Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

So I'm a little behind on my blockbusters. I don't particulary like going to see movies like this with the unwashed masses because... I don't like people. And no matter what you do as a theatre manager, there is always going to be some douchebag in a crowded theatre doing something annoying. Although my tardiness in watch POTC2 is not because I didn't like the first picture. In fact, I thought the original was some of the best entertainment I'd seen in many a summer. I was just unmotivated.

Turns out... it is a pretty decent film. Obviously, director Gore Verbinski needs to work on his editing skills since this film is at least 15 minutes too long. There is plot... and lot of it actually for this kind of film. Basically Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) sells his soul to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) for the chance to raise his ship from the bottoms of the ocean. This sets off a number of other plot points involving Will Turner (my white-trash cousin as portrayed by Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (more Keira Knightley) amongst others. And since we all know they filmed POTC2 with POTC 3, there will be setup for a sequel.

All right with that being said... you get more or less what you got with the first. This is finally a film that costs a shit-ton of cash and you can see where it went. Unlike some pile o'shite like Transformers, the visual effects in this film are as good as it gets. The tendrils on Davy Jones for example are brilliantly utilized at times as well as stunning to look at. (The wardrobe dept. even gives Knightley cleavage) Excellent stunt work too with some of the island scenes early on in the movie.

All of the actors are fine as well with Nighy stealing the show here. Despite a hefty costume and untold amounts of green screen, he manages to give a performance of utter delight. He has fun with every line much like an Alan Rickman would. Stellan Skarsgard also classes things up with an appearance as Will Turner's long lost father. The three leads are all more than adequate for this light material - nothing extraordinary either. You also get a tease of the third film with the always welcome Geoffrey Rush reprising his character from the first film.

With some trimming to get this closer to two hours instead of 2:40 with credits, this would play a lot better. But for a home on with a good entertainment system and a stop button... just about right.

75/100

Atonement

I was quite excited to see Joe Wright's rendering of Ian McEwan's novel after seeing what he did with the classic Pride & Prejudice. It would probably have helped to have read the book to prepare for this film. So many people consider McEwan's work a masterpiece that there has to be something more to it than what we the audience get to see in the movie.

The story is essentially that of a poor young man named Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) who works as a groundskeeper for the rich Tallis family. He has ingratiated himself into the family and finds that the father is going to put him through medical school soon. Alas Robbie is in love with the oldest daughter Cecilia (Keira Knightley) whilst the younger one Brionly secretly has a crush on him. After Brionly sees two different scenes (that is suggested she believes Robbie to be a sex crazed attacker) involving Robbie causing her to think he was the one who attacked and raped her cousin. On the word of Brionly, Robbie is sent away to prison for two years and is forced to join the army during the early days of WWII to excape further jail time.

After the Robbie joins the army, the film loses all perspective and turns into an almost Terence Malick-like film. What was once an intricately told tale of lust and bitterness, deviates into a darker meditation that never quite works. Perhaps this is better told in the novel. Here, you merely get the bare minimum with a nice (or sad) little twist later on. James McAvoy provides the films only strong performance. Knightley and the two Brionly's are adequate, but hardly anything special.

Overall though, I felt quite disappointed with the setup to just have the story peter out the last hour. Obviously, Joe Wright has a lot of talent and that is further evidenced here. He has an eye for shots and backgrounds that is clearly among the top filmmakers. So I would suggest the problem lies in the screenplay adaptation by Christopher Hampton. Hampton's previous work like Mary Reilly and The Quiet American are both good examples of his mixed work. Hopefully Joe Wright finds something better for his next project.

55/100

Pride and Prejudice

Director Joe Wright has done a marvelous job bringing Jane Austen's classic novel to the big screen. The gentle dolly shots through the doorways of the Bennett household work as a graceful introduction to their characters. You feel like that big water alien from The Abyss peeking in to see what is happening and moving on to the next room.

The plot to Austen's novels are rarely intricate are overwhelming. Here we have Elizabeth Bennett (Keira Knightley) the second oldest of 5 daughters trying to find love and a reliable means of income for her family. Her older sister Jane (Rosamund Pike who is more beautiful than everyone's sister )is the more outwardly beautiful and attracts the glances of a rich lad Billingsly (Simon Woods). Except that his friend Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen) has noticed Lizzie and isn't sure what to think of her. Of course it is love and all the Austen complications come up to keep the characters apart til the end happen.

All the performances are strong here with Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn shining as parents of the Bennett household. Each one gives enough comic energy to lighten up the story without adding too much zaniness. Knightley easily gives her best performance ever with her romantic opposite MacFadyen just along for the ride. A gorgeous score from Dario Marianelli only adds to the excellent work of Joe Wright and cinematographer Roman Osin.

The craft behind Pride and Prejudice makes this film what it is... the performances are solid with a nod to the creative casting of Donald Sutherland. If you watched it just for the story the first time, try it again and look for the little things that have been meticulously put together here. I credit Joe Wright's work here for making me want to see his next project Atonement.

90/100