Dead Man’s Chest holds up as one of the best and funniest Pirates of the Caribbean films, especially within the context of the rest of the franchise. Let’s take a look back on this incredible action film.
Released back in 2006 to somewhat middling reviews, the film however did well in at the international box office, grossing over 1 billion US dollars.
Dead Man’s Chest is an extremely fun film to watch. From the action to the comedy, the film pulls non stop fights and comedic beats. However it shines in the pirate series by how it introduce a slightly darker tone to the franchise, as is evidenced right from the start, in the way that we meet all of our leads.
The film is two and a half hours long, and while some scenes could be cut to improve the watch time, the pace of the film is quite fast making the time fly by.
In terms of the franchise, this represents the peak. Black Pearl started the series off in a direction that made sense for the world, which this film continues, and the other films go progressively more and more off the rails, and not in a good way either. The later films also lose their humour and fun, meaning their runtimes are felt more.
Meanwhile, this film managed to create an iconic portrayal of the legend of Davy Jones too. Casting Bill Nighy in the role, the villain looks just as terrifying as he acts. His entrance quickly gets across how scary and ruthless he can be, creating an impression for the rest of the film.
The way Jones and his crew looks is amazing too, and for the effects that were created for 2006, they still hold up to cinematic standards 15 years later, which speaks to how good they are. The Kraken also makes several appearances, and the theme music for the monster is perfect. It makes a strong case why the monster is feared.
Jack Sparrow is as funny and clever as ever, which is best shown in the conversation he has with Jones about haggling over how much his soul is worth. Looking back now is slightly saddening, as reportedly in Pirates of the Caribbean six, Johnny Depp would no longer be the lead in a franchise so linked to the character of himself.
Some of the scenes in this film stand out for being excellent and that should be pointed out.
Firstly, is scene on the tribal island, just for its sheer comedic value, where nearly all of the crew are captured by the tribesmen (apart from Pintel and Ragetti, who show up to the island after everyone else), raising the stakes for everyone.
Then the stakes are upped for Jack, as the audience finds out he will be cooked alive. While this sounds for sombre viewing, the humour comes from everyone’s escape, from Will Turner’s time in a ball of bones, to Sparrow’s using a bamboo poll to escape. The small interlude with Pintel and Ragetti is hilarious, with Ragetti attempting to read the Bible.
Another stand out scene was the intense bar fight in Tortuga. It starts off in a rather dark fashion, with Sparrow and Gibbs recruiting new members to take their souls, until they are interrupted by the former Commodore James Norrington, who wants to take revenge on Jack for the perceived slights against him.
A bar fight ensures after this, with Sparrow and Gibbs attempting to leave the bar. The music on the concertina made the scene, as it was lively and upbeat, and provided an excellent track for the humorous escape.
A final stand out sequence is the action on Isla Cruces. The three way sword fight between James Norrington, Will Turner and Jack Sparrow was well choreographed, and the setting of the beach to the church to the waterwheel was brilliant, with theme elevating the action.
The breaks for lines were used for excellent comedic purpose, and all three of the combatants had clear motivations for why they each wanted the key, as pointed out by Ragetti. The action between him Pintel and Davy Jones’ crew was great, with them sharing swords to keep them alive.
Whilst Sparrow taunting Jones with his jar of dirt isn’t on the island, it will always get a laugh out of me, especially knowing that it was improvised by Depp. Jones’ reaction is also funny, with him showing his cannons in Sparrow’s face. Love it. None of the later films would even come close to topping this.
This film is definitely the best of the franchise, with stand out comedic moments and strong acting performances from Johnny Depp and Bill Nighy. Furthermore, the soundtrack and action within the film elevates the overall atmosphere and adds to the greatness of this movie. While some of the scenes could’ve been cut in the final edit, especially relating to the East India Company, this film is a strong rewatch, even at 15 years old.
By Kieran Burt
Feature image: The Walt Disney Company