Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
48 of 58 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Epic finale that drags on for far too long, 9 Jul 2007
The final part in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' trilogy, this film feels more like part two of Dead Man's Chest, given that it devotes so much screen time to resolving the cliffhangers and plot holes of the previous film in the series. The plot is often difficult to follow, due to the amount of double crossing that takes place, but at times this adds to the film, in particular when Jack Sparrow is rescued from Davy Jones' Locker, by a group of pirates who all have a different agenda for rescuing him.
As expected, Johnny Depp shines once again as Jack, and one sequence, featuring several versions of the addled pirate, is superbly executed. Much of the comic relief comes from Jack and his childish rivalry with Captain Barbossa, his arch-enemy from the first film in the trilogy, played by Geoffrey Rush. Barbossa, resurrected to locate Jack, is less malevolent than before, but steals every scene he appears in. As many of his scenes are with Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Swann, this isn't exactly a Herculean feat! Knightley's character is much more involved in the action this time around, but she still lacks the personality and depth of character to make the viewer care about her fate. Similarly, her onscreen love, Orlando Bloom, whose wooden acting isn't so apparent this time around, but still seems too drippy to be a lead character in a swashbuckling pirate movie. Rounding out the main cast is Bill Nighy as Davy Jones, unrecognisable behind some brilliant CGI effects. Jones was one of the best things about 'Dead Man's Chest', but sadly this time around his role is reduced; his only shining moment being a duel with Jack atop the mast of a ship.
In terms of special effects, the film can't be faulted, and it is visually stunning to watch. Great visuals can't disguise a poor script, however, and we are never truly sure who the true agressor is: is it Davy Jones? The bland Lord Cutler-Beckett? Norrington? Calypso? The addition of the East India Company in the previous film was inspired, but it could have made for a more interesting film had they been better utilised. Instead, Lord Cutler-Beckett (Tom Hollander) is a truly dull lead villain, which has a negative impact on the big finale. Plus,did anyone else watch the scene in which the pirate lords meet to elect a new Pirate King and think 'why not Keith Richards?' Richards makes a brief cameo as the mysterious Captain Teague, who may or may not be Jack Sparrow's father. His very presence at the meeting commands respect fromthose assembled, yet the pirate lords make a bizarre, abysmal choice for their new leader!
This could have been a worse film, but in some respects, the film-makers learned from the mistakes of 'Dead Man's Chest'. One glaring error, however, is the running time, with the film going on for at least 30 minutes longer than it should. That may work for films like 'Lord of the Rings' and 'Harry Potter', but they are being adapted from lengthy novels. Overall, this effectively ties up the many plot holes and dangling threads of 'Dead Man's Chest', but fails to reproduce the excitement and wit of the first film in the series.
|
|
|
119 of 161 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A GREAT ADVENTURE - A WONDERFUL END TO THE TRILOGY, 26 Aug 2007
It's fascinating to read through other comments and notice that the majority of people commenting seem to either really hate or really love the movie, with very few voices in between.
It's really quite easy: This is a Disney movie. Movies as a whole don't stick to the truth, not even those which claim they're telling a true story. You don't go into a Disney movie expecting to hear a true story (unless your grip on reality is severely weak to nonexistent), but you look for enchantment, for lurid characters, for great laughs, for something that gives you a tingly feeling of compassion or excitement... for getting transported into a different world where anything is possible.
That of the three POTC movies the first one only managed to touch upon any kind of truth about the real pirates of the Caribbean isles and pirate life in general, should be obvious now. It provided a humorous and exciting introduction to the characters and locations. It was tepid amusement with a pirate overtone and some inspired acting. Fun for the whole family. One doesn't need to think, just be able to laugh and be carried away with the story.
The second movie was a bit more convoluted. It introduced some new characters, some new locations, and provided the main characters with an opportunity to flesh out their own story, to add some depth. It was at times a little boring, not because of its plot, but simply because it seemed to add some superfluous story lines (the cannibals).
