Gore Verbinski, your roots are showing
Saw Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest last night. The projector broke down and we didn't get to actually see anything until 12:40 a.m., but such is life on the fictional high seas. (And hey, I got a free pass out of it.)
Holy crap, is Gore Verbinski ever a horror director. He got his start with The Ring, the creepiest movie EVER (Ever. Forserious.) and his roots in the macabe shine through in Dead Man's Chest. There is enough horror and gore and angst to turn Hilary Duff Goth.
Dead Man's Chest is very much the Empire Strikes Back of the PotC franchise. It's dark. It's tragic. It makes Jack Sparrow look like not a very nice guy. Character development abounds. Story abounds. Theme abounds. I was frankly amazed at how much subtext Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio managed to cram into a big loud popcorn movie about pirates. This is good screenwriting, people. Make no mistake. I only wish I had half the subtlety and deft control of pace and character as this team does.
There's also a big freakin' sea monster and a huge suprise in the final frame. I haven't enjoyed myself at a movie on a turn-your-brain-off-and-have-fun level and a whoa-this-is-good-and-making-me-think level for some time, so my tricorned hat is off to Gore, Ted, Terry and of course Johnny Depp and whoever does his eyeliner.
Best line without spoilers:
JACK: Look! An undead monkey!
*There was also a teaser for the 'Transformers' movie before the show started. All the geeks in my theater whooped and hollered as the big-ass logo flashed on the screen, and went dead silent when the words "A Michael Bay film" appeared below it. I think a few of them whimpered.
Holy crap, is Gore Verbinski ever a horror director. He got his start with The Ring, the creepiest movie EVER (Ever. Forserious.) and his roots in the macabe shine through in Dead Man's Chest. There is enough horror and gore and angst to turn Hilary Duff Goth.
Dead Man's Chest is very much the Empire Strikes Back of the PotC franchise. It's dark. It's tragic. It makes Jack Sparrow look like not a very nice guy. Character development abounds. Story abounds. Theme abounds. I was frankly amazed at how much subtext Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio managed to cram into a big loud popcorn movie about pirates. This is good screenwriting, people. Make no mistake. I only wish I had half the subtlety and deft control of pace and character as this team does.
There's also a big freakin' sea monster and a huge suprise in the final frame. I haven't enjoyed myself at a movie on a turn-your-brain-off-and-have-fun level and a whoa-this-is-good-and-making-me-think level for some time, so my tricorned hat is off to Gore, Ted, Terry and of course Johnny Depp and whoever does his eyeliner.
Best line without spoilers:
JACK: Look! An undead monkey!
*There was also a teaser for the 'Transformers' movie before the show started. All the geeks in my theater whooped and hollered as the big-ass logo flashed on the screen, and went dead silent when the words "A Michael Bay film" appeared below it. I think a few of them whimpered.
I saw it last night, and the Transformers teaser had the same effect in the theater here. *rolls eyes*
Thank god they got rid of the undead monkey. :p
-Holly
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