Just got back from seeing "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest". Did we really need to see these characters again? No. Do we love it anyway? Sure, why not? It's a fun-filled romp from reality for 2 1/2 hours (2 hours and 50 minutes after a buttload of commercials and previews) that keeps one entertained and a just a little peeved. I say peeved because they end it without resolving the story. Everyone knows they filmed the sequels at the same time and I'm sure that everyone who goes to see this one is more than likely going to go to the third one, so why not just throw us a bone and make like it ends but then when we go to the third one are pleasantly surprised that it really continues. It's not like it was "Kill Bill" and was one movie cut into two because it was too long and they didn't want to cut anything out. It's deliberately two movies. Two separate sequels...yet not...apparently. Anyway, enough bitching about it and get on with it...right? Everyone from the first movie returns for the sequel. That's a pretty impressive feat these days...unless everyone signs a 3 movie contract right off the bat I suppose. There are also a few new characters such as "Bootstrap" Bill Turner (Will Turner's dad) and Davy Jones (the new resident bad guy). There are a lot of special effects in this one, including Davy Jones and his entire crew. They looked to me like they were a mix of make-up and CGI, not unlike the effects in "The Hills Have Eyes" but on a much larger and expensive scale (ahhhh, the benefits of major studio backing and a humongous budget). I won't go into the plot much because if you haven't already gone to see it, you probably will soon anyway regardless of what it's actually about. Let's just suffice it to say that good ole Captain Jack(Johnny Depp) gets into a spot of trouble and Will(Orlando Bloom in all his loin-quivering hotness) and Elizabeth(Keira "the jaw" Knightley) have to come to his rescue. (Gee isn't that sort of what happened in the first one?) Anyway, it's a fun time at the movies and it'll get you counting down the days until next May when the third installment comes out. Enjoy!!