The first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was amazing and left everyone clamoring for a sequel. The sequel was … well, it was still OK, but it wasnt on par with the original. This third and final installment of the franchise still isn’t as good as the first, but its a whole lot better than the second. Plus, at just about three hours long, it’s able to resolve just about everything while throwing in plenty of swash and buckle.
At the end of the last film, Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) was dead. Well, obviously a Pirates film can’t exist without Jack, because thats why were all here, so we enter into At Worlds End knowing full well he’ll be back. Ironically, Cutler Beckett is the catalyst for the return of Sparrow; seems that by condemning all forms of piracy, Beckett has brought down upon himself the wrath of the Pirate Lords, who in turn have called together a Brethren Court in order to save themselves. They need Captain Jack, so Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth (Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightley), and crew set off to find Jack and bring him back from World’s End. Fighting Beckett, Davy Jones, and the grip of death itself, our favorite pirates make their way to the ends of the earth to restore the world to its proper order.
My main two thoughts after watching Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End are one, it covers everything, and two, it’s LONG. There’s a lot in this movie, and it requires that you pay attention to keep up with who’s on whose side and where everyone’s loyalties lie. But it’s perfect in that respect, because for fans who have invested in this trilogy, it all pays offespecially getting to finally see the much-anticipated appearance of Captain Jack’s father (Keith Richards). Also, as has been true in ALL of the Pirates movies, the visual effects are spectacular; actually, the same can be said of every aspect of production. In a film where style is important, the obvious care with which the filmmakers chose detailed costumes, built elaborate sets, and created stunning make-up effects just goes to show that this is a franchise that didnt rest on laurels as far as production value. There’s plenty of action, plenty of fun pirating, and just enough romance, and though there are a few scenes that drag and it never quite makes it back to the level of The Curse of the Black Pear (its a little more style than substance), this is a great ending to a classic trilogy.