Visually Astounding!

Rating: 10/10 (24 May 2007)

OK, I'm going to ramble so hear me out.
First, I'm going to say that this movie is incredible. It had audience members gasping, clapping, shrieking out in surprise and laughing. Gore Verbinski has put himself up there with Peter Jackson and the other great epic directors.
Stylistically, the movie is probably the best of the three. the cinematography is excellent and there are some incredibly stunning visuals.
The humor is hysterical. Much more macabre than previous films, but it fits beautifully.
Geoffery Rush is utterly incredible. Humorous, likable, frightening and slightly insane all at the same time. The most classic of his lines is when he begins a wedding ceremony in the middle of a frantic battle aboard the Black Pearl. Utterly priceless.
OK, now the negatives. There are only a few so be patient.
The beginning tended to drag slightly and the middle was utterly befuddling in terms of the number of plot lines going on at the same time. Everybody betrays everybody else, each with their own motives and for a first viewing, can be very confusing. Everything is explained throughout the film, but in the middle of the film when everyone is making deals with everyone else, one can feel as if they're drowning in tentacles.
The layout of the script is very similar to Dead Man's Chest. A gruesome beginning, reintroduction of characters and then a humorous interlude (in DMC it was the Cannibal Island. In this, it's the hilarious and unusual land of the dead). Following that, we get into the real story.
There was a lot going on and there were a few elements that the writers obviously weren't sure how to dispatch cleanly so there are some rough edges here and there. But the story still flows really well and by the end there is little to dislike.
The characters are so human. They make mistakes, they make hard choices with strong consequences. The relationships between everyone is so real. Elizabeth's relationship with Will is shaky following the suspicions which arose at the end of DMC. Commodore Norrington is still fighting his internal battle. Do what's right, or do what benefits you. Jack is Jack, what can I say? He's the same old Jack we know and love.
Kieth Richard's cameo is delightful. Chow Yun Fat is well written, but I think they were able to do as much with him as they would have liked.
Overall, a fantastic story, amazing visual effects and a really entertaining cast. I walked out of the theatre grinning.