 Digital Playground Triumphs With 'Pirates II'
Digital Playground makes good on all its promises in Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge.Pirates II really is an achievement, far outstripping the first
Pirates in terms of quality and entertainment value. It's a milestone in adult movies.
Director-co-writer-co-producer Joone has gone the extra mile in terms of story, art
direction, special effects and, most importantly, performance. And all without stinting on
the sex. The 11 sex scenes are rather short, five or six minutes, and completely
integrated into the story the way they used to be in those big productions of
porn's Golden Age. (For those who like them longer, there's a whole disc of Extended
Sex Scenes in the four-disc set.)
We pick up the story with pirate hunters Edward (Evan
Stone) and Jules (Jesse Jane), who having routed the sadistic Stagnetti seek a pardon for
ex-pirate Serena (Janine in the original), along with her sister Olivia (Belladonna). They
run afoul of evil pirate empress Xi-Feng (Katsuni) who kidnaps Jules and bewitches her
with a magic potion. There is much mayhem: fights with monsters, a giant sea squid,
swordplay with skeletons, duels to the death. This is a post-modern adventure, loaded with
irony, and much of it is very funny.
None of it would work without the performance of Evan
Stone, as the vain, bumbling yet ultimately heroic Edward. He has star presence, the
timing of a first-class comedian, and he inhabits the character completely. It's hard to
think of a mainstream actor who could have done it better. His co-stars more than hold
their own. Jesse Jane looks beyond gorgeous and deftly transitions from perky first mate
to zombie-like spell victim. Belladonna magnetizes as the pirate heroine, wholly
believable as the movie's pillar of strength, fighting and fucking like one possessed.
Tommy Gunn and the astonishing Katsuni are larger-than-life embodiments of the two
arch-villains.
All the sex scenes are good, with pride of place going to
the tempestuous lesbian bout between Jesse and Bella. Not far behind is the final threeway
with Bella, Sasha Grey and Stone. The fight scenes are convincing and exciting and the
special effects impressive, notably the reanimation of Stagnetti, a chilling moment.
Action, dialogue and eroticism are all superbly staged by
Joone. And the end leaves the door wide open for a possible three-quel.
Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge. Digital Playground. D: Joone. Jesse Jane, Belladonna,
Katsuni, Sasha Grey, Shay Jordan, Jenna Haze, Stoya, Riley Steele, Gabriella Fox, Shyla
Stylez, Rylee Richards, Brianna Love, Shawna Lenee, Evan Stone, Tommy Gunn, Steven St.
Croix, Ben English, James Deen, Mick Blue, Manuel Ferrara, Charles Dera; non sex: Frank
Bukkwyd, Nham.
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