We just got back from seeing the movie, and first things first: Damn you, Alex! I waited through interminable credits for a three second spot at the very end of the movie. That made me cranky.
I liked it. It's a good mid-trilogy movie, plain and simple. I didn't love it like the first, but I was prepared for major disappointment and was pleasantly surprised. This is an action flick, and nothing more- I doubt the producers, writers or anyone else were working under the delusion that this was 'art'. On that level, it totally delivers. I was thrilled to see Barbossa again- he was such a great villain that it promises to make the third movie all that much better. Same with Norrington- I kept thinking about how he derided his role in the first movie, calling his character a pompous ass, etc, and longing to get down and scruffy with the rest of them. Well, he does scruffy quite well and I was pleased (for him) that he got to play pirate in this turn.
Tia was cool- looks like she needs to lay off the licorice ice cream, but she was a fun character. I was tempted to yell like iSm during the Bayou scene, but I'm fairly certain few would have understood the call for rolls in our little burg. It was fun to see so many Pirates allusions in this film, but I agree with GC- the dog thing was overkill. Anyway, that's my take on it- but keep in mind my attention was tempered by the disturbing fact that our neighbor next door had just been taken away in an ambulance prior to our leaving for the movie- his wife had come home and discovered him on the floor, with no pulse and his young toddler climbing on him. We phoned as soon as we got home and his MIL said he'd suffered a major heart attack and was in very critical condition. We don't know these people very well, as they are very quiet and reserved, but they are very nice and too young to have to go through this.
