“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” is much like “The Empire Strikes Back.” In both cases, the original films — “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” and “Star Wars” — were stand-alone pictures that resolved their story lines at the end and weren’t considered likely to be huge hits when they were released. Both turned out to be box-office bonanzas, instantly creating the allure of a sequel.

So their makers went back and crafted a trilogy, adding another lengthy story to the first tale, then cutting it off somewhere in the middle to create two more movies.

In the case of “Pirates of the Caribbean” both the second and third installments of the picture were shot at the same time, utilizing the same cost- and time-saving techniques as the “Lord of the Rings” movies.

That being the case, it’s not close to surprising that “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” isn’t as fun or satisfying as the original. It takes a while to lay out the whole new story and because that story eventually will stretch over more than four hours, it lacks the singular focus of the first film.

That focus was on Captain Jack Sparrow, for which Johnny Depp earned a well-deserved Academy Award nomination. Funny and flashy, Depp made Captain Jack into a pirate version of Keith Richards to great effect. He’s got the same characteristics the second time around. But this time, he’s not THE center of attention, and so his performance doesn’t pack the same punch.

Instead, he shares the spotlight with Orlando Bloom, as the loyal, heroic Will Turner, and Bill Nighy, who, under mask and makeup, is the legendary Davy Jones, captain of the ghost ship the Flying Dutchman. And, of course, the lovely Keira Knightley returns as the spirited Elizabeth Swann.

All that comes about like this:

Will and Elizabeth are slated to be married when Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) ruins their wedding by charging them with treason for aiding in Sparrow’s escape. To buy his way out, Will agrees to track down Captain Jack and return with the pirate’s compass — a haunted device that the corrupt Lord believes will lead him to the legendary Dead Man’s Chest, giving him control of Davy Jones and the seas.

Meanwhile, Captain Jack has problems of his own. While the curse was lifted from the Black Pearl, he owes another, greater debt. He’s been free for a dozen years, and now it’s payback time. Davy Jones wants Jack’s life and soul and is on the way to collect his prize.

Always a self-saving, slippery devil, Captain Jack comes up with a scheme to stay alive: Send poor Will onto the Flying Dutchman to steal the keys of the Dead Man’s Chest, then retrieve the chest, do in Jones and live to tell about it.

That, of course, is easier said than done. And, by the time Will has slipped aboard the ghost ship, Elizabeth has been sprung from jail and has made her way to the Black Pearl, further complicating matters.

Like any sequel, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” introduces a bunch of new characters, including the vicious Lord Beckett, Tia Delma, a patois-spewing fortuneteller/witch played by Naomie Harris, and Davy Jones and his ghastly crew, which includes Bootstrap Bill Turner (Stellan Skarsgard), Will’s long-lost father.

Jones, Bootstrap Bill and the rest of the Flying Dutchman’s crew are creations of the sea and some spectacular makeup artists. Mutating from human to aquatic form as they spend decade upon decade in bondage, the crew are part sea creature, part human.

That technical wizardry extends to the special effects, which are as good if not better than anything yet seen on screen — especially when the monster loosed by the Dutchman attacks unsuspecting ships.

Director Gore Verbinski, who made the first film, moves this story along at a fast pace. Even so, at 2½ hours, the picture runs a bit long. And after about 90 minutes, it becomes clear that the pirate tale isn’t going to end when the credits roll.

That, however, doesn’t mean that “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” isn’t enjoyable. It’s a very well-made, supernatural, adventure picture with some funny scenes, some great action, superb craftsmanship and memorable characters. And it ends with a great cliffhanger.

I’m guessing the final installment of the trilogy will be a blast. We just have to get through the middle section to get that. And as a bridge for the story, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest” works well enough to do that and more.

Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or at kwolgamott@journalstar.com.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest - 3 stars

Director: Gore Verbinski

Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of adventure violence, including frightening images

Running Time: 2 hours, 31 minutes

Now Showing: Grand, SouthPointe, Edgewood

The Reel Story: The second installment of the adventure trilogy finds Depp’s pirate fleeing the wrath of Davy Jones and tricking Bloom and Knightley into helping him stay alive.