What of the film? I reserve final judgment for a number of factors: we really WERE pretty far away from the screen, there was a lot of ambient light so the darker parts of the movie were nearly washed out. The four of us were shoe-horned into an area that seemed to grow smaller and smaller over time; and where about 15 pillows were required to make our lounging truly the lap of luxury, we had only five, and so by the end of the 150-minute epic, my neck felt permanently bent at a most unnatural angle. Plus, it was really really late.
All of that aside, there is a lot more action and crazy CGI (squidly Davy Jones and his, um, men of the sea) in Dead Man's Chest, less wit and character development, less nobility on display, and an even more complex but less clever plot. My guess is I will end up liking it a fair amount more than I did Friday night, but ultimately less than the first one.
And, they have a boatload of loose ends to wrap-up in Pirates 3, which fortunately, due to a largely simultaneous shooting schedule, is due out Memorial Day weekend of '07.
"Maybe the only movie that has a chance to beat this record might be the next Pirates movie," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations.
Blogcritics reviews of the film: John Guilfoil, Iloz Zoc, Neil Miller.
Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
I wonder if drive-ins will make a kind of magical comeback in this new age of on demand content? I certainly have fond memories of going as a kid -- remember seeing the "original" Star Wars that way. Can you imagine a better experience for a seven-year-old?
In any event, it looks as though Entourage got their Aquaman-beats-Spiderman episode in just under the wire!
2 - Eric Olsen
the vehicle you attend in and the adequacy of your preparation makes all the difference! It's also too bad it starts so late this time of year - of course this time of year is the only time to go to the drive-in in NE Ohio
3 - Triniman
When they announced it broke the record on CNN, it was still Sunday afternoon.
What would really be more meaningful would be to see the number of tickets sold. With ticket prices going up every once in a while, the total dollar amount may be slightly misleading.
I wasn't all that into the first film, having found it to be more fun for kids than adults, but I will see this one soon.
4 - Eric Olsen
good point T-man: "Even factoring in higher admission prices since 2002, "Dead Man's Chest" still set a record of just under 20 million tickets sold, about 200,000 more than "Spider-Man."
Re the first one: for me it had an almost magically equal appeal to kids and adults
5 - Eric Berlin
The story is all the more significant as Hollywood is desperate for hits right about now.
6 - Eric Olsen
it changes the whole atmosphere!
7 - Ben Green
11th July, 2006
Stopped on time.
Thanks for the Feedback.
Looking for a Compliments Ticket.
If only Home Pages were this short, you would soon have a Statistic.
And One-Liners like the Above would work.
Ben
8 - Daniel Blackman
I’m so ecstatic to see this movie. It got si nabt bad reviews, but I think Johnny Depp is amazing as Captain Jack Sparrow. I hope I’m not disappointed when I get back from vacation (I ironically happen to be in the Caribbean right now and the tiny theater on the island only has movies that are at least a week old) and see Dead Man’s Chest in all it’s glory for the first time. Johnny Depp has really become somewhat of a star between Pirates and playing Wonka. I hope his success continues. Great review. I always look at the box office gross on Monday to see if my favorites brought in a big haul, and you’ve written the best column I’ve seen in a while.
9 - Eric Olsen
thanks Ben and Daniel!
Ben, you are cryptic.
Daniel, that's hilarious you are on the home turf, so to speak. I'm sure I will appreciate it more in an actual movie theater and/or on DVD. The drive-in was not an ideal setting - at least under the circumstances.
10 - Dawn
We weren't looking for ideal, we were looking for moderately attainable - being able to see the movie in relative peace on opening night together as a family was the goal. We almost met that :)
Awesome read!!!
11 - Eric Olsen
yes, we did achieve that - thanks!
12 - rtparker
johnny depp pulled a fast one here well jack sparrow would woudnt he, not having as much screen time as his co stars, he comes on does his turn goes again leaving orlando , bill nighy etc to work their butts off holding up the narrative, orlando is a lot better than he was in the first one but does he get a mention , not likely as for the end letting keira kiss johnny blew the whole star croossed lovers subplot and turned her in to a hussy if i was will turner id be back like ashot to voddoo woman
13 - katie luke
i really didnt like the ending to this movie very much,i didint think you know who( dont want to be a spoiler!:)) should have died
14 - diana
johnny depp is so great in all of his movies and this was no exception he is so sexy even in a pirate costume, he works well with the other characters and still makes us laugh. the kiss at the end of this movie was so hot!! wish it was me. the bloopers are also hilarious, the captian barbossa ending was a cliffhanger made in heaven(where johnny depp was made too!!)