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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

★★★★ — Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Gore Verbinski returned to direct this 2006 sequel to his own surprise blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), which had itself been an unlikely hit given that it was based on a Disney theme park ride. Dead Man's Chest was shot back-to-back with the third film, At World's End, across locations including the Bahamas, Dominica, and various studio sets in California, a production approach that kept costs high and schedules punishing. With a reported budget of $200 million, it was one of the most expensive films ever made at the time of release, and it more than justified that gamble by becoming the first film of 2006 to cross the billion-dollar mark at the worldwide box office.

Part of the ship, part of the crew For me, this is the best film in the whole Pirates series. The first movie was brilliant in its own right, but Dead Man’s Chest really took everything up a level, bigger stakes, better visuals, and a genuinely gripping story. Davy Jones is one of the best CGI creations ever put on screen, even today he looks incredible. The darker, more mystical vibe works really well, and it still keeps that fun, adventurous spirit that made the first so enjoyable. The sword fights, the Kraken attacks, the triple-threat beach duel, it’s all brilliant, pure blockbuster magic. It’s maybe a little bloated in parts, but overall it’s such a visually stunning and exciting film. Easily the high point of the franchise before it all got a bit too messy.

Rating: ★★★★ | Year: 2006 | Watched: 2025-04-27

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Where to watch (UK)

Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK

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