agent, Donnie Brasco. But, his creation of the more than slightly barmy Captain Jack Sparrow, two-timing, mincing, over-literate, coward and hero won him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. (He also explained that he modelled his performance on Keith Richards who has been persuaded to appear in the third episode as Jack’s father.)

So, it is welcome back, Captain Jack. Johnny Depp gives the role all he’s got. While he is glad to get his ship, The Black Pearl, back, he runs foul of some bloodthirsty natives who think he is a god. Unfortunately for him, he also wants a key that will open the Dead Man’s Chest which contains the heart of Davy Jones who, with his crew, is condemned to sail the seven seas for a hundred years like The Flying Dutchman. In case that wasn’t enough plot, the screenwriters have thrown in the giant sea squid, the Kraken, which rises out of the depths to swallow ships – and Captain Jack.

As well, there is the interrupted wedding of William and Elizabeth (Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly, who are much more famous than in 2003) and their arrest for aiding Jack in his escape. Imprisoned by the loathsome head of the East India Company (a more than suitably sneering Tom Hollander), they are due for execution unless William finds the key and the chest. During his search he discovers his father, a victim sailor on Davy Jones’ ship (Stellan Skarsgaard) who is prepared to gamble his life for eternity if William can escape. Add to that the fate of Elizabeth’s father, a Voodoo seer and pirate attacks on trading ships and you have plot galore.

Just as Geoffrey Rush was the sinister Captain Barossa in the first film, a supernaturally-challenged blend of ghost and human with his deadly crew, so now Bill Nighy is the spectral Davy Jones – with an octopus sprouting from his chin, but more than handy for him to play the organ. His deadly ship and barnacled crew are part of the expert make-up for the film. The sets and costumes are also first class as are the special effects.

Pirates reaches a climax with the disappearance of Jack Sparrow and the resurrection of Captain Barossa, so this review has to be inconclusive. It is a ‘to be continued…’ as the third film was made along with the second and is in post-production for May 2007!

1. The popularity of the film? The origins in the Disney theme park? The developing franchise? The plot of the first film, continued? The characters developed?

2. The appeal of pirates, colourful, the Caribbean, characters and action, ships and treasure, rogues and outlaws, the law and the navy? Davy Jones and his ship? The Kraken?

3. The production values, the cast, the length of the film? Locations and the islands, the sea? Action and stunts? Special effects, the skeleton crew, the fights? The musical score?

5. Pirates and their reputation, the attitude of the governor, of Beckett Cutler, of Norrington, now disgraced and looking for a berth? Jack, Elizabeth, William? William and Elizabeth in love? Cutler and imprisonment? Threat of hanging?

6. The governor, his civil role, love for his daughter, in the town, the encounters with Jack? His hopes, the ships and his consent? Cutler taking over, sneering, condemning Will and Elizabeth? His mission for Will to get Jack’s compass – and Davy Jones’ heart?

7. Britain, the governors, the role of the pirates, treasure? Characters, Davy Jones and superstitions?

8. Cutler Beckett, the governor, the type, British, arrogance, sneering? His attitude towards Jack Sparrow? Towards Will and Elizabeth? Imprisonment, the possibility of hanging? His mission for Will, Jack Sparrow’s compass, for the chest, for Davy Jones’s heart?

9. Will, his personality, the mission, sailing, the encounter with Jack, the adventures? Elisabeth and her stowing away?

10. Jack Sparrow, his debt to Davy Jones, Davy Jones sailing the seas for 100 years? Ghost? His octopus appearance? Jack and his sailing, on the island, the cannibals? On his mission, the compass?

11. The ships, the adventures, the storms, the Kraken, monstrous, the attack?

12. Jack and Will, the sword fight, on the waterwheel?

13. Rigetti, Pintel, their talk, their comments? Gibbs and his role?

14. The introduction of Bootstrap Bill, the pirate, his past, the fact that he was Will’s father?

15. The voodoo, Tia Delua, her influence and presence?

16. Norrington, his place in the past film, disgraced, wanting to get a billet on the ship?

17. The final confrontation, Davy Jones, the Kraken, the heart?

18. And audiences looking forward to new adventures?