Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom & Keira Knightly

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is a fun, frenetic movie. It's like a theme-park ride brought to life, which is no coincidence since Pirates of the Caribbean, a popular Walt Disney World ride, is the source of the idea for these movies.

As a continuance of the original Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, it brings back the stellar cast that we came to know and love in the first movie. The film is buoyed along by a stirring, heroic soundtrack, and wastes no time in immersing the characters in a whirlwind adventure and quest, beset with monstrous creatures, dastardly villains, and extremely funny supporting characters.

Unlike Superman Returns, in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest director Gore Verbinski realizes he's directing a comic book and not a serious movie with the weight of the world on its shoulders. He relaxes and lets the actors and actresses have fun. There are wondrous special effects, but they're all in the service of the story. You won't soon forget the mill wheel, or the human balls, or the Kraken.

Depp is again great fun as the slightly odd pirate captain Jack Sparrow. Orlando Bloom shines as the virtuous Will Turner. Keira Knightly is even better in this movie than in the first as heroine Elizabeth Swann; she shows us a lively spunkiness that dominates the screen whenever she's on-screen.

This movie sets us up for a sequel, but even with its unfinished business it's a fun ride and a good way to spend a hot summer afternoon or evening.

This movie reminded me of the Mummy movies starring Brendan Fraser. With pirates and monsters and supernatural forces, this could have been made as a gory, terrifying horror movie. But its light-hearted core makes it a movie that almost anyone can enjoy, though young children might be frightened by some of the (slightly) gory parts.