Bloated but Undeniably Fun

Rating: 8/10 (5 July 2007)

EDIT: Upon second viewing, I found it even more enjoyable and determined my comments were a bit too harsh. I still stand by my criticisms, but most of them, especially the running time and pacing, didn't distract me nearly as much as the first time around.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Somebody asked me for a one-word review of Pirates 3. The problem is, I can't really do that. Because if I absolutely had to, that word would be "bloated." But accurate as it is, it's way too negative. I liked the movie - I really did; and I think I'll like it even more upon a second viewing, when I can better digest and follow everything. There are some amazing sequences in it, and a lot of very creative ideas and writing - not to mention the perfect ensemble cast continues to put in remarkable performances.
But like so many sequels, including its predecessor Dead Man's Chest, the movie is a little full of itself. Whereas the first film was just a fun adventure flick which had no expectations, this one is far to aware of its epic status. Every scene is drawn out as if to say "look at this amazing sequence we thought up" and " check out the awesome special effects!" As a result, you have a great 2-hour movie, stretched out over 2 hours and 45 minutes. I don't mind long movies at all, as long as they need to be that long and are not just over-extending scenes unnecessarily.
I also think their efforts at making this an epic story have taken a lot of the heart out of the series. With each movie, more and more of the simple fun disappeared. Yes, there are comedic moments, but overall it's just lost a little something. I really wish they would just make sequels as stand-alone films, a la Indiana Jones, Die Hard, James Bond, etc, instead of trying to create these multi-film stories like Pirates and Matrix. I just think stand-alone stories feel fresher, more fun, and more enjoyable.
The only other flaw is actually just a case of taking a good idea too far. The filmmakers have talked about how in the world of pirates, allegiances are constantly in flux and in question, which leads to a lot of betrayal and suspicion. But here they have so many people changing sides so often and making and breaking deals left and right, to the point where it's just so confusing you stop even trying to follow it. Maybe that confusion is what they were going for, but it really got to be too much after a while.
So, yes, I do feel "bloated" is a good word to describe the film, but it's still an immensely enjoyable flick, and far better then 95% of the movies that wil come out this year.