FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2016, David Yates' Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them received both critical and box office success. It served as a welcome return to the Wizarding World that J.K. Rowling had created. While the film received a lot of praise for the acting (particularly Eddie Redmayne as the protagonist, Newt Scamander), its story and special effects, many doubted its ability to work as a franchise, with Rowling announcing that there will be a total of five films. The follow-up, titled The Crimes Of Grindelwald, has been released two years later, however, does it capture the magical quality that featured in Fantastic Beasts and the Harry Potter films?

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MCUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings. In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student, Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

While The Crimes Of Grindelwald is the weakest entry in the franchise so far, it's not a bad film. Unlike previous instalments, it doesn't work as a stand alone film. Those watching without having seen Fantastic Beasts will be very confused as the story picks up where the previous film ended, with Grindelwald escaping the MCUSA. Rowling, once again, writes the screenplay and it is very impressive that she has created a magical world, filled with interesting ideas. Many thought that, after the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 in 2011, it was the last they would see of the Wizarding World, however, Rowling admitted to not being able to part ways with the magical world that she'd created, which lead to her writing her first screenplay, Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them. The story introduced us to a new set of characters, including Redmayne's introverted Newt Scamander, Dan Fogler's 'No-Maj' (American for Muggle) Jacob Kowalski, ex-Auror Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) and her sister, Queenie (Alison Sudol). The four worked very well together and return in The Crimes Of Grindelwald, however, the characters are seperated for most of the film. 

There are new additions to the cast, including Depp's evil Grindelwald. As the main villain, Depp is perfect for the role. As of late, Depp’s casting has come under fire due to rumours surrounding his relationship with actress, Amber Heard, and rumours of domestic abuse. It’s been two years since this story broke out and since Depp and Heard ended their marriage. In my opinion, I don’t think Depp is a bad actor and I have no idea what happened in their relationship. Nobody does, apart from the former couple themselves. I don’t think it’s any of our business speaking about what did or didn’t happen during their relationship and I’m sure Depp and Heard wants to leave it in the past and move on and, in my opinion, that’s what we should do. Back to my previous point, Depp makes for a great villain as he’s easy to dislike and comes across as very creepy. Another newcomer includes Law as a young Dumbledore and, at first, I was unsure about his casting, however, I was quite impressed. While his performance doesn’t match that of Richard Harris (who portrayed the character in the first two Harry Potter films before his death) and Michael Gambon, he still gives a solid performance. Due to the story focusing more on other characters, he doesn’t get much screen time, however, we’ll see more of him in the future sequels. Zoe Kravitz and Callum Turner feature as Newt's friend, Leta Lestrange, and Newt's older brother, Theseus. Because there are a lot of characters that feature within the story, it is hard to keep up at times as the film frequently cuts to one group of characters to another. The editing is one of the aspects of the film that could be improved on. 

While Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them was thoroughly entertaining, The Crimes Of Grindelwald has a more darker tone, similar to that of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. While Grindelwald isn't as memorable as Ralph Fiennes' Voldemort (who was the main antagonist in the Harry Potter films), he still comes across as truly evil and unpredictable. Throughout the film, we're unsure of what his next move is which makes him an unsettling character. While Dumbledore has been described as one of the most powerful wizards, he confesses to Newt that he can't move against Grindelwald to a blood pact they made when they were friends. This leads to Newt, Tina, Queenie, Leta and Theseus working together to try and stop Grindelwald at one of his rallies. Unfortunately, this leads to an intense climax, with characters choosing to side with Grindelwald and others being killed. During the release of Fantastic Beasts, Rowling announced that there is going to be a total of five films in the franchise, with the final film building up to the duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. While Fantastic Beasts was lighthearted at times and was entertaining to watch, I do like the serious direction the series is being taken in. It's similar to the Harry Potter films as the stories got darker as the films went on. 

In The Crimes of Grindelwald, we see a different side to Newt as he learns about the seriousness of the situation involving Grindelwald's escape. We learn of his relationship with his brother, Theseus, which is tentatively warm relationship, slightly marred by the fact that the two can't quite understand each other. Previously, Newt and Tina were seen as friends, however, it's revealed that Newt has developed feelings for her and he spends the first half of the film looking for her. In my opinion, while romantic relationships aren't a bad thing, I just feel like it's unnecessary and that Newt and Tina should remain friends. In Fantastic Beasts, Queenie was seen as flirtatious, however, we see another side to her that I wasn't expecting and I really liked. I was surprised that there wasn't any scenes involving her and Tina considering they're sisters. 

