Sailing with the Pirates, a Special Effects ride

Lurking under several million dollars' worth of digital effects, Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean sequel got what was well deserved on the Oscars night. The pinnacle being the convincing computer generated cephalopod, the film’s arch villain, the spectral buccaneer, barnacled Davy Jones – captain of the ghost ship the Flying Dutchman. Firstly the story, the special effects later. The plot spurs off with Jack Sparrow having found an evil machination to avoid the Faustian debt that he owes to Captain Davy. Then on, it is a convoluted tangle of adventures designed around some hair-raising stunts, impossible physical feats, battles against formidable foes and the genial comedy-of-errors that seems to follow every footstep of the foppish, hazy-brained Sparrow. In all probability the ambling plot could have taken directions from Jack’s skewed off compass.

In terms of acting, as usual, versatility aids Johnny Depp as he stalks off as the best performer in the entire cast once again. Sparrow's entry is as grandly off-the-wall as when James Bond emerged from the water at the start of “Goldfinger” with a rubber gull stuck to the top of his oxygen mask. The scene effortlessly sets the tongue-in-cheek tone for the film to come, as well as the devil-may-care swagger of the role that Depp has made all his own. He faces quite some stiff competition from Bill Nighy (Davy Jones), the veteran British comic actor. A damned pirate with so much panache and idiosyncrasies is quite a rarity. The supporting cast does well with Bloom and Knightley putting up some good show.

The best part…

The swordplay on the runaway waterwheel, death defying jumps from canyons, explosions on the high seas, the Flying Dutchman and its mortified crew, the Kraken are all hands-down winners!!! The Flying Dutchman with its crew of the undead sailors with their blistered skin, mossy teeth and their eerie faces are worth watching for the flair with which they plunge into action. The action sequences are well worked with the terrific special effects (courtesy Industrial Light and Magic, the Mecca of SPFX – Jurassic Park, Star Wars, etc.) the highlight being the exciting triple swordfight which has almost impossible arenas as its fighting grounds – the water wheel to the beaches. A spectacular add-on is the Kraken, the giant squid of 12th-century Norwegian mythology and of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame, which is recruited to play the part of Captain Jones's pet, popping up regularly to embrace a ship and sweep it to the ocean floor.

An exciting entertainer with an insight into what SPFX really are, the carpers say in conclusion – pardon me R. L. Stevie…

Fifteen men on a Dead Man’s Chest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Drink and the devil will do the rest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

Jack and Davy will do their best, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.

To make our evening a merry fest, Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum.