Yo, Hoish.

Rating: 8/10 (27 May 2007)

this summer is a big one for movies, Spider-man, Transformers, Shrek, Die Hard, Rush Hour, Bourne, the number of surefire blockbusters is through the roof, and what summer movie buffet is complete without Pirates of the Caribbean. the franchise means so much to so many, for the guys, a swashbuckling adventure with no shortage of amazing special effects, action sequences and babes with swords. for the ladies, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom cavorting about in puffy shirts and saving damsels from sea monsters.
here we come to Pirates of The Caribbean - At World's End, the third and hopefully last installment of the Hollywood franchise that's proved that good acting, great writing, and convoluted storytelling are not the antithesis of Hollywood glory or box office success.
when we last left off, Jack Sparrow and his ship The Black Pearl had been taken by the Kraken, The East India Trading Company had in it's possession the heart of tragic villain Davey Jones, granting them control over the monstrous captain and his ghost ship The Flying Dutchman. so here we come to today, Will and Ellisebeth's relationship is on the rocks, Barbosa is back from the dead, the east India trading company is cracking down on piracy and that doesn't bode well for Barbosa and the gang's plans to retrieve Jack from Davey Jone's Locker.
okay, there's the only plot i'm going to give you, because frankly, the plot of this movie is way too convoluted and ever-changing.
let me say right off the bat that Pirates 3 is a fantastic movie. first off, Geoffry Rush returns in triumph and glory as the flamboyant and wonderful Captain Barbosa, and wastes no time in making us realize what was missing from Dead Man's Chest. Johnny Depp is back in full form, Orlando Bloom is still obnoxious and lame but we forgive it, and Keira Knightly is still one sexy babe. the first act of the film is confusing and a little existential for a Disney movie, but serves for some funny moments and manages without much stumbling to pick up where the last film left off, the second act is the film's biggest problem, it's confusing, it's overconvoluted, and it's flabby. this movie's long running time wouldn't be a problem if they hadnt insisted on flushing out every backstory of every character and making sure that everybody was fit to doublecross everybody. and so we find the third act, this is what we all came to see, some bigtime swashbuckling. the naval battles are incredible, the sword fighting is intense, and there's no lack of Johnny Depp's quips or Geoffry Rush's insane character acting.
bottom line, if you liked the first two, you're in for a treat, this has been one of the most consistent franchises since Star Wars, and it's mass appeal but refusal to placate to any specific demographic has garnered it respect as well as success. i love these movies, and can only hope future generations will as well. no film is without flaw, but in an era of Metachlorians and Rambo 4's, we take what we can get. i couldn't recommend this film more, not because it's the greatest film you'll see this year, because it isn't, but because so rarely do i have such a wonderful time at the movies, that i couldn't have at home.
go see it.