What was most successful about Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them was that it worked as an introductory to the Wizarding World. There were small nods to the Harry Potter films that die-hard fans would have noticed and, with The Crimes Of Grindelwald, the connections between the two franchises is bigger. The story takes viewers to Hogwarts, which is the school of witchcraft and wizardry, and John Williams' iconic Hedwig's Theme is heard during this scene, making many fans feel very nostalgic. They will also recognise many of the classrooms, including the one where a young Newt, as a student, practises his Riddikulus spell on a boggart. I wouldn't be surprised if fans discovered more Easter Eggs, which are inside jokes, hidden messages or images, located within the film. One of the Easter Eggs that fans noticed in Fantastic Beasts was a necklace that has the Deathly Hallows symbol on it. In The Crimes Of Grindelwald, there is a nod to the first Harry Potter film, The Philosopher's Stone, as Jacob meets Nicolas Flamel, who, as fans will know, discovered the titular stone. This is why I admire Rowling as a writer because she has created a world that has infinite potential. At this stage, it's hard to say whether Rowling will write more stories set in the Wizarding World, however, I would like to see a prequel focusing on Dumbledore, his relationship with his brother, Aberforth, and the tragedy they experienced, involving their younger sister, Ariana.

One of the highlights of Fantastic Beasts was the magical creatures that escaped from Newt's briefcase when he arrives in New York. The most memorable were the Niffler and the Bowtruckle, both of which make small appearances. The creatures that feature in The Crimes of Grindelwald prove that there's no limit to Rowling's imagination, including the intimidating Zouwu, a massive, multicolored cat-like beast of Chinese origin and the Kelpie, a type of water horse from Scottish mythology. They're considered dangerous given their tendency to lure travelers to a watery grave, but Newt of course has a way with them.

While The Crimes Of Grindelwald isn't without its flaws and is the weakest entry in the franchise, it's not bad as it continues the story. 

7/10

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN TELL NO TALES REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Since the release of the first film in 2003, the Pirates Of The Caribbean films have gone on to become one of the most successful franchises. Despite this, the films themselves have received a lot of criticism. The first film, The Curse Of The Black Pearl, received a lot of praise for its originality and fast-paced adventure and the humour that came from Johnny Depp's performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. Unfortunately, the sequels have been criticised, mainly for the plot and length of the film. However, for me, personally, I love the Pirates films, especially the first three. I recently re-watched them and I can't understand the criticism they received. Both Dead Man's Chest and At World's End featured a compelling story full of twists and turns and it featured a lot of interesting character developments, especially in Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann, the Governor's daughter who wants to be a pirate. The final battle sequence that took place in At World's End was thrilling and dramatic. I think that the reason why the first three were really good was because of the director, Gore Verbinski, who is best known for directing The Ring. In all three of the Pirates films, he captures the dark tone and scary atmosphere of the world that the titular pirates live in. Unfortunately, he didn't return for the fourth film, On Stranger Tides, and was replaced by Rob Marshall who, at first, didn't seem the most likely director as he'd previously directed the musical, Chicago. However, while On Stranger Tides wasn't as good as the first three, it wasn't that bad. To be honest, I think that the series should've ended with the fourth one, however, the film left on a cliffhanger, indicating that there was going to be a fifth film. And, six years later, Dead Man Tell No Tales (also known as Salazar's Revenge) has finally been released. 

Dead Man Tell No Tales finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devil's Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea-notably Jack. Jack's only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

Unfortunately, Dead Man Tell No Tales doesn't feel like a Pirates Of The Caribbean film because, for one, it's not even set in the titular Caribbean. The tone is different to the first four and it, at times, feels like a parody with all the slapstick comedy. I think this is mainly down to the fact the film has two directors, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directing their first Hollywood film. There are many sequences that are intended for comic relief but look too ridiculous to be funny. I think that if Rønning and Sandberg had focused more on telling a compelling story that is just as good as its predecessors, they could've toned down the humour. That's what I liked about the previous films. They had moments of comic relief but it wasn't necessarily a comedy as the films focused more on the narrative rather than making people laugh. 

