what a resounding - failure

Rating: 3/10 (12 July 2007)

I loved Dead Man's Chest and will never forget the sensation at seeing Jack Sparrow return to the Black Pearl, Elizabeth holding tight to his leg, the amazing kiss, Jack's escape only to heroically face the Kraken. One of the most romantic scenes in cinema I can remember.
If that stirs up great memories, brace yourself, because At World's End has none of this. Into the first half-hour I knew it was going to be bad (it was bad from the beginning, but I was trying to stay positive!). The violence depicted is nasty and unnecessary. The "magic" is nonmagical (but this goes for most of today's "magical" films). It is unfunny (the audience was dead silent for most of it). There is no real emotion even though the actors emote well enough. There are some great visuals but even they left me cold.
Johnny Depp, as some have noted, seemed somewhat removed, and vacant. Keira Knightly looks good and gives a rousing speech, but her Elizabeth comes off as annoying and I did not feel for her (in fairness, some of this is the writers' fault). Orlando Bloom doesn't even get to do his best Errol Flynn, which usually redeems his weaknesses (for the female viewers, at least). Jack Davenport is great - but wasted (and he must be thankful his character gets an early exit). Chow Yun-Fat - a handsome man - is uglied up and doesn't have much to do with anything.
If only they'd stuck to the Caribbean! The last three minutes are the best part. The writers have forgotten what is means to write a decent movie, let alone one about pirates (they should have been forced to watch Captain Blood, over and over till they got it right). Whereas with Curse of the Black Pearl they revived the pirate genre, they have with At World's End managed to kill it off for good. RIP.