Hmm. It’s a trilogy, eh? I wonder why some thought DMC’s plot is incoherent. It is more complex than previous film, but that is to be expected. Though it took me two viewings to actually like it. The first viewing left me dizzy (I think that’s the flu at play). It was like hmm.... what? wait! Will & Elizabeth... and Jack?... East India Trading? Barbossa? After the second viewing, and putting new context to CotBP experiences, DMC was more welcomed.

‘... wicked Jack and his precious Pearl...’

It’s not just a keel and hull and a deck and sails. That’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is... what the Black Pearl really is... is freedom. —CotBP

After watching CotBP ages ago, I wondered why it was not called the Curse of Cortez or Isla de Muerta, as the story is about Barbossa and his crews’ attempt to get rid of Cortez’s curse. Of course, there is Jack Sparrow going to reclaim the Pearl and its captaincy, yet I wondered in what kind of curse The Pearl was involved. Other than its nigh-uncatchability (and being a black ship with black sails is cool, I think), what’s so special about the Pearl? Why was Jack Sparrow so attached to it? If he could easily outsmart the King’s Navy and commandeer the Interceptor, he can get any ship he wants. But, why he insisted on the Pearl? There is something about the Pearl that though CotBP shows its importance to Jack, it hasn’t been clearly explained.

So, when I found out there was going to be sequels of PotC, I wanted them to tell more about the Pearl — and Jack of course — and not just another adventure of Captain Jack Sparrow and crews’, a la Indiana Jones.

Captain!... Captain Jack Sparrow!

Jack Sparrow, ‘Technically, I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon.’
Davy Jones, ‘Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless! Have you not introduced yourself all these years as “Captain Jack Sparrow”?’

— DMC

So, what is captaincy to you, Jack?

With another dashing entry, Jack was welcomed by unhappy crews of Black Pearl (including himself, Mr. Gibbs admitted). They were dissatisifed with the running of the Pearl. ‘....perhaps dear old Jack is not serving your best interests as captain?’

Hmm, are we looking at the cause of the mutiny eleven years ago? That, instead of raiding, pillaging, and plundering, Jack had been running around doing his own thing? I can see that once he got the pearl, he’d be thinking of getting out of his debt right away. Well, we get to see Jack as a captain and it’s not a pretty picture of captainship —should PIRATE captainship be pretty? But one wondered why the Pearl’s crew returned to Port Royal to pick him up by the end of CotBP despite the pirate code of who-falls-behind-is-left-behind. And though Mr. Gibbs knows that what bodes ill for Jack bodes ill for them all, what makes Mr. Gibbs stick by Jack’s side? One expects an admirable streak within Jack Sparrow that earns him such loyalty. It’s subtle to me that I couldn’t just pinpoint what it is, but it’s there.

But time is up. Jack Sparrow is now a man with a black spot. It’s time to settle his debt: crew a hundred years upon the Flying Dutchman (‘yes... but the Flying Dutchman already has a captain...,’ Jack said) or go down with the Pearl to the bottom of the ocean. Now that the Royal Navy and East India Trading hunt him and the Pearl across the Atlantic, there is less space and choices for Jack.

...Jack Sparrow is a dying breed. The world is shrinking. The blank edges of the map filled in. Jack has to find his place in the new world or perish...

—Lord Cutler Beckett, DMC

Something about Jack that vexed Lord Beckett makes me wonder too. What has transpired between these gentlemen? I recall Elizabeth recounting the tales of the famous Captain Jack Sparrow (CotBP): he vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of East India Company; he sacked nassau port without even firing a shot... Beckett’s offer (letter of Mark that grants Jack full pardon so he’ll be free and a privateer in the employ of England) shows that Jack is clearly a valuable asset, not just his compass.... hmm, me thinks Jack’s negotational skill can be useful for East India Trading Co.

But, the captain goes down with his ship, eh?........

‘Already the world seems a bit less bright...,’ said Mr. Gibbs.

Hear! hear!

Hello, Beastie...

These past two months, I’d almost been worn out waiting for a bike purchase to arrive. I’d decided that if by the end of this third month it were still unavailable, I’d go for another brand. Then, one night, I went home and found said bike standing haughtily, greeting me. I just couldn’t help answering, ‘hello, Beastie....’ Well, I did wish to give it a name. With the bike being a winning-red —the manual said so— Id’s gear “Omni-Weltall” had lingered in mind. But now, I think I’ll call it Beastie.

Anyway, I must say the work on Flying Dutchman’s crew, and especially Kraken, is brilliant. I found Ragetti and Pintel’s squabbles over Kraken’s pronunciation hillarious. They mirrorred one of my pet peeves at work and personal interest on “what’s-in-a-name bla bla” subject.

Pintel, ‘...I always heard it said “kray-kin”’
Ragetti, ‘What? With a long Ay?’
Pintel, ‘Uh huh.’
Ragetti, ‘Na-na-na-na-no-no no “Krockken”’s how it’s pronounced in the original Scandinavian, and “Kracken”’s closer to that.’
Pintel, ‘Well we ain’t original Scandinavians, are we? Kray-kin.’
Ragetti, ‘It’s a mythological creature, I can calls it what I wants!’

