The best of the series

Rating: 9/10 (18 June 2007)

If you are a fan, go see this movie. It is the best of the trilogy, hands down. And I never say that about sequels, so that's saying something. It is the perfect culmination of everything that's come before.
Just go.
Now...for the spoilery bits...
There was one of two ways this movie could go. It could devolve into a mess of nonsense that no one could follow, or worse, try to copy itself. Or it could follow up on everything we've seen these two movies leading up to. It did the latter. Perfectly. Now, if you didn't care so much about the first two films, or didn't pay attention to them, you'll get lost within the first ten minutes. But if you're a fan? It's absolutely amazing.
Let us not forget that this movie started out about a little girl with a dream and a wish. Elizabeth is the centre of these movies in so many ways. She is the one who has the medallion. She is the one who loves the idea of pirates, and freedom. In the second film, she is the one who doesn't trust Beckett and takes her fate into her own hands. Jack has his own agenda--not that we ever have any clue what it is. As does Will--when he's not letting others push him around. It's Elizabeth who gives the movies their backbone and direction. Without her, it all falls apart. Not only did Keira stand up to her role in this movie, but she literally blew me away. From the moment she appears on screen, she's stronger and more amazing than she was in either of the first two films.
But she's not the only one who's finally gotten a backbone. For me, one of Will's failings in the first two films is that he's such a wimp. His sole purpose in life is to respond to how others think of him. We get a small glimpse of who he might be once in a while, particularly the scene in Curse where he finally takes his fate into his own hands and "fixes" the curse. Not here. Finally he has a true purpose. Yes, it's still about someone, but for once he's standing up for himself, and willing to really do what it takes to get what he wants. He's so much stronger in this film than in either of the others. I just love him so much more. Oh, and his hair at the end just made me drool. *happysigh*
I was completely impressed with the complexity of this story. The first was rather straight-forward, and the second, while a bit complex, was only a bit more so. For this to be a summer movie, especially of the blockbuster variety, was incredibly impressive. I came out of the theatre completely satisfied that every loose end that needed to be was tied up. I loved it.
Favorite bits:
* The song gave me chills.
* The Asian pirate town and Shipwreck Cove, or whatever that pirate town was called, were both absolutely cool. I particularly love the first view of the pirate city, all lit up. It was gorgeous.
* Pentell and Ragetti were wonderful as always, and their new little friends at the end of the movie were great. :D If any continuation of this should be made, it should definitely focus on those four.
* The moment the Black Pearl crested the sand dune, I knew they'd done it right. So perfect.
* Loved the mythos in this. They took everything in the first two films and added more that just made it work. Particularly the addition of Callypso. I loved the parallel between Callypso and Davey Jones and Elizabeth and Will. And the idea that one of the other pirates might have thought Elizabeth was Callypso was terrific.
* Keith Richards's cameo was lovely, and I loved seeing he and Johnny on-screen together.
* The pirate council was terrific, particularly the fact that each pirate was obviously a different nationality. I also loved that their pieces of eight were pieces of junk, and that Ragetti's been hiding Barbossa's the whole time.
* Oh, and while we're on Ragetti? Him breaking the spell on Callypso was gorgeous.
* The "rocking the boat" scene was great.
* Seeing Davey Jones's original form was lovely, and the scene between he and Tia Dalma was perfect and so bittersweet...
* And that was the best wedding ever. And the climax of the fight--with Jack and Davey followed by Will and Elizabeth and Bootstrap... Even expecting something, the fullness of the scene was so unexpected as to startle anyone watching. Excellently done, and the wedding only lent to it.
* Bootstrap Bill's part in this film was so poignant...between his memory loss, and his role in his son's fate... Amazingly well-done.
And whatever you do? Do not leave before the end of the credits!