Depp is an actor to treasure in 'Dead Man's Chest'

One key reason sequels rarely rise to the enjoyment level of the original movie is that the delight of first encounter with the characters and situations is gone. Remember back three summers ago to being less than excited by the prospect of Disney recycling a theme park ride into a feature film, then being completely won over by Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, the tipsy rock star pirate with the nervous tic?

Buena Vista Pictures 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' B The verdict: Understandably less fresh than the earlier episode, but still very entertaining, thanks to Depp's shenanigans. Director: Gore Verbinski Starring: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Stellan Skarsgard, Bill Nighy Run time: 135 minutes Release date: July 7, 2006 Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of adventure violence, including frightening images. See showtimes Test yourself How will you stand up to the pirate quiz? Sneak peek! Preview the action with these stills from the movie. More on the movie •  Aye, me hearties! Never doubt Johnny Depp. •  Movies heap tribute on playing pirate. On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

That surprise factor is understandably gone in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, which suffers from a bit too much familiarity and a lazy editing job that lets the movie bloat to nearly 2 1/2 hours. Still, Captain Jack is such a richly comic creation and Depp — noted for never repeating himself — is clearly having, and giving, so much fun returning to his oversized creation that the new installment in the saga is like a visit with an old friend.

Make that old friends, for producer Jerry Bruckheimer (and his checkbook) has lured back the entire principal cast of the 2003 movie, including Orlando Bloom (Will Turner) and Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Swann) as the made-for-each-other swashbuckling romantics whose wedding plans get delayed by new adventures with Captain Jack.

Invigorating the movie is the introduction of a new villain, the cadaverous Davy Jones (Bill Nighy), whose face is consumed by a wriggling octopus, attached to him like a barnacle. With its lively tentacles, the effect seems like a triumph of makeup design or maybe costuming, but it turns out to be slyly seamless computer imagery. However it is made, the visual is both creepy and mesmerizing.

Davy Jones is the "dead man" whose chest contains an organic power source that will allow its possessor to rule the seas. So enter a second meanie, the ruthless but bland pirate hunter Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander), who seeks the chest to rid the islands of its pirates. For this, he must get his hands on Sparrow's magic compass, while Jones also seeks Sparrow to collect on a mortal debt. Cue the young, square lovers to get into the action, aiding Sparrow in his flamboyant escapades, and the ride is soon up to speed.

Screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio also are back, inventing obstacles to the search for the plot's several McGuffins. One more draft and a pair of scissors might have resulted in a tighter, more accessible story line, but this one will do. For the most part, it is just a setup for elaborate, noisy effects and action sequences that arrive with clockwork regularity.

That is undoubtedly an audience-pleasing choice, but no amount of sea creatures can steal the show from Depp, who twitches his way through the movie, rolling his eyes into the back of his head and flashing his gleaming gold teeth. True, we learn nothing new about Sparrow and Depp does not invent any new shtick for him, but his performance remains endearingly crafty throughout.

Also reprising his work from the first movie is director Gore Verbinski, whose résumé included such dubious entries as The Mexican and The Ring before he hit pirate gold. If he helped Depp much in the creation of Sparrow then he has earned his annuity. Otherwise, he at least deserves credit for getting these chaotic adventures, Pirates I and II, onto film.

Cup your hands tightly over your ears if anyone tries to tell you about the movie's final scene, a theme park ride-worthy jolt that sets us up perfectly to salivate for a year over the arrival of Pirates of the Caribbean's third installment, due next summer.