Readers were invited to submit their own short review of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." They told us what they liked or didn't like about the movie. Below are the submissions.

(Read the Post-Gazette review by Barry Paris)

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Depp put action into the movie

I think anyone who thinks [Johnny] Depp's performance was overly gay should seek their own shrink. Jack Sparrow had more brushes with consensual straight sex in that movie than any other actor.

1) He offers to marry Elizabeth to have a honeymoon night.

2) He says to Tia Dalma "I thought I knew you" suggesting a relationship.

3) The two harlets at Tortuga told Will they hadn't seen him in a month.

3) Direct flirting with Elizabeth on the boat "there's nothing wrong with my compass" and " your curious," not to mention the kiss.

4) Inviting Elizabeth to his cabin.

When Depp is confronted by a person he believes is a boy joining the crew who makes a gay statement (I'm looking for the man I love), Depp does not engage the person but merely says, "My first and only love is the sea."

Johnny Depp was being true to form, making everyone think he might be gay but in the mean time he's the only one getting any action (straight that is).

-- David Stawski, Plum

Once is enough

POC1 is my favorite movie ever. The interaction between the characters ... the humor ... the beauty ... I've seen it more times than I care to admit

POC2 ... saw it once ... won't see it again

-- Beth, White Oak

'Pirates' is kraken

AARGH MATEY, Give me more Pirates!!!!

My children and family loved this movie and everyone had something good to remember about it.

My son wears a shirt from Disney that says it all "KRAKEN"!!!

And of course Johnny Depp is all about Captain Jack Sparrow.

"Pirates" is a movie worth seeing with all of the swashbuckling and magnificent ships of pirate movies gone by.

-- Martha, Pittsburgh

Johnny No Depth?

May I suggest a better title ... Pirates of the Lost PLOT!!! Starring Johnny No Depth

-- Cheryl Ehlers, Elizabeth Township

An enjoyable time is had by all who witnessed this movie but were left with a sour taste in their mouth at the ending. In the first movie, it ended, but left room to write a second. In the second, it was like a soap opera, where there is no ending and stay tune for tomorrow. except there is no tomorrow. Be lucky to see the end in a year! Johnny Depp puts in a premier preformance as does (Orlando) Bloom.

-- Jim McDade, New Kensington

Disney blew it

My wife and I loved the first "Pirates" movie, but the second one was Disney "schlock."

We both felt that the better movie was left on the cutting room floor. To us, the movie suffered from poor editing and was way too long.

Depp seemed to have a diminished role and it appears that he will be barely in Pirates III. It was so bad that we will skip the next one until it is on TV.

If you get me once it's on you. Get me twice and it's on me! All in all very disappointing!!!

-- Don Giarrusso, Bridgeville

Two more hours would have been fine

LOVED IT, LOVED IT, LOVED IT!!!! I wanted the movie to last another 2 hours. Davey Jones and his crew were costumed in a new, unusual way with a mix of sea creature and human features and Captain Jack Sparrow wins hearts once again with his bad boy ways and his dark burning eyes.

-- Theresa S., Pittsburgh

Pirates: Reloaded?

Watching "Dead Mans Chest" I couldn't help wonder if I was watching "The Matirx: Reloaded" again.

Like the original Matrix, "Curse of the Black Pearl" was a tighly plotted, stand alone movie, which became such a hit, they needed to make another and fast! And like "Matrix: Reloaded", "Dead Mans Chest" is way overplotted in its attempt to restart an already resolved storyline and flesh out thinly developed characters, while added a bunch of new ones.

Now we wait for the Pirates of the Caribbean's version of "Matrix: Revolutions," which will be an over dramatized film in which every scene our heros will be fighting one (or more) of the four (!?!) villians they now must defeat, while resolving their newly discovered character issues.

Any takers on how many times we are going to be lead to believe Sparrow, Turner, or Elizabeth have just been killed only to return and defeat enemy number 1,2, 3, 4 or even 5?

-- Mark Karpinski, Noth Hills

Depp was perfect in his role

I loved it. I loved Johnny Depp in the film. Bloom and Knightly were also very good in the film as well. I thought it was very action packed. I thought the characterization of Davy Jones and his crew was great.

I did prefer the first film to this one slightly in the sense that the first one had a bit more of a storyline. I felt that this one was written in a way that it was obvious that there was going to be a sequel. I thought the plot in this one was a little convoluted, but I thought that is just a minor complaint.