One of the best things about the Pirates films was Depp's performance as Captain Jack Sparrow. He brought humour to the role and improvised most of his dialogue which made him even more of an unpredictable character. Unfortunately, because of the controversy surrounding his relationship with Amber Heard in 2015 and last year, his performance isn't as good as what it once was. 

One of the newcomers include Bardem as the villain, Salazar, who is an improvement on On Stranger Tides' Captain Blackbeard, played by Ian McShane. Bardem is best known for his villainous roles including Silva in the 2012 James Bond film, Skyfall, and his Oscar-winning performance as Anton Chigurh in the 2007 film, No Country For Old Men. While Salazar isn't as scary or unpredictable as the two aforementioned characters, he still poses a threat to Jack and, like Anton Chigurh, kills a lot of innocent people in order to achieve his plan of getting revenge on Jack. 

As Will Turner's (Orlando Bloom) son, Thwaites captures his on-screen father's charm and determination. Like Will with his father in Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, Henry wants to free his father from the curse of the Flying Dutchman. Scodelario is fierce and feisty as Carina and, despite judgments from other people, she remains headstrong throughout and leads the pirate to finding the Trident of Poseidon. Both Thwaites and Scodelario have more chemistry than the two love interests, Philip (Sam Claflin) and Syrena (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey), from On Stranger Tides. 

For those hoping to see a lot of Bloom and Knightley in this latest installment, you'll be disappointed as Bloom is only seen in the opening sequence and doesn't appear again until he's reunited with Knightley in the film's climax. For me, I loved seeing both Will and Elizabeth reunite as their love story was effectively written throughout the three films. 

While Dead Man Tell No Tales doesn't feel like a Pirates Of The Caribbean film, it's still fairly entertaining and is never boring. To those argued that the running length of the previous films was too long will be happy to know that this latest installment only runs at 129 minutes. This means that the action runs at a fast pace and features a lot of adventurous sequences. 

It's a shame that the quality of the Pirates films have decreased since On Stranger Tides. The Pirates film have the potential to tell creative and imaginative narratives with interesting characters. 

A sixth film has been announced and, if this latest installment is as successful as its predecessors as the box office, it'll be released within the next few years. I just hope that the next film can improve on Dead Man Tell No Tales' flaws. 

7/10 

ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010) REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 1951, Walt Disney brought Lewis Carroll's classic story, Alice In Wonderland, to the silver screen by using beautiful animation. It has since then become one of Disney's most well-known animated films.
59 years later, Tim Burton, one of cinema's most creative directors, gives us his take on Wonderland. Even if Burton's name wasn't above the title, I'd still guess it was one of his films. Everything about this film just screams Burton: the outstanding visuals; the dark tone of the film and the fact that both Johnny Depp (who he has worked with since Edward Scissorhands in 1990) and Helena Bonham Carter (his partner) have leading parts. Fortunately, that's not a bad thing. I can't imagine anyone else other than Burton creating a successful Wonderland film as well as him. Like I mentioned earlier, this film does have a dark and intense setting despite its PG rating so I wouldn't recommend this film to young children.
Alice (Mia Wasikowska), an unpretentious and individual 19-year-old, is betrothed to a dunce of an English nobleman. At her engagement party, she escapes the crowd to consider whether to go through with the marriage and falls down a hole in the garden after spotting an unusual rabbit (voice of Michael Sheen). Arriving in a strange and surreal place called "Underland," she finds herself in a world that resembles the nightmares she had as a child, filled with talking animals, villainous queens and knights, and frumious bandersnatches. Alice realizes that she is there for a reason: to conquer the horrific Jabberwocky (voice of Christopher Lee) and restore the rightful queen to her throne.
I think this is a really interesting twist on the classic story. Alice has grown up a lot since her first encounter in Wonderland and has become a lot more mature. In this film, we see her standing up for herself which makes her a likable protagonist. Wasikowska gives a strong performance as Alice.
Unfortunately, many things have changed since Alice last visited Wonderland. With the Red Queen (Bonham Carter) taking over, it has turned into Underland, a much more darker place. However, Alice, with the help of the Mad Hatter (Depp), is willing to defeat the Red Queen and bring back Wonderland.
One of the main reasons I enjoyed watching this was because of it stand out performances. Not one actor falters. Depp is, as usual in Burton's films, brilliant as the Mad Hatter. His incredible makeup stands out and so does his performance. Bonham Carter is terrifying as the Red Queen. This is mainly due to her large head (created using CGI) and her deafening exclamations. In my opinion, the Queen of Hearts from the animation is calm compared to her portrayal. Anne Hathaway plays the Red Queen's sister, the White Queen. I loved Hathaway's performance because she was the complete opposite of her sister. She is delicate and light hearted. Recognisable voices include Alan Rickman as the wise Absolem the Caterpillar; Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat; Christopher Lee as the Jabberwocky and Barbara Windsor as the Dormouse.

