Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Review

The last time we saw Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), he was sailing off into the sunset, safely back on the bridge of his beloved Black Pearl. But this epic sequel (one of two new movies - the other reaches our shores next year) finds Jack in fresh trouble, as a supernatural visit from a long dead friend gives him some bad news: Davy Jones is out to cash in on an old deal and wants Jack's soul. Naturally the swaggering pirate isn't keen on joining Jones's undead crew of half human / half crustacean sailors, but his only hope lies in retrieving the mythical 'Dead Man's Chest' and gaining power over the evil force which is pursuing him. Meanwhile Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) are also facing a crisis - a new Commodore (Tom Hollander) has arrived in Port Royal and is threatening to execute them both, unless Will can retrieve a certain item Jack Sparrow keeps about his person.

It goes without saying that "Dead Man's Chest" is going to be one of the biggest films of the summer, and it's unlikely that many going to see it will leave disappointed. The scale is bigger, the action is better and there's just an enormous sense of fun pervading the whole thing. Depp runs the show, displaying a deep love of the fantastic Capt. Jack, while the new additions to the cast - including Hollander, Stellen Skarsgard and Naomie Harris - all add to the expanding story. But the real star here is Bill Nighy as Jones - a truly horrifying CGI creation of the highest order who stalks the high seas, always on the lookout for new additions to his crew.

Although not without its faults (the plot gets far too convoluted at times, and the last ten minutes serve more as a set-up for the third film than a finale for this one), any criticisms are just minor ripples on a calm sea that will consequently see Capt. Jack and his crew sail on to huge commercial success this summer.