— DMC

So, can one be a pirate and a good man? For the second time, we saw what kind of crews the Pearl sailed with. Everybody has a place aboard the Pearl. Though, yeah.. these recruits were to suit Jack’s dealing of handing out 99 lives to be traded with his, but I think (.... hmm, I wanted to think...) he was just trying to borrow time to gain leverage by obtaining Jones’ heart.

I like the “Piracy” issue being cast in opposition to civilized ruling of the law whose authority figures act alike: both Jack Sparrow and Lord Becketts manipulate Will and Elizabeth for their own gain. There’s also a third-party’s view (ordinary merchants with whom Elizabeth, guised as man, sailed) on East India Trading Co’s monopoly... and I just can’t help thinking of Microsoft when Mr. Gibbs assesses Beckett’s motives.

I like PotC for a sentimental reason: I love the sea. It’s one of the very rare films that engages the sea in “favourable” light. As we get more bad tidings from the sea (lost lives, tsunamis, storms outwitting man’s valour and ambition) these days, we fear, condemn, and consider it antagonistic in nature. At the same time, we plead ignorance to damage that man’s self-importance has inflicted upon it. Though PotC does portray it as harsh, ever-changing, untameable (with foul beasts mentioned only in tales, legends, and superstitions, which are more bearable than the local legend of Nyi Roro) —it is the way of the sea since times immemorial, eh?— it gives promise of life as well. Plus, PotC does not (I hope it won’t) associate the sea and its beaches with windswept models in “modern” swimming suits, sun-bathing, or jetset’s leisure cruises. It echoes my sentiments of the sea: mystery, adventure, freedom, and self-discovery. Besides, it’s refreshing to see battles on sea as well as wooden-ship chases instead of cars...

There’s so much on DMC I’d like to comment: Gov. Swann’s lack of trust in everyone and everything (Will, Beckett, and even in system he served); Beckett’s silence on Will’s question of the mark that Jack left on Beckett (we know now who put the “P” mark on Jack’s hand); Will and Bill Turner; Will and Elizabeth with Jack in between (though I’m certain, the name William goes with Elizabeth... as does Fitzwilliam Darcy with Elizabeth Bennet in Austen’s PnP. Heh, it was funny when Jack called her “Lizzie” because Ms. Knightley played the role of Elizabeth Bennet in Joe Wright’s PnP, which gave her Oscar nomination. So is Tom Hollander’s Lord Beckett and Elizabeth’s exchanges as Mr. Hollander played Mr. Collins’ part in Joe Wright’s PnP); Jack falling from the cliff onto a green garden along with falling fruits reminds me of the tale “Jack and the Bean” or something; Davy Jones; etc, etc.......... but I had better stop. This afterthought is getting a tad too long.

To the World’s End

Jack Sparrow, ‘Have you not met Will Turner? He’s noble, heroic.... terrific soprano...’

Tia Dalma, ‘You have a touch of destiny about you, William Turner...’

—DMC

Er, right. Don’t we all?

Anyway, once again, Will Turner is obscured behind Jack, Elizabeth, and even Norrington. Or is he?

What did he do in DMC? Hmm... tracked down the Pearl, escaped the Pelegostos Tribe with the Pearl’s crew, managed to take Davy Jones’ key and escaped Jones’s Flying Dutchman, infuriated Kraken further though his strategy gave the Pearl’s survivors time to abandon ship, and coined the hope of bringing wicked Jack and his precious Pearl back.

Well, well, Will... you are a hero after all! But why are you robbed of your credits? Is it because Mr. Bloom plays your part? Or because you are a straight and quiet man contrasting Jack’s eccentricity and loquaciousness?

I think, CotBP had given the picture. Will is the finer blacksmith and the one who fought Jack Sparrow at the blacksmith workshop but his patron gets all the credits, both times. Will is a fine swordsman but since he kept it to himself (no chance to show it, I think), Norrington talked him down when Will adviced him to consult Jack Sparrow in locating the Pearl. Will and Jack commandeered The Interceptor. They trounced Barbossa at the end of CotBP. He saved Jack from the gallow (here, he looked funny with the hat so I thought of Jack’s praise more as a mockery, haha...), etc... etc...

Compared to his simplicity early in CotBP, Will had gone through subtle transfomation by the end of DMC. He finally got the chance to show his swordsmanship, strategic thinking, as well as leadership quality. So, Will, whatever destiny awaits you, I’ll be expecting that you get your due credits. I hope you’ll manage to save your twice cursed father from Davy Jones’ Flying Dutchman, and most importantly, dispose Lord Beckett of his wig, but don’t wear one yourself!

There’s a mention that the red cloth Jack wears about his head is actually a map. Hmm.... It hasn’t been played out in either PotC films. If it’s true, will it be crucial? Is it to do with what prompted Jack to turn to Davy Jones to reinstate the Pearl 13 years ago?

Something I noted, though I am sure it must have popped up somewhere...

The pendant in the first picture was found in Tia Dalma’s shack. It was seen when Jack Sparrow took something from her table while she was looking for the jar of dirt. The second one was found on Davy Jones’ organ at the Flying Dutchman, emitting melancholy lullaby. It was seen as Will was stealing Jones’ key. ................. Hmm, aren’t they the same? Interesting! How come Tia Dalma and Davy Jones share these similar items? I don’t think we’d seen the last of them. I have a hunch the pendants’ are going to be important in the third installment.

Now, bring me that horizon...

notes: quotes from both films are taken from their respective imdb quote pages.