I think that this film has a lot more depth than the original adaptation and the characters are all well developed, especially Alice.

Overall, this is a brilliant take on one of the most well known stories with strong performances from every actor involved.

7/10

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

In 2003, the first film in the Pirates of the Caribbean series was released and was a surprise hit making over $654 million at the box office. People had low expectations as it was based on a ride at Disney's theme park. However, it proved to be better than what people had expected and went on to receive critical acclaim and was even nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Actor in a Leading Role for Johnny Depp, Best Make-up and Best Visual Effects. Two sequels were released, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, which both were incredibly successful at the box office and were each the highest grossing films of their years. Of course, this led to a huge amount of pressure for the fourth film, On Stranger Tides, and also for newcomer, Rob Marshall, who took over the directing reins from Gore Verbinski. Unfortunately, On Stranger Tides isn't as good as its predecessors but it's still a solid addition to the franchise.

Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past, Angelica (Penélope Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love - or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past. In a subplot, we see Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) wanting to find the Fountain but, with Sparrow currently owning the map, Barbossa must rely on Sparrow's former shipmate, Gibbs (Kevin McNally), to find the location of the Fountain.

Many have said that this sequel was unnecessary and I disagree. The previous film, At World's End, ended with Captain Barbossa introducing his crewmates to the Fountain of Youth but discovering that Sparrow has stolen the map for it so it made sense that the producers wanted to carry on with that story and make another film.

Depp, Rush and McNally are, currently, the only three actors to have appeared in all four of the current Pirates films. This proves how dedicated they are to this franchise and their characters. We see another side to Sparrow as we see him develop romance with Angelica, however, he still remains as comical as ever. Between At World's End and On Stranger Tides, Barbossa lost his leg and the Black Pearl due to a battle between him and Blackbeard. This leads to his motivation to finding the Fountain before Blackbeard and getting revenge. The villain of the previous two films was Bill Nighy's Davy Jones who proved to be as terrifying as he looked. McShane takes the role as the antagonist and, while not as intimidating, still poses a threat to Sparrow and comes across as incredibly selfish. His on-screen daughter, Angelica, is perfectly flirtatious but is she really all she seems? 

Both Bloom and Knightley's characters added some romance to the films and their chemistry was enjoyable to watch. The pair are replaced by Philip (Sam Claflin), a religious member of the Queen Anne's Revenge, and Syrena (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey), a mermaid who is kidnapped by Blackbeard for her tears. While both do what they can with their roles, their relationship isn't that interesting and could easily have been cut out. Syrena isn't as fiery as Knightley's Elizabeth Swann and fails to leave an lasting impression. Claflin is basically a one-dimensional Prince Charming. 

With a runtime of 136 minutes, this is the shortest of the four in the series. This means that the story moves at a far more brisk pace but leaves certain characters undeveloped. It's a solid entry into the franchise. Making a film that is on the same level as the three previous films is an incredibly challenging task but, nevertheless, it's still enjoyable.

Overall, Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides isn't the best but is still a solid addition to the franchise

7/10

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End here.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

What started out as a mere adaptation into a feature film of one of Disney's most popular theme park attractions has now turned into a hugely successful franchise. Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a surprise hit at the box office which lead to producers announcing two more sequels, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End which were filmed back to back.

At World's End picks up immediately where its predecessor, Dead Man's Chest, left with Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his beloved ship, the Black Pearl, being dragged into the depths of the sea into Davy Jones' (Bill Nighy) locker. Fortunately, he is soon rescued by Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) and other members of the crew. After he's rescued, the crew must prepare to fight the East India Trading Company which is currently being led by Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander), who currently has control of Jones and plans to extinguish piracy for good. This leads to a thrilling climax and fitting conclusion to this story.

