Local theater is having 3 showings tonight, one of which is already sold out. Expect a review at some ungodly hour tonight.

Critics say it's crap. Not that critics would know their ass from a hole in the ground...

I've read some GREAT reviews so far.

quote:

---

Expect a review at some ungodly hour tonight.

---

I will wait up in eager anticipation.

I'll go ahead and guarantee it's better than the DaVinci Code film or novel.

quote:

---

I'll go ahead and guarantee it's better than the DaVinci Code film or novel.

---

Yeah, way to take a risk there.

Running joke regarding Holden's literary tastes.

If the critics pan it, then I know I'll like it.

I'll be watching The Curse of the Black Pearl tonight and Dead Man's Chest tomorrow night.

You know POC: Black Pearl has gained recognition but I dont think it got rave reviews coming out either, and I really felt it was a great movie...I just hope the second one comes close (dont know with the animated octo***** face of Davy Jones though)

Short version, ill do a real post tomorrow :

It comes close. It may even surpass the original. Take in mind I LOVED the original film.

If you liked the first, you will like this one.

If you didn't like the first, you will likely hate this film.

08 - You wont even notice the CG. The character is just great.

WHERE IS THE REAL POST, WAKE UP

Let me preface this by saying the first one is one of my all time favorite films - probably only 2nd to the Star Wars trilogy. I'm a huge Jack Sparrow fan and likely extremely biased.


It seems to me that most of the reviewers simply don't get it. They trashed the first and many are trashing this. The fact seems to be lost on them that people liked the first film because it was FUN.

This one is too. I won't say its too long because I think it's paced nicely (A plus for me as most 2+ hour films I've seen lately have dragged at points) but I WILL say it seems they were simply trying to pack too much in. I could have done with a bit less action and a bit more of the characters simply interacting and being themselves.

Guess I'll start with the action sequences.

Spectacular! Some of them might be a bit contrived and would never work in reality, but who cares? This is a pirate movie. There is easily twice as much swashbuckling and adventure in this as the last one and it's all done pretty decently. It's not quite "edge of your seat" since you pretty much know they aren't going to kill off Jack or the crew but it's still entertaining and fun.

The plot - While it's still pretty complex and takes a LONG time to unravel, it's eventually spelled out very clearly and I don't think it will be as confusing as the last one. While you still basically have people trying to undo some magic or a curse (dont want to give it away) now you will have multiple groups attempting to do so for their own interests. Everyone wants to solve this one and for competing reasons.

That really allows the characters a bit more depth than in the last film - especially Elizabeth and even Jack. In the first there was never really any doubt that Jack was altruistic. Here there is. Is he doing everything to save his own skin? or ultimately will he play the hero? Depp is spot on again. It's not quite as delightful as it's more of the same, but he still has this character nailed. It's still Jack being Jack. If you loved the character before, you will love him here - only without the sense of newness. This is a familiar spot, but that doesn't make it a bad one. I read a review that really put thinks in perspective basically saying that Depp could have ended up having the career of Richard Grieco. Amazing that he went from that to becoming the great actor that he is.

Elizabeth - Elizabeth is much more developed here and has a lot more to work with. Kiera pegs it and gets to show a much bigger range. Unfortunately she is VERY under utilized. You'll see sides of the character we definitely didn't see before.

Will - I'm not an Orlando Bloom fan. In fact I can't really stand him in almost anything I see him in. I just keep waiting for him to throw up an air guitar and exclaim, "Excellent!" Maybe that's my fault. Despite being in situations that would call for some range, he's pretty one dimensional. Luckily if you don't like his performance he's virtually always surrounded by some WONDERFUL actors.

Stellan Skarsgard - I'm SO glad they cast him. (I wont say what role he plays.) He's just a great actor and even though his role is small, it's vital. They could have easily put a lesser known in here and the role would have suffered greatly. He's in a lot of makeup, but he still shines through it all.

Norrington - Jack Davenport is even better this time out. Norrington's lost his career, his fiancee, and essentially his life. It's interesting to see him go from a high status military commander to a drunken bum. I was surprised as I didn't think much of his acting in the first one. He's a pleasant surprise.

