Review of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007) by Doug N — 27 May 2018

"Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End".

Review by: Doug Nau.

Rating: ****/5.

Directed by: Gore Verbinski.

Produced by: Jerry Bruckheimer.

Written by: Ted Elliott.

Terry Rossio.

Based on character's by: Ted Elliott.

Terry Rossio.

Stuart Beattie.

Jay Wolpert.

Starring: Johnny Depp.

Orlando Bloom.

Keira Knightley.

Geoffrey Rush.

Bill Nighy.

Tom Hollander.

Jack Davenport.

Chow Yun-fat.

Naomie Harris.

Stellan Skarsgard.

Kevin McNally.

Keith Richards.

Jonathan Pryce.

Lee Arenberg.

David Bailie.

Martin Klebba.

Christopher S. Capp.

Score composed by: Hans Zimmer.

Additonal music by: Lorne Balfe.

Tom Gire.

Nick Glennie-Smith.

Henry Jackman.

Atli Örvarsson.

John Sponsler.

Geoff Zanelli.

The third and so-called final installment to franchise picks up the second film left off. Elizabeth Swan(Keira Knightley), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and the crew of the Pearl sail off the ends of the world (literally) with the help of mysterious Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) and the late Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) who has been raised by the dead to save Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp). He has been condemned to the terrible fate of remaining in the void of Davey Jones' locker for eternity. After Elizabeth, Will, and Captain Barbossa rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from the the land of the dead, they must face their foes, Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) and Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander). Beckett, now with control of Jones' heart, forms a dark alliance with him in order to rule the seas and wipe out the last of the Pirates. Now, Jack, Barbossa, Will, Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, and crew must call the Pirate Lords from the four corners of the globe, including the infamous Sao Feng, to gather to the Brethren Court. The Pirate Lords want to release the goddess Calypso, Davy Jones's damned lover, from the trap they sent her to out of fear, in which the Pirate Lords must combine the 9 pieces that bound her by ritual to undo it and release her in hopes that she will help them fight. With this, all pirates will stand together and will make their final stand for freedom against Beckett, Jones, Norrington, the Flying Dutchman, and the entire East India Trading Company.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is a very long movie much longer than the last two films combined and the plot of this installment feels more of a Greek tragedy story, which is a total departure from the last films lighter tone, and the screenplay by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio suffers from the same fate Dead man's chest did which the ways quite too many plots that's at times hard to follow. However, with that said that doesn't mean it wasn't entertaining at all thanks in part to the returning cast bring such charm and wit especially Johnny Depp who I'll never get tired or bored of watch him as Captain Jack Sparrow that it easily redeems the much darker film than the previous films. The main disappointment to me is the fact that they didn't have any allusions to the classic ride like in the The Curse of the Black Pearl and even a little in Dead Man's Chest but there was hardly any in this installment, only a snip of audio clip from the actually ride can be heard after the crew goes down the waterfall to World's End, which is cool but they could of tried harder to not stray away from the films original inspiration.

The visuals effects is even more amazing then the last film, especially considering the budget grew to a staggering $300 million, not only is it double the original's budget as well as $75 million more than Dead Man's Chest, it also brakes the record for most expensive film ever made. Most of the budget obviously put to use in the computer graphics and went into extreme detail, which I can't argue is so stunning and some of the best visuals effect I've ever seen in a film. The Action sequences is also more beefed up than Dead Man's Chest, by far one of the best sequence not only in the whole movie but I've have ever seen is the Maelstrom battle. One word to describe that whole scene is mind blowing.

The score composed Hans Zimmer, with additional music composed by Lorne Balfe, Tom Gire, Nick Glennie-Smith, Henry Jackman, Atli Orvarsson, John Sponsler, & Geoff Zanelli is a swashbuckling good time for any one who loved the first two soundtracks. This score for this installment features all the wonderful themes I loved and even adds a bit of Chinese flavor music to the score. Hans Zimmer and the director of all three Pirates film Gore Verbinski have also contributed music for the movies theme song called "Hoist the Colours" with lyrics by the writers Ted Elliott and Teddy Rossio, it tells the story of how Calypso was imprisoned in a human body by the pirate king, which represents the pirates ideology fro freedom. My favorite tracks include the song "Hoist the Colours", "The Pirate Lord of Singapore", "Bathhouse Fight", "At Wits End", "Multiple Jacks", "Souls at Sea", "Up is Down", "Lord Cutler Beckett", "Seduction", "The Brethren Court", "Calypso", "What Shall We Die For", "Maelstrom", "I Don't think Now is the Best Time", "Just Good Business", "One Day", and "Drink up Me Hearties".

So overall this is a departure from the last two films which feels more like a Greek Tragedy rather then the more lighter tone and humorous fun, but was not terrible like people have made out both this installment and Dead Man's Chest it was the most entertaining three hours I've spent watching a film that long in running time. It's a satisfying conclusion to an overall fantastic trilogy. The Visual effects is an amazing wonder to behold especially the Maelstrom sequences is the most mind blowing action sequence I've ever seen in cinema theater. The cast were all excellent and the returning cast bring the film a much needed charm and wit that was lacking in this film with it being more darker tone from the last two films. The Story is hard to follow at first but it gets better and better after many repeats of watching the film which I recommend everyone to do before they jump the boat to quickly and say its so bad when really isn't all that terrible as people have made out for both Dead Man's Chest and At World's End.