Digital Playground makes good on all its promises. Pirates II: Stagnetti’s Revenge 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 ‘em 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 afowl 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.