The world is shrinking. The blank edges of the map filled in.

I'm going to tell you why Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is the best of the trilogy, nay, perhaps one of the greatest pirate movies of all time.

It's fucking brilliant from start to finish, marred not by any of the usual black marks of second films.

In short, it peaks. Perfectly. Like a wave, or egg whites. It is brought to wonderful fruition and takes the perfect shape.
The music is marvelous. The characters are refined, but not yet too far. The first film was a wonderful surprise, a fantastic and adventurous gift begat from a Disney ride. Unexpected.

The second could have been bad. Trite. Strained. Forced. The fact that it wasn't may add somewhat to its brilliance.

All characters in the first film were one dimensional, even Jack. The motives they had were pure - that is to say, perhaps not good, but untainted. Whole. William wanted Elizabeth. Elizabeth wanted Will. Norrington took for granted Elizabeth, and wanted Fame. Barbossa wanted to lift the Curse. Jack wanted the Pearl.
This was sorted out wonderfully - indeed, sealed up so tightly a sequel was unwarranted.

In the second film, complexity was the theme. New characters were introduced, and none failed to dissapoint. Tia Dalma is mysterious; eerie as shit with ulterior motives. Beckett is an imperious twat with ulterior motives. Norrington returns, an order of magnitude more badass, sour, and sodden with liquor. With ulterior motives. Davy Jones is brilliantly portrayed and personified. Believable. The dialogue is hilarious and subtle.

And William wants Elizabeth, but also to save his Father. And Fame. Elizabeth wants Will. Then Jack. Then Will. Then feels sorry for Norrington. Norrington wants Elizabeth and hates Will. And Jack. And Elizabeth too. And wants his life back.

Jack wants the Pearl. And Elizabeth. And Fame. And Rum.

And it all works, somehow. Equal time is given to all, and it comes together - several times - perfectly.

Not to mention the movie has one of the greatest swordfights of recent cinema.
Three men, three swords, one key, and a mill wheel - and it never jumps the shark; crosses the point of absurdity while at the same time another sword fight with two oafs, a woman, a chest, and two swords passed between them is conducted flawlessly and it all tumbles out into the breakwater into a massive and exquisite dance of blades and sea foam and crab-men and swinging oars and double-triple crossing and salt-encrusted greatcoats.

And it ends with a death, and a ship destroyed, and nobody is happy and everyone is still jealous and suspicious! It's fucking great! Violence and a heavy string section carry you all the way to the fucking end, and right when you're about to jump out of your chair and yell "IS THAT IT!?" and stuff your head through the tv to see the rest, Barbossa walks down the stairs and blows your fucking mind and all you can do is sit back and bite your fingers off in anticipation for the third one, the one you now know to be the one to end all ones, the one worth dressing up for, the one worth buying the sword for.

It's a brilliant fucking movie and you should go and rewatch the whole damn trilogy right goddamn now.

Because today, Johnny Depp showed up at the D23 Expo in full Sparrow regalia and announced Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides for 2011.