I can understand the criticism this received. At 168 minutes, it's the longest of all the Pirates films, however, I would say it's worth every minute. There's plenty of exciting action sequences, tense and dramatic moments and character and plot development to make this one of the best in the franchise. Many have described the plot as 'confusing' which, initially, I would agree with but, after watching it several times, I fully understand the story. It is one of those films that needs your 100% attention. The dialogue is key to a viewer's understanding as they reveal truths about other characters that we didn't already know. This has plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. 

The performances are just as solid as they were in Dead Man's Chest. The highlight of every Pirates film is, of course, Depp as the amusing Sparrow. However, since this is the most serious film in the franchise, we see less of his comedic side and becomes more concerned with saving his own skin and his beloved ship. Will and Elizabeth's relationship is also put on the back burner due to her actions in the previous film's climax and things are rocky between them. The pair spend the majority of the film separated, however, their relationship soon escalates in the climax. We see Will wanting to save his father, Bill 'Bootstrap Bill' Turner (Stellan Skarsgård). Elizabeth becomes caught up in a misunderstanding and ends up being one of the Pirate Kings. Her motivational speech just before the big battle towards the end of the film shows how determined she is and what a talented actress Knightley is. With Jones now being controlled by Beckett, we don't see that much of him but he's still incredibly intimidating, especially in the final battle. 

The budget for this film was estimated to be $300 million which is more than the budget for all three of the Lord Of The Rings films put together. You can see the incredible hard work the production team have put into creating this film. Over the course of 168 minutes, there's some impressive cinematography, especially when the ships are sailing across the sea. To emphasise that this is the darkest of the three so far, the majority of the colours used are murky greys, dark greens and black. The dramatic climax uses rain and Hans Zimmer's score to highlight the intensity of the battle and the fight for survival. 

Like Dead Man's Chest, At World's End was the highest grossing film of 2007, beating the fifth Harry Potter film and making over $963 million. The fourth film, On Stranger Tides, was released four years later, proving that it is still one of the most successful franchises.

This is director Gore Verbinski's final film and he said that he felt it was 'important to make the third film the end of an era' and it certainly is. The first three films, in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, are successful in creating entertainment for the viewer and keeps them engaged all the way through to the end. The characters have developed a lot since the first film, the acting has been improved and At World's End has one of the best battle sequences ever seen on screen. Yes, it's a long film and a few scenes could have been cut but the majority of the film works at continuing the story on from Dead Man's Chest. 

8/10

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides here.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When the first film in the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise, The Curse of the Black Pearl, was released, it was an surprise hit, receiving critical acclaim and making over $654 million at the box office. Of course, the producers were thrilled with this and the sequel was announced with the subtitle, Dead Man's Chest, and was released in 2006. One of the biggest pressures for any sequel is that it lives up to people's expectations and is as good as the predecessor. Fortunately, with three quarters of the main characters returning from the previous film, an interesting plot and a scary villain, Dead Man's Chest is my personal favourite of the whole series.

We're plunged into the world of sword fights and savvy pirates. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is reminded he owes a debt to Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), who captains the flying Dutchman, a ghostly ship, with a crew from hell. Facing the 'locker', Jack must find the heart of Davy Jones but to save himself he must get the help of quick-witted Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). If that's not complicated enough, Will and Elizabeth are sentenced to hang, unless will can get Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) Jack's compass, Will is forced to join another crazy adventure with Jack. 

I think that this is a great follow-up to The Curse of the Black Pearl. The film opens with Will preparing to marry Elizabeth, however, due to the events of the previous film, their lives are at stake. Fortunately, Beckett makes a deal with Will: if he can find Jack and take his beloved compass and bring it back to Beckett, he'll let both him and Elizabeth go. This proves to be easier said than done as Jack is off on his own personal mission to find the key to Davy Jones' chest. This leads to him and his crew being trapped on a desert island which is inhabited by cannibals. Many have said that this sequence runs too long but I have to disagree as it's one of the most entertaining scenes in the film and further proves why Depp is perfect as the quirky Jack Sparrow. I can't imagine anyone keeping a straight face when he's running away from the cannibals whilst screaming. 

