Why Is the Rum Always Gone?

I guess I could pretend I’m not biased, but this is the sequel to my favorite movie of all time, so I was pretty sure I was going to like it. Well, I was wrong. I didn’t like it. I loved it.
I knew from the very beginning the idea behind the first Pirates movie was to start a franchise. However, Johnny Depp’s movies had never been blockbusters, and the last few pirate movies to be released (in the last decade, give or take a few years) had all flopped (Cutthroat Island, anyone?). I guess that’s why the first Pirates had a pretty much closed ending. If it worked, they could do some more; if it didn’t, well, that was it. But the movie went on to plunder $305.4 million, becoming an unexpected blockbuster.
Three years later, we get the second (out of three) installment. I love the first movie, so I didn’t want to get my expectations up, because I knew I’d be disappointed. Then I saw the teaser trailer, and wasn’t very impressed (the teaser for the first Pirates blew me away, but it’s not in the DVD; does anybody know how I can get it?). Then I saw the extended trailer, and I started to hope: it looked damned good.
Then Friday came, and I went to the first showing at 11:30. The theater was packed with people and families and cute little 6 year-olds dressed like Captain Jack Sparrow. I saw the movie. And it was fantastic.
What’s there not to like? Great dialogue, excellent performances, compelling characters, a solid story that uses many elements from the Pirates universe that was introduced in the first movie, old and new characters alike, the bad guy with the coolest design I’ve ever seen (he reminds me -in a less flaming way- of Dead Pirate Zombie LeChuck [follow the link and keep scrolling down for a little paragraph I just found discussing exactly that: the similarities between LeChuck, Captain Barbossa, and Davy Jones] from the fabulous Monkey Island games), incredible special effects, fights and action sequences so well orchestrated and so full of audacity that leave you gasping for air. Gasping and laughing. And laughing. And then laughing some more.
I loved it. I loved it all. So I went to see it again that same day, at 7:30. And I liked it even more than the first time. The movie theater (my beloved Rave) was packed, more so than I had ever seen it before. The parking lot was a nightmare of cars, and I was hoping they were all there to see the movie, because I wanted it to do well. Hell, I wanted it to blow competition out of the water. And when I read the newspaper earlier today, I saw it had. Big time.
According to USA Today (you can also check the numbers at Rotten Tomatoes.com), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest has already broken a couple of Hollywood records. First, it’s had the biggest opening weekend in history with $132 million. (The four former champs being Spider-Man with $114.8 million, Star Wars III with $108.4, Shrek 2 with $108, and X-Men 2 with $102.8) And second, it’s had the biggest single-day take ever at $55.5 million. (Former champs were Star Wars III with $50 million, and X-Men 2 with $45.1) In other words: it looks like this movie is going to be HUGE, which it certainly deserves.
The only “bad” thing is that, since they shot this one and the third one back to back, the movie just stops after a certain point rather than end. They’re pulling a Back to the Future (or, more recently, Lord of the Rings, even though BTTF follows the exact same pattern POTC does) on us, and they leave us hanging until next May 25th, when Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End will open, and the story will end.
So do yourself a favor and go see it (I’m definitely going again). And when you do, wait until the credits are over because, just like the first one, there is a hidden scene at the end. And don’t tell me the credits are boring, because Hans Zimmer’s cool music is playing. So there you go. Show your love for Captain Jack Sparrow, and go see the movie. You won’t regret it.