A Tale of Two Jacks
First off, my computer was on the fritz, and I for my first time ever, helped fix it! This is a big deal, because I'm a technological moron. I meant to write this yesterday but the comp thing happened so now I'm treating you with my thoughts today.
I'm going to discredit myself from the get go; I must confess I didn't see this movie Pirates 2 in optimum conditions. There were some mildly annoying kids there with their dad, (I actually like kids and LOVE seeing movies with children because it is a reminder of why we love movies... you can hear kids laugh and love the movie and remember watching movies as a youngster and bringing the magic back, kids aren’t sullied by some of the dumb things we as adults are annoyed by in movies. So watching a movie with kids is like a glimpse of myself as a youngster watching the same movie.) But these kids as soon as my loud booming laugh was heard began to mock my laugh for the rest of the movie. They even turned around and threw popcorn on me thrice throughout the film. In truth that might have ruined the film for me... and I might need to see it again, just to take it in properly... but I'm going to get my thoughts down, and I hold veto power over them should I change my mind.
First of all when I wasn't particularly excited about seeing this movie, until my good friend (you've probably read his blogs) Joel hyped it up. So then I raised my expectations by quite a bit. I liked the first Pirates movie, a lot but I had very low expectations going into the movie. Pirates 1, is really good but it's only so because of Jonny Depp. He's a master, a wizard, a magician, we watch him and stand in awe; an equally capable actor could do the role and it’d boring, but Depp makes it memorable (to the tune of an Academy Award Nomination). However, does that mean there needs to be a second picture? I was perfectly happy knowing Jack Sparrow is "out there" having adventures, but I don't need to see them. I'd have been perfectly happy with no sequel and letting Pirates 1 stand on its own. Yet Disney did not agree with my assessment so we're treated to a second and a third movie as well.
In this installment of Pirates, we already know that Depp is a wizard and Jack Sparrow is a great character and all that. So there's no surprise there. This whole movie is a non-surprise, except that I was expecting to like Jack more, but he hurt my heart. However, not all was lost, as I learned something about myself during this film, the heroic characters I like are not the strongest or the smartest or the funniest, the heroes that I like, share this in common, when they make decisions I trust their heart and their intentions. For example watching the great TV Show 24 there's no doubt what Jack Bauer's intentions are, even when his boss or even The President of the United States is at odds with him, you know Jack Bauer will make the right choice. Right doesn't mean easy or especially not self serving, it very well might mean hurting a few people, but it is done for a purpose greater than self. Jack Sparrow on the other hand has no such sense of duty. He does not make a choice without purely selfish intentions; he doesn't even try to help the people that have helped him. Once the novelty of Jonny Depp's portrayal of Jack Sparrow has worn off, (early in the 2nd movie) I was left with emptiness and disappointment in Jack Sparrow. It was then that I found the hero in Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). He's the one you can look to with admiration, because he is the type of character that makes the right choices regardless of the loss to him personally.
Bloom and Keira Knightly have also grown as actors since the last movie, thus it's fun to see them share the screen together as well, and they can take up the mantel of heroism since Jack is devoid. I did like Bill Nighy as Davy Jones though do not agree with Joel's assessment, "Davy Jones is a step up villain-wise from the delicious Capt. Barbosa of the first film." A great character and actor to be sure, but Barbosa was tremendous. He was funny and devilish, he had charm, Jones is a little too melancholy for my taste.
Upon reflection and picking the movie apart, it's not as bad as I had made it out to be. The movie is pretty good, (I love all the scenes on land) but I guess I had hoped from more out of Jack Sparrow. It's a good thing we have a 3rd installment for me to change my mind again... I just hope those stinkin' kids aren't there.
I'm going to discredit myself from the get go; I must confess I didn't see this movie Pirates 2 in optimum conditions. There were some mildly annoying kids there with their dad, (I actually like kids and LOVE seeing movies with children because it is a reminder of why we love movies... you can hear kids laugh and love the movie and remember watching movies as a youngster and bringing the magic back, kids aren’t sullied by some of the dumb things we as adults are annoyed by in movies. So watching a movie with kids is like a glimpse of myself as a youngster watching the same movie.) But these kids as soon as my loud booming laugh was heard began to mock my laugh for the rest of the movie. They even turned around and threw popcorn on me thrice throughout the film. In truth that might have ruined the film for me... and I might need to see it again, just to take it in properly... but I'm going to get my thoughts down, and I hold veto power over them should I change my mind.