At World's End brought all those characters together, and showed the necessary continuance of their character development. Elizabeth had been the adventurous heroine drawn to a charming rogue, then had the ground pulled out from under her feet and became a fugitive and something of a pirate herself. The side she had been on turned into the enemy, and she had to make do with what was left to her, to survive. She never was the quiet withdrawn type - she's crafty and courageous, and that turned her into what she became in the third movie. The same goes for Will, who had only been fighting for his love, to find that on shaky ground. He came face to face with his father who had abandoned him, and since he thought his love had left him, he shifted his ambitions to the rescue of his father. Similarly, everyone else in the movie are following their own ambitions in whichever way they can - so what we get are plots and subplots, everyone crossing everyone else, in a wonderfully crazy way. Throw in some myths turned flesh (Davy Jones and Calypso) and the ruthlessness of the East India Trading Company's designs, and you've got 3 hours of fun.
This isn't a movie for people who just want easy action, and it's definitely not a kids movie. Some of the plots and jokes are extremely subtle. The movie takes some of the lose ends of the previous two movies, adds some more - and manages to solve most of them. It also leaves some others open to speculation and possibly more movies to follow. The best way to watch this movie is to sit back and simply keep an open mind, expect the unexpected. The writers took some amazing leaps of faith in their actors, and made some unusual choices. The idea that Jack being banned to Davy Jones' locker would mean he'd have to captain a Black Pearl full of alternate versions of himself, and even when returned to life he would retain some of this unstable mindset - that was a stroke of genius added to the movie (Leaves the question whether whatever happened in the movie after the "rescue" of Jack couldn't also be interpreted as just part of his own "imagination").
Even Davy Jones and Calypso - their characters suddenly had more depth, because there were a hundred little clues and some interaction between them that told us a lot to make their story the darker side of the parallel one to Will and Elisabeth.
The action sequences were fantastical - great fantasy. They kept you breathless and wanting more - and you never knew quite how a certain situation would end. Maybe that's one of the other advantages to the movie: the plot was never completely predictable like so many other movies have been recently.
I think you have to have a bit of imagination, you've got to have an open mind and you've got to be willing to accept that this isn't standard Disney fare complete with happy ending.
I can understand why some think it's a waste of time and money, but to me it was one of the most enjoyable movies in recent times. And a truly superb finale to the trilogy.
|
|
|
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Slow and meandering, 19 Jan 2009
Oh dear. I loved the first two movies. But they literally lost the plot with this one. The main characters seem to change their motivation with the slightest provocation. So they keep haring off on yet another CGI-packed sequence without us really caring about why they're doing it. And you lose track of how many times this happens because the whole movie just seems to drag on forever. By the end of it, you feel like you've crossed the international dateline and gone without sleep for 48 hours. By then you will have forgotten why you cared about any of these characters in the first place.
Johnny Depp is still very amusing, convincing, and reluctantly swashbuckling. He's brilliant in fact. And so are the other lead performers. But none of them can rescue that cobbled together script.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
![Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End [DVD] [2007]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SYeNkrHUL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Pirates Of The Caribbean Trilogy [DVD] [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51P4wE2s7TL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Pirates Of The Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest (2 Disc Special Edition) [2006] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ABM04W1SL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Pirates Of The Caribbean - The Curse Of The Black Pearl - 1 disc [DVD] [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510XJFV2AAL._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
![Pirates Of The Caribbean - Dead Man's Chest [DVD] [2006]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51byBHe-57L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
DVD ~ Mackenzie Crook
![Pirates Of The Caribbean - The Curse Of The Black Pearl - 1 disc [DVD] [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/510XJFV2AAL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
![Fantastic Four - Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51uzSspuf7L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
![Ocean's Thirteen [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fOPjxXd1L._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
DVD ~ George Clooney
![Pirates Of The Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest (2 Disc Special Edition) [2006] [DVD]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ABM04W1SL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is). 
Make sure you always get what you want with an Amazon.co.uk 
Amazon Home