Overall, I enjoyed the film immensely. Depp nails his character, and I went home satisfied.

-- Terri Bey, Lexington, Ky.

Nautical naughtiness

The movie had clever make-up, special effects and excellent cinematography.

The oddest character was the hammer head shipmate, because he was content with being a second class servant with no voice (I've had co-workers like that), always kissing up but never advancing.

Mr. Depp is handsome and he brings a strange sexuality to Captain Jack Sparrow's naughtiness. We want some more!

-- Stormie L. Morris, McKeesport

Overblown, overpriced

I think BlackBeard said it best regarding this movie when he said, "AAARRRRGH!!!!"

An overblown, overpriced, confused, meandering mess leaving unsatisfied and feeling that I paid too much money.

It reminds me of most pastries at my favorite Starbucks.

A cohesive story would have been nice, instead of leaving me with the irritation that the movie was ending 5 times only to drag my misery out further.

I am a Johnny Depp fan and this drew me to the premiere, sadly.

The result of this movie going experience reminds me of a better Johnny Depp movie, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" in that, I am mentally less able to conduct myself because I saw this movie.

-- Mike H., Sarver

Five stars

I saw it with my children last night at midnight and couldn't believe how many people were there and in costume. It reminded me of Star Wars! The crowd was great and the movie was really good. I could have done with a little less of the strange sea creature/humans, but all in all a very enjoyable movie. Maybe a little intense in places for smaller children.

As for Johnny Depp's performance, what can I say but WOO HOO! He is fantastic and nails this character even better in this sequel. All the actors were marvelous, and I loved what they did with Norrington!

I totally didn't expect the ending like that, so if you hate cliff hangers (and this one is really hanging) then wait till next spring to see this movie.

Five Stars in my opinion!

-- Joan, Midway, Pa.

The writers should walk the plank

I just returned from the midnight premiere of Dead Man's Chest. Perhaps it was because it's so late at night, or because I read too many blogs and knew too much; maybe it was overhype; I may have just been too much in love with the original movie; or it may have been I was dreading what I heard was a "downer" of an ending, I don't know ... but ... I felt a major disconnect.

The visual effects run hot and cold ... for instance ... Davy Jones had me squirming in my seat while other crewmen of the Flying Dutchmen didn't look believable, and the kraken went from looking great to looking fake in other sequences. Whereas the first movie emerged as one of the most quotable of all time, I can't say the same for this one. The ending was as horrible as I feared it would be. Many of the gags seemed forced (like a sequence involving tropical fruit). In the original movie, Jack Sparrow was a wily pirate with astounding competence. This sequel resembles "Jack Sparrow for Dummies." He merely jumps around like a flamingo on acid, hurdling through absurdities for no purpose other than a cheap laugh. Not to say he doesn't have his moments, because OF COURSE he does. You forget, mate ... .he's Captain Jack Sparrow. One scene between he and Elizabeth turned me into a puddle, the undead monkey gags, and something about a plant in Tortuga, made my sides hurt.

While the Sparrow character certainly casts a long shadow, Will Turner showed better command under pressure, was a better ship captain and generally, a better pirate ... while Sparrow hid under the steps with a jar of dirt making goofy faces. That isn't the Jack Sparrow I fell in love with on the first voyage, though we do see some heroism and nobility in him. We see a Norrington with rougher edges, a deceitful Elizabeth, an entertaining performance by newcomer Naomie Harris, and a worthy job by Stellan Sarksgaard. The producers should be fined for criminal underuse of Geoffrey Rush, Jonathan Pryce, and Tom Hollander.

There are numerous reasons to see this movie, even coexisting with the disappointments. I can't call this a great effort nor a total failure, but X-Men 3: The Last Stand was a superior movie in every regard. I absolutely think people should go see Dead Man's Chest, if only to help the box-office tabs beat up on Mission Impossible III enough to make Tom Cruise go away for awhile, and crown Johnny Depp the undisputed new king of Hollywood.

But as to the inherent question, "did Johnny Depp deliver:" I don't believe Johnny is slipping in the least. What I DO believe, is that the writers should walk the plank NOW, before this series gets any worse. Actors, even the amazing and versatile Johnny Depp, can only tread water so long with waterlogged material.

-- Heidi McDonald, Edgewood