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The original "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" was a concept that really shouldn't have worked. For starters, pirate films have had a noriously rocky reputation and secondly it was based not on a book or a small screen series, but a theme park ride - and not a very good one at that.

The made the fact that the movie *was* such a success a delightful surprise, and one that seemed to catch the movie execs off guard, so they commissioned two sequels to be filmed consecutively, waiting for the cash to roll in anew.

The success of part one was due in no small measure to the tour-de-force performance of Johnny Depp as the lovable rogue Captain Jack Sparrow. Played with just enough knowing campery and swaggering bravado, it was impossible not to savor his character who ate every scene in which he was featured. Pit this against the sinister machinations of Barbossa played by Geoffrey Rush and a host of undead pirates and throw in some eye candy in the form of Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightly and you suddenly have a mixture that pleases the masses despite its unlikely source material.

Part 2, "Dead Man's Chest", was, by comparison, a bit of a mess. It seemed that everyone had expected part 1 to flop, so by the end of the tale the various characters were scattered to the four winds, and the key villain was supposedly no more. And since no-one, director Gore Verbinski included, seemed to know what made part 1 work, the choice was made to reunite all of the previous characters in the hope that the spark could be rekindled. What followed was a protracted series of contrived quests and chance meetings that threatened to drag the whole franchise down into Davey Jones' Locker. Fortunately, there were saving graces. There were some marvelous set pieces (I am thinking here of the fight aboard the water wheel and Captain Jack's attempts at escaping the prospect of becoming a kebab) and some of the CGI was awe-inspiring. And then there was that all important reveal at the end.

All of this bodes well for Part 3 - "At World's End". For sure, Captain Jack is dead, but this is not the sort of series that will let that stand in the way of things. Jack *will* be back and once again he will steal every scene - hopefully with his father in tow at some point. And our key successes from part 1 will all be assembled too. Barbossa - check - Orlando Bland and Keira Nicely ditto. The latter two may have the combined charisma of a wilted lettuce, but they put bums on seats and allow the sexual tension hinted at in part 2 to reach its conclusion.

We will see more stunning set pieces, more stunning CGI and more face offs between three actors at the height of their game - Depp, Rush and Nighy. Remember the soggy middle to the "Back to Future" trilogy? I predict much the same from this franchise which just might run and run...

Can I wait for this to finally hit the screens and prove its worth? You bet your bottom and a whole bottle of rum to boot. Yo ho ho.

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