Mr. Gibbs - He's once again our "pirate lore" narrator and he's great at it. McNally was one of my favorites in the first and he's used a bit more here. I LOVE that they have this character that you know has an interesting backstory but they never let on what it is. He just pulls that off really well.

Bill Nighy and the new "evil" crew - I did not think they could top the ghost pirates from the last. They have. The new crew looks better, is more menacing, and is outright evil. Despite being nearly totally covered in prosthetics and CG, Bill Nighy is one of the best performances of the film. Geoffery Rush was great as a ruthless captain. Nighy is tasked with being the most ruthless captain in history and he pulls it off easily. After seeing this you will not be able to picture anyone else in the role.


On the whole one of the best things about these films to me is simply atmosphere and here they do a LOT more with it. One of my absolute favorite sets involves going to meet a voodoo priestess (expertly played) in the middle of a swamp. The scene looks like it's lifted straight from the Monkey Island games if you've seen them. We see Tortuga again with even more debauchery than before. You really feel like that's what it was really like - of course it wasn't like that, but that's the whole point of the ride and the film. In the commentary on the first film they talk a lot about making a pirate movie rather than a movie about pirates. This is all the old pirate legends mixed together with the romanticized view we hold today. If you grew up dreaming of pirates and sea monsters and great battles, this is that dream on screen.

They capture it just perfectly. You'll forget that pirates weren't out there dodging Kracken's and breaking ancient curses. It's escapism at it's finest.

So to sum up, I think this will fall short of the original, but only because everything was fresh in the first film. We've established the characters, so let's give them a little more to work with. For the most part, that's done perfectly. I'm greatly looking forward to the next one, especially knowing who some of the major characters will be. (You can look it up, or you'll find out at the end of this one.)

Essentially, you will not like this film if you didn't like the first. I wouldn't even bother going to see it. If you DID though, I think this is just another great chapter in the story. It really feels like a trilogy now regardless of whether or not it was started as one. (Yes, they're making it a trilogy, not just a series.)

BTW, there's again a scene after the credits - it's not key to the film, but it sounds funny. To me it wasn't worth staying after sitting there for nearly 3 hours.

before I read all of that, does it include spoilers?

Nothing big, if at all.

good review. I can't wait to go see it.

good movie, not so good ending.

I'l be there!

just got back. Thought it was a pretty good popcorn flick. Wasn't prepared for the ending so that left a bad taste in my mouth. I knew they were making a third film, but I figured this one would be self-containing.

Anyone know when the third is due out for release?

quote:

---

BTW, there's again a scene after the credits - it's not key to the film, but it sounds funny. To me it wasn't worth staying after sitting there for nearly 3 hours.

---

I didn't sit through the credits. What was said?

Is it true that Mike Leach plays Capt Jack's evil twin?

Can't wait to see it tomorrow!

quote:

---

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BTW, there's again a scene after the credits - it's not key to the film, but it sounds funny. To me it wasn't worth staying after sitting there for nearly 3 hours.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I didn't sit through the credits. What was said?

---

Believe me, you didn't miss anything. And nothing is actually said.

Too long.

I was planning on watching it last nite but the friggin line was ridiculous.

Saw it last night. Not bad, not great. Nice swordfights but didn't care for open-ending.

This was one of those movies I went into knowing I would love it, so it wouldve taken ALOT for me to dislike it, and I loved it. So basically that means the true quality lies anywhere between absolute crap and perfect cinema.

Thought it was more entertaining than the first!

i think the ending was fine considering the third movie is due out next july, i think we are a lot luckier than my parents who had to wait 3 years for jedi after that huge cliff hanger in empire

the thing after the credits shows the dog sitting on a chair as chief of the tribal people with a bone in his mouth...definetly not worth staying

Trying is the first step towards failure.
-Homer Simpson

$55 Million opening day

$42 Million Saturday

$132 Million Weekend!

**** you Tobey!

Not anywhere near the story the first one had. And way, way, way too long. This movie did not need to be 2.5 hours.