Whilst Depp's performance is still the best thing about this film, both Bloom and Knightley give solid performances as the two love interests. Bloom's Will Turner is just as determined as ever, however, it's Knightley's portrayal of Elizabeth Swann that I love. When Turner fails to return with Jack's compass, she makes a deal with Beckett to go out and find the compass herself. Instead of writing her as a simple, one-dimensional damsel in distress, Elizabeth is a brave and strong individual who isn't afraid of pirates. 

Because of the previous film, Geoffrey Rush's Captain Barbossa doesn't return in this sequel. Instead, he is replaced by Nighy's  Davy Jones who is a much more terrifying villain. Because of computer-generated imagery, Nighy is unrecognisable in this role. Jones is furious at Sparrow for not paying his debt and says that he must join his crew on his ship, The Flying Dutchman, or be dragged to the depths of the sea by the even more terrifying hermaphrodite known as the Kraken. Davy Jones is someone we wouldn't want to make a deal with and is the best villain in the whole series.

Another new addition is Tia Dalma (Naomi Harris), who is a voodoo priestess. This is Harris' breakthrough performance and one that got her recognition. She is unrecognisable underneath the layers of dark and vibrant make-up and costume. Her scenes are vital to the plot as she tells the story of Davy Jones and tells the characters that his weakness is his heart which is located in the titular chest. 

In the previous film, we learnt that (*SPOILER ALERT*) Turner was the son of a pirate. As it turns out, his father is Bill 'Bootstrap Bill' Turner (Stellan Skarsgård) and is trapped on Jones' ship. This leads to a bond forming between the two as Will learns about his father's true identity. It's a relationship that is crucial in the next film, At World's End.

The length of The Curse of the Black Pearl was an issue, however, this sequel is even longer with a runtime of two hours and thirty minutes. To be honest, because the film moves at a brisk pace and has plenty of thrilling scenes, it barely feels like almost three hours has passed. Some of the greatest films ever made, including Lord Of The Rings, Inception and Avatar had long runtimes. I think that longer runtimes are better as it gives the plot and characters plenty of time to develop. However, it does need your 100% concentration. It's worth watching as the climax is incredibly thrilling and features a shocking cliffhanger and a surprise appearance from one of the characters.

After the release of Dead Man's Chest, it went on to become the highest grossing film of 2006, making over a $1 billion at the box office. It even won an Academy Award the following year for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. It was also nominated for three others which were: Best Achievement in Art Direction; Best Achievement in Sound Mixing and Best Achievement in Sound Editing. 

Overall, the sequel to The Curse of the Black Pearl is a great follow up and improves on its predecessor in terms of plot and performances from all the actors involved.

8/10

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides here.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Based on the popular attraction of the same name at various Disney theme parks across the globe, the first film in the adventurous Pirates Of The Caribbean series features a star-studded cast and interesting plot. 

This swash-buckling tale follows the quest of Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), a savvy pirate, and Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), a resourceful blacksmith, as they search for Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley). Elizabeth, the daughter of the governor and the love of Will's life, has been kidnapped by the feared Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Little do they know, but the fierce and clever Barbossa has been cursed. He, along with his large crew, are under an ancient curse, doomed for eternity to neither live, nor die. That is, unless a blood sacrifice is made. 

When Pirates was first released in 2003, it was a surprise hit, with critics raving about it and it went on to receive over $654 million at the box office. However, looking back, it's not really much of a surprise that it was so successful. Depp's performance as the savvy Captain Jack Sparrow was the highlight of the entire film and it's still one of his most recognised performances, over thirteen years later. If it wasn't for his high energy performance, Pirates wouldn't have been as successful and it would be very dull without him.

Both Bloom and Knightley give strong performances with Bloom portraying the Prince Charming type who teams up with a pirate in order to save his true love. At one point, he even says that he'd 'die for her'. It is a cliché but it works in this film. However, Knightley's Swann is more than a love interest. After being kidnapped by pirates, she is brave and stands up for herself. This was one of my favourite things about this film. Other production companies would've made her one dimensional and unlikable but. thankfully, because of the writers and Knightley's performance, Elizabeth Swann is one of the best characters in this film. Another great character is Captain Barbossa, the villain and Jack's enemy. Underneath all the make-up and costume and greasy wig, Rush is unrecognisable in this role. 

