Pirates Of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest

Jack Sparrow (Depp) is up sh*t creek without a paddle, again. This time, he's pissed off the legendary spectre pirate Davy Jones (Nighy) who believes that Sparrow has a debt to pay - i.e. his soul. Elsewhere, young love birds Will (Bloom) and Elizabeth (Knightley) are about to get married when the Cutler Beckett (Hollander) turns up with a warrant for their arrests – the get-out clause being they must bring Jack Sparrow to Beckett to face justice. It's pretty much a given that most people's favourite thing about the first POTC was Johnny Depp. He not only brought a quirkiness and brazen charisma to role that really should've been one note anti-hero, but also won an Oscar nomination in a film that really had no right to be anywhere other than a multiplex, come Oscar night. You'll be pleased to know that Depp is as outstanding here as he was in the previous film, and that the joke has not quite warn off yet; he single-handedly proves that Sparrow is a character with durability. Pity, then, that the rest of the film is such an unequivocal mess. It's far too drawn-out and sloppily put-together, with the essence predictably on eye candy over character; and Orlando Bloom is beyond awful in an (admittedly) paper thin role that's merely used as the straight man to Depp's all-conquering Sparrow. There are actually no sufficient words to describe just how dreadful Orlando Bloom is; he is essentially stealing a living - as a leading man - and it has never been more evident than it is in this film. Knightley does her best, but again suffers under the weight of a horribly pedestrian script resulting in mediocre plot twists - as do most of the hardworking cast. When all is said and done and the third film is released, Dead Man's Chest may have more solid exposition to back up its shortcomings; but right now, whatever way you look at it, it's a mediocre sequel saved - somewhat - by Johnny Depp.