There’s nothing like a bit of swash and buckle on a Friday night, but just how much swash and buckle can you take? I was a bit nervous when I found out the film would be 2 and ¾ hours long as a friend of mine who had agreed to go with me conveniently had her phone turned off, so I was marooned in the cinema alone. No fear me hearties!

Well, for the most part, my attention hardly wavered due to the fantastic special effects and the weird and wonderful acting skills of Johnny Depp (Cap’n Jack Sparrow), Geoffrey Rush (Cap’n Barbossa) and Bill Nighy (Davy Jones). I was equally impressed by the feisty Keira Knightly (Elizabeth Swann) who looks like she’d get blown down by a breeze let alone stand up to an onslaught from Davy Jones’s crusty henchmen. However, my Oscar goes to the monkey. Pay attention to him, he’s got a future.

There was a dark edge to this instalment and the focus of the film is whether there is honour among thieves. Cap’n Sao Feng’s comment ‘there is no honour to remain with the losing side’ could be taken as a starting point for further discussion. It starts out as a mission to Singapore to find a map to locate the underworld to save Jack Sparrow but gets caught up in a maelstrom of chaotic double crossing and loose ends.

I could talk for hours about the complexities of the plot and who is for or against whom and would love to receive comments about this from readers who have seen it.

I preferred the second film myself just for the sheer slapstick. After all, Pirates of the Caribbean isn’t a great work of philosophical literature – it was based on a Disney World ride.

There are some really funny moments, especially between Capn’s Sparrow and Barbossa, but overall the pace is not as well choreographed as in Dead Man’s Chest. Jack’s a bit glum these days and Keith Richard’s cameo was a bit of a damp squib to be honest. Even the romance between Will and Elizabeth needs some wind up its sails. There’s probably a fourth film on its way but it might be best to stop there.

What’s the verdict? Add comments to let me know what you thought of the film