Despite its dark atmosphere, it is a Disney production, so there are plenty of light hearted moments that make it perfect entertainment. It's not suitable for the whole family though as it has a 12 rating (suitable for viewers aged 12 and up) so I would reconsider before showing to children. Sparrow's quirky personality brings the most of the comic relief in the film's darkest moments. One of the most funniest scenes includes Sparrow and Swann drunkenly dancing together whilst deserted on an island. 

Gore Verbinski further proves why he's one of the most versatile directors, much like his previous film, The Ring, which was a horror, Pirates has dark and intense scenes, especially in the thrilling climax where Sparrow and Barbossa are having a sword fight. Fans of the popular Disney ride will not be disappointed here.

Speaking of which, I find it very interesting that this film is based on a theme park attraction. The majority of films are based on screenplays or books, however, this is one of the things that makes Pirates original. To this day, I'm yet to see a film, that features pirates as the main characters, that's half as good as the Pirates franchise. 

Many viewers may criticise the films runtime which is roughly two hours and twenty minutes. In my opinion, I'd say it's worth every minute. This is one of those films where dialogue between characters is important as we learn some vital plot information. For example, we learn that (*SPOILER ALERT*) Turner is the son of a pirate which changes his outlook on them. Their relationship is crucial in the next two films, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End. 

Unsurprisingly, Pirates was nominated for five Academy Awards in 2004 including a Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Depp, Best Make-Up and Best Visual Effects. All of this is important in making a successful film and I'm happy that the production team didn't go unnoticed. 

Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer's score has also gone on to be one of the most memorable scores. One of the defining characteristics of this score's sound is the use of horn for melody. Nearly all of the score's louder sections feature the horns on the melody, frequently doubled by various string instruments.This gives it a triumphant and exciting sound and is one of the definitions of this film.

Overall, Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl is a fun and adventurous feature film and sets up the successful franchise to come. 

8/10

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End here.

Read my review of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides here.

INTO THE WOODS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Many people have criticised this film and, to be honest, I can't understand why. I thought this was a fun musical with a unique narrative. The songs are really catchy, especially the first one, 'I Wish', within a few minutes, I found myself secretly mouthing the words! If you're not a fan of musicals, then I advise you not to watch it. I'd recommend this to fans of Les Miserables, Mamma Mia! and Enchanted. 

The tagline on the poster reads 'Be Careful What You Wish For' which pretty much sums up the film's story. 

A baker, played by James Corden, and his wife, Emily Blunt, are desperate to have a baby together but unfortunately they can't have one because of a curse the witch put on the baker's family many years ago. Suddenly, the witch herself, played by Meryl Streep, bursts in and tells them they can have their child if they collect four following items from the famous fairytales: the glass slipper from Cinderella; the hair as yellow as corn from Rapunzel; the red cape from Little Red Riding Hood and the cow from Jack and the Beanstalk within three days. Of course, the baker and his wife agree to do this and so their adventure begins, as they head 'into the woods'. 

I really enjoyed watching this film, I think it's one of Disney's best musicals. What I loved about this film is that it can be dark at times which I was surprised to see as Disney films are mainly bright, happy and funny. I was very shocked at the scene when Cinderella's stepsisters were trying on the shoe and when it wouldn't fit, their mother ended up chopping off their big toe and heel in order to make it fit! While this does happen in the original tale, Disney showed nothing like this in their classic animated adaptation from 1951, So, if you're thinking of taking children as young as 5 to watch this film, I'd say be aware that there are scary scenes that are unsuitable for children. I'd recommend this to mature children aged about 10+.

I also loved the actors' portrayals of their characters, especially Meryl Streep as the witch. Her make-up looked incredible and made her look 100 years older! And she has a great singing voice as well. Anna Kendrick as Cinderella was a favourite too. She showed a whole other side to Cinderella that we've never seen before: does she really want to be with the Prince? And Emily Blunt as the baker's wife, I loved watching her try desperately to get all the items and her scenes with James Corden as the baker are really funny, I loved their on-screen relationship, I could see how much the baker cares for his wife and her safety. 

This film is full of singing, surprises, comedy and dark plot twists.

If you're a fan of the actors featured in this film and musicals, you'll love this.

7/10