Non-spoilery thoughts on POTC2

[amanuensis1]

Saw POTC2; well, there's something to be said for not getting one's hopes too high, because from all the so-so reviews, I was expecting disappointment. NOT disappointed. Am suprisingly delighted at how not-disappointing it was!

I was worried we'd lose the characters a la the Matrix sequels, which, as you'll recall, went for joyless personless action sequences and straight into dullsville for two movies. And though there were action sequences to beat the band in POTC2, each one maintained the characters and dialogue and humor throughout each; there's your difference. Sure, it was aiming for a bit of over-the-top; sure, the storylines got convoluted enough to be confusing. But I felt like this film simply ramped up from where it left off, knowing the viewers knew Sparrow and Will and Elizabeth already and didn't need to see them established all over again, just--here's what's key--as long as they kept the characters doin' the stuff that made us love 'em. Which they did. Sparrow flounced, Will hero'ed, Elizabeth refused to be a damsel-in-distress. And they all stayed cool. Fun stuff.

I know I was the only one in my theatre who said, "It's Paolo from AbFab!" but surely I wasn't the only on my flist?

(Everyone has my permission to get spoilery in the comments, so be advised.)

Comments

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe that you, of all people, didn't comment on how intensely wonderful the whipping scene was. :D The first time I saw it, some twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl whimpered in sympathy during the whipping. I almost whimpered, too, but it was for entirely different reasons. Also, Norrington was, IMO, four thousand times more interesting all dirty and bitter and sarcastic. Delightful. :)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I couldn't comment on the whipping scene because it was OUTSIDE THE CUT, you naughty thing. I promised non-spoilery! But now that you have brought it up: OMG PIRATE FLOGGING!!! FLOGGING!!! *orgasmdeath*

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

Ah, true dat. Wasn't it fantabulous? I drooled. Possibly even more the second time. In fact, I took my mother to the the second viewing and leaned over and made her admit that whipping could indeed be hot. She's so vanilla, ha ha. :D

[loony-moony.livejournal.com]

YES! FLOGGING! FLOGGING, AND, VICTIM: ORLANDO BLOOM.

JERRY BRUCWHATSHISNAME WINS AT LIFE SO, SO MUCH.

[telepwen.livejournal.com]

I almost wet myself from squee at that scene. So did the person I went to see it with. Our eyes went wide and we started frantically pointing at the screen at each other.

Just. OMG.

"He prides himself on being able to cleave flesh from bone, with every strike of the lash."

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Someone told me before I went there was flogging, and this is one case where I'm glad I got spoiled beforehand, because I would have been convinced through that scene that they wouldn't have gone through with it. That Bootstrap would have taken it for Will, or Jones would have let it go. But instead I was thinking, "They're gonna go through with it! They told me it was five strokes and that Will got it! Squeee!" Am such a nutter. ^_^

[telepwen.livejournal.com]

I maintain that it's better not to know the first time, 'cause hell. You're gonna know every time after that and then you can have that delicious "They're gonna go t hrough with it squee!" the second time!

*nods sagely* Must be better. *convinces self*

Must. Go. See it. Again.

Guh.

[fabularasa.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, I spoiled you, I admit. *waves hand* How shall you deal with the pain of having such high art destroyed for you forever.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

1. Pirate movie.

2. Over-the-top pirate movie.

...what part of "there's flogging" could I NOT have predicted, I ask you?