Pirates Of The Carribean: At World's End

pirates3.jpgrating-4.0When we last left off in Dead Man's Chest, our titular pirates were scattered and seeking out the dead Jack Sparrow, to be aided by Geoffery Rush's Capt. Barbossa. At least that's what I think happened, as I've forgotten basically the entire plot in the past year. Perhaps that's a sign that the critics were right in pointing out the fact that the movie was busy with spectacle but seemed hollow. I wouldn't agree, but I wouldn't disagree with them. It lacked some of the smart fun of Curse Of The Black Pearl.

Many have begun to refer to PIrates as this generation's Star Wars. In ways, this is true: you have a trilogy of somewhat overhyped movies that see certain diminishing returns in their later sequels on the dividends of fun the first film offered. As long as the Pirates films don't continue on in a painful, inept second trilogy of sequels, then I'll generally disagree with their intimation and assume that anything that's sucessful as a franchise and has three parts will be compared to Star Wars. (Wasn't The Matrix supposed to be this generation's Star Wars? Oh, yeah... The Matrix sequels blew dicks. Nevermind.)

As to the actual quality of the latest iteration, it's more of the same, as it undoubtedly would be. The high quality is there, as are all the flashy effects and spectacle, though this movie seems somewhat more balanced, though scattered, than the last movie, a trait that will surely be more pleasing to a wider audience, though I could be wrong. The movie's 2 hour and 45 minute run time may also be a factor against its favor, but my impression from viewing the film is that the audience enjoyed it very much.

As for the story itself, I had the strange sensation of realizing later that the story had never really mattered to me throughout the trevails of At World's End. Perhaps that's a sign that it truly has become about the spectacle, that I'm not even sure plot itself can be figured into the equation of the movie's enjoyability. To a certain degree, the pieces don't exactly fit together and the second two parts don't exactly make as much sense as they could. But it's big fun...

I still have my doubts that the ending will be exactly pleasing to everyone, but it doesn't feel like there are large holes in the movie's enjoyability and it does manage to be that big summer thrill-ride so often talked about in describing what people refer to as "popcorn movies". Nothing quite displays the promise of that ideal like this trilogy and the final part does not disappoint.

The actors are all excellent and the movie taps just about every amusing background character of the trilogy, giving them all their due and their moment to shine. More movies should have such casts. Depp of course shines in his role as he's allowed to take it beyond the limits of the surreal abandon he's previously inhabited. Keira Knightly leads the film with a strength and grace that turns former doubters, like myself, into her most fervent fanatics. And Rush and the other master players like Bill Nighy, Stellan Skarsgard, Chow Yun-Fat, and even Keith Richards class the movie up like no other, peaking the drama and comedy inherent in the film.

I'm not sure it's brilliant or perfect, but it's a hell of an ejoyable movie and the fans will be pleased with the closing of their favorite story.

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