First of all when I wasn't particularly excited about seeing this movie, until my good friend (you've probably read his blogs) Joel hyped it up. So then I raised my expectations by quite a bit. I liked the first Pirates movie, a lot but I had very low expectations going into the movie. Pirates 1, is really good but it's only so because of Jonny Depp. He's a master, a wizard, a magician, we watch him and stand in awe; an equally capable actor could do the role and it’d boring, but Depp makes it memorable (to the tune of an Academy Award Nomination). However, does that mean there needs to be a second picture? I was perfectly happy knowing Jack Sparrow is "out there" having adventures, but I don't need to see them. I'd have been perfectly happy with no sequel and letting Pirates 1 stand on its own. Yet Disney did not agree with my assessment so we're treated to a second and a third movie as well.
In this installment of Pirates, we already know that Depp is a wizard and Jack Sparrow is a great character and all that. So there's no surprise there. This whole movie is a non-surprise, except that I was expecting to like Jack more, but he hurt my heart. However, not all was lost, as I learned something about myself during this film, the heroic characters I like are not the strongest or the smartest or the funniest, the heroes that I like, share this in common, when they make decisions I trust their heart and their intentions. For example watching the great TV Show 24 there's no doubt what Jack Bauer's intentions are, even when his boss or even The President of the United States is at odds with him, you know Jack Bauer will make the right choice. Right doesn't mean easy or especially not self serving, it very well might mean hurting a few people, but it is done for a purpose greater than self. Jack Sparrow on the other hand has no such sense of duty. He does not make a choice without purely selfish intentions; he doesn't even try to help the people that have helped him. Once the novelty of Jonny Depp's portrayal of Jack Sparrow has worn off, (early in the 2nd movie) I was left with emptiness and disappointment in Jack Sparrow. It was then that I found the hero in Will Turner (Orlando Bloom). He's the one you can look to with admiration, because he is the type of character that makes the right choices regardless of the loss to him personally.
Bloom and Keira Knightly have also grown as actors since the last movie, thus it's fun to see them share the screen together as well, and they can take up the mantel of heroism since Jack is devoid. I did like Bill Nighy as Davy Jones though do not agree with Joel's assessment, "Davy Jones is a step up villain-wise from the delicious Capt. Barbosa of the first film." A great character and actor to be sure, but Barbosa was tremendous. He was funny and devilish, he had charm, Jones is a little too melancholy for my taste.
Upon reflection and picking the movie apart, it's not as bad as I had made it out to be. The movie is pretty good, (I love all the scenes on land) but I guess I had hoped from more out of Jack Sparrow. It's a good thing we have a 3rd installment for me to change my mind again... I just hope those stinkin' kids aren't there.
posted by The Dre at 5:59 PM
3 Comments:
Dre, Dre, Dre. What am I going to do with you? Of course you didn't like the movie, you were assaulted by little children for enjoying it. I would like to point out by the way, that you were laughing (the thing that instigated the popcorn beatdown).
I understand your problem with Jack's character this time around, but you have to remember, he is no hero. He was never supposed to be. He IS the main character of these films, but not the hero. That role is indeed left to Mr. Turner, and rightfully so. We're not really supposed to root for a pirate, are we? As to your assertion that you could have been happy with Pirates 1 being a solo film as opposed to being sequalized. You say that same thing every season about "24." It's something I don't understand. "I was perfectly happy knowing Jack Sparrow was 'out there' having adventures, but I don't need to see them." Well, we all know that pirates are "out there" somewhere having adventures, why do we need to see pirate films at all. Or taken to the next step, I know that people have adventures, I'll just imagine them. No need to have movies, or books, or children's stories. I think not!
Give me my Truth and Spectacle!
Every sequel has the potential of ruining the cannon of work that preceded it. In the case of "24" (because of the restricting parameters of the show) there's a possibility that the show can run its course (into the ground even) and I'd rather them end on a high note to insure that doesn’t happen.
Pirates 1 similarly could have stood alone as one great action/adventure that Jonny Depp carries on his back. However it didn’t; once is great, thrice is a stretch. However, just like 24, when the next edition comes out, I'm there and giddy (until the kids throw popcorn).
Alright, after reading my comment again, and Dre's response, it occurs to me that I sounded oftly adversarial. Didn't mean to jump on you, Dre. You and I just have a vastly different opinion on this movie, in particular and sequals in general.
As a rule, I don't have a problem with sequalizing a great movie (I am not expecting "Apocalyse Again" any time soon, but I mean for popcorn, or adventure movies). I feel that when a team of filmmakers enjoy working together and enjoy the story they are telling, and when the final product is generally held to be good, why not let them try again? I understand your fear that previously great films (and tv) will be tarnished by poor followups, but I think you are looking at it wrong. We should be optimistic, especially when given evidence (in the case of 24) that the producers and creative staff, can continue to produce high quality work.
I hope you'll give "Pirates 2" another chance in the theatre. I think there is a lot to love there.
Joel
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