Best Pirates Yet

Rating: 10/10 (8 June 2007)

Because it was filmed back-to-back with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, fans were expecting something spectacular with the third and possibly final installment of the Disney franchise Pirates, entitled Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, but the movie obliterates any expectations. With the previous two incredibly successful installments, Disney has found themselves with a surprise hit series in Pirates of the Caribbean. The second film is the second highest-opening movie of all time, right beside Spider-Man 3, and the first film, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, held surprisingly solid DVD sales. With the third installment, At World's End, Disney has made another perfect film with very few flaws that is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best film Disney has ever put out. For a sequel, At World's End actually has quite a story to tell, filled to the brim with bulky subplots and interesting characters. This installment manages to rise above the other big blockbuster sequels like Spider-Man 3 and Shrek the Third by utilizing a great cast, sensational acting, and an always-interesting plot. One may go so far as to say that there wasn't a single dull moment in the entirety of the film's 2 hour and 50 minute runtime. Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush, and Bill Nighy return once more for this final installment, joined by Chow Yun-Fat in a memorable role as the pirate Captain Sao Feng of Singapore. The third installment is once again directed by Gore Verbinski, who crafted the previous two installments into incredibly memorable blockbuster films with breathtaking cinematography. The story of Pirates of the Caribbean has always been the most important part of the series. Without the plot, the movies would be merely uninteresting and boring, especially considering their length. At World's End sees Elizabeth Swan, Will Turner, Captain Barbosa, and company on a journey to fetch back Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' locker. Everything leads to a meeting of the Pirate Brethren at Shipwreck Cove, an epic battle concerning several ships, and the closure of many major plot lines.
Keira Knightley takes center stage in this installment, and she never ceases to amaze with her excellent acting. Johnny Depp also has lots of screen time, and he is fantastic as usual in his role as Jack Sparrow. Orlando Bloom takes on Will Turner with a somewhat darker perspective this time around, and it reflects the overall darker tone of At World's End. Chow Yun-Fat plays Captain Sao Feng with creepy sincerity, and he brings life to the character with his zany accent and attitude.
At World's End starts off on a serious note with the creepy but catchy song "Hoist the Colours", and it fits with the most insanely sinister installment yet. Some of the scenes in At World's End are extremely creepy, but, as always, the film has a great sense of humor, mostly displayed through Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa. So much is going on at one time in the movie that it is easy to get lost, and it may take several viewings of the film to truly understand everything. The length of the movie never seems too long for all that you get out of it, and the pacing is nearly flawless. The movie starts off a little bit slow, but once Jack Sparrow comes in, the movie really gets off its feet. There is also a crucial scene after the credits of the movie, and it is definitely worth sitting through. Also keeping with the other films, At World's End features breathtaking cinematography and a much darker tone than the others.
If you can only see one big blockbuster hit this summer, see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End; it's full of action, frightening situations, well-written characters, and more story than anyone can imagine. It is certainly the best among the three big 'May' movies, Shrek the Third and Spider-Man 3. Unlike the other two films, At World's End was not disappointing on any level; it delivered in every category, and then some. The great acting and the new characters also contribute to making this the best installment yet, and the greatest big blockbuster movie of the entire year, and many years past. A+