What's more fun than a barrel of monkeys?

Rating: 9/10 (30 May 2007)

I really don't understand the naysayers. While this movie was long, it captured my attention for its entire running-time. While it was convoluted, I had not trouble keeping up with the plot. While it was big and spectacular, it dared to go to places few movies ever do (see: the very first scene, the very ending).
I admire that in these movies, you're left with ambiguities, not everything is spelled out anviliciously. For a perfectly random example, at the end of the film "Van Helsing" we find out that the heroine's family is now able to enter Heaven via a long sequence of ethereally-smiling faces badly superimposed over clouds. Nothing as clunky or over-spelled-out is done here; in fact, if anything, the movie errs on the side of silence. Sometimes this understatement works elegantly (as when a certain character dies, relatively early in the movie) and sometimes it doesn't work at all (see the end credit scene and the furore surrounding it); but either way, as long as you can stick with the main plot, a good time will be had.
The movie is the darkest of all the movies, and while the storytellers' goofy heads are still trying to come up with wacky ideas, they're running out a little; nothing is quite as mad or inspired as some of what we saw in the second film. Yet it's mad enough to please if you're ready to be pleased; and if you're not, God help you, because this is a three-hour pirate acid trip.
The movie's strongest emotional punches come near the end, as the destiny of Will Turner is revealed. It was at this point that the movie became truly set apart from the usual popcorn movie fare and became really good in its own right. I'll say no more than that over the last two movies Will's story has been masterfully handled; this gives him a fittingly legendary, mythic ending.
Do remember to stay for the scene after the credits! It's worth all the waiting and far more important to the movie than the previous scenes. Remember what the flash of green light means, btw; I'll say no more than that, but merely point in the direction of that wildly raging fan controversy over there.