Captain Jack Sparrow and The Heart of Davy Jones

Let me come right out and say it: POTC 2 and 3 were huge disappointments to me. The first POTC was a great adventure and a fun ride. The following 2 films were stuffed full of pointless and unnecessary action, convoluted, confusing character motivations, and over-the-top visuals and plot lines. What started the series as a "realistic" setting - putting aside cursed gold - quickly turned into a mythological, epic behemoth... of a let down... Why do film-makers think sequels need to be bigger to be better?

On to this edit: let's start with the good stuff. Not just good - but great! The audio/video quality was simply outstanding. I forgot how beautiful some of the cinematography was in this film... probably because it wasn't so beautiful until TM2YC color-corrected it! The picture quality was immaculate.
I watched this edit with a friend - we both agreed that in terms of editing/cuts, neither one of us could tell this wasn't a theatrical release. No noticeable edit or transition. (from a quality perspective) Quite impressive!

Now on to the narrative... I was hoping that TM2YC could make me enjoy this film... but I was disappointed. I probably went in expecting too much, which left my ending opinion sullied.
Is this an improved version? Absolutely, no question - but I feel like not enough was cut, as the running time could still allow for a LOT more... Especially in the action sequences that plague this film...

Would I recommend this edit as an alternative? Absolutely. This has replaced my copy on the shelf - but I don't foresee wanting to watch either version again...

Would it bring someone around that didn't like Dead Man's Chest? Possible... but don't get your hopes up.

There are two reasons I didn't really notice that there had been things removed from this edit: I haven't watched "Dead Man's Chest" in full for a number of years, and TM2YC's editing was that great. Watching this edit, it was readily apparent just how bloated the original film is. Nothing that was cut I especially noticed or missed, minus the scenes involving the black spot and Jack's first meeting with Bootstrap Bill, plus the whole process of getting the drawing the key. That said, I only noticed after they would have already transpired, so no loss there.

However, I did have a thought as to the appropriateness of the title "The Adventures of Jack Sparrow." Seeing as this is supposed to be a series about Jack, it would seem appropriate that there would be more scenes concerning him and perhaps fewer concerning other characters. It's not really until "On Stranger Tides" that Jack really takes center stage. A minor quibble about something that is on screen for ten seconds, but hey, I have to say something critical right?

The editing was incredibly well done, save for two moments: the transition from "DAMN YOU JACK SPARROW!" to Tia Dalma's hut didn't quite work, and as was mentioned previously, the final cut to the credits was a little quick. There could have been an extra shot of Beckett looking smug or maybe the heart beating on his desk.

That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this edit. It was a fun adventure romp that the films have tried to be but failed at due to their bloated running times. The quality of the MKV I watched was very good, but I would certainly love a version of this mastered for Blu-ray. You know, for science. I heartily recommend this edit and I'm really looking forward to the next installment!

I only watched the avi. with a laptop so I can't say much on its video quality, but what I saw was great. I give it a 9! The post-credit sequence was very low quality however.

The visual editing was great. If I showed this to someone without telling them it was a fanedit, they probably wouldn't have realized it.

The audio editing was also very good, but there were a few times I noticed a cue or music off. I'm not sure which parts of that were in the theatrical release though. I should have kept track of the times I noticed. But I was too busy enjoying the movie so take it as a compliment.

Where this edit really shines is the narrative. You did more than polish a turd. You found a decent movie within the theatrical mess. Focusing the beginning on Will was great. We don't get overwhelmed (too quickly at least). It's not important knowing how Jack gets the key drawing or what's gotten him on the island. It's better just accepting that Jack's been having adventures, just like we accept Norrington was in a hurricane. That said, the beginning is a little strange at first, but the audience's (my) questions were answered pretty quickly. Removing the reference to Norrington was confusing, since my wife and I confused him for Beckett, but that just shows how long it's been since we've watched CotBP. We were just used to being coddled by the theatrical.

Other trims that are perfect: removal of the blackspot since we get the idea that Jack has a debt, Jack-Elizabeth romance.

By the end I could definitely see effects of these changes though. Will definitely still comes off as upset with Elizabeth, and Elizabeth as heartbroken over Jack. It seems odd because the fanedit emphasizes how lousy of a person Jack is. I really disliked Jack by the end of this and was confused by how everyone mourned him. That said, it's superior the the original. In the theatrical cut I remember disliking everyone by the end. But by highlighting how lousy Jack is, you've also undermined the ending, not much that can be done about that though.

In addition the ending action sequence still tired me. That sequence is just too long, and despite all the action, it's not very exciting. I found my attention slipping.

Finally, the ending cut "The heart of Davy Jones" seemed too abrupt. Even a few fractions of a second more of Norrington after the line would've helped, but maybe it was impossible to get in.

This is my preferred version of the film, and if anyone I know really wants to watch PotC, I'll be sure to recommend it.

This is an extremely well done edit. Flawless execution with no noticeable cuts. I loved this version of the movie and will never have to watch the original again because this edit so firmly supplants it in my mind.

This edit makes PotC2 feel as exciting and fast paced as the original. This is mostly due to the removal of the painfully slow and boring sequence that TM2YC includes as a supplemental feature "How Jack Lost His Hat". The characterization and story telling has been dramatically improved especially in the stomach turning sections where Elizabeth and Jack were previously seen flirting. There was no reason for this to exist in the first place, did anyone ever believe Elizabeth was going to abandon Will for Jack?

The flow of the movie was brilliant. TM2YC moved a number of shots and not a single one was noticible. When I first watched the original I remember being bored to tears about a half hour in, this is no longer the case. The only qualm I have with the edit and the reason I gave it a 9 for enjoyment was that the extremely long series of fight sequences that close out the movie are almost entirely left intact. After watching nearly a half hour of constant battle with almost no reprieve it really drains on me as the viewer and I would have liked to have seen this tightened up.

Other than that this was a fantastic edit I especially appreciated the fantastic new beginning and ending choices. Great work!