Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End 2007 Directed By: Gore Verbinski Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffery Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley

Written by: Ricardo Barberini June 4, 2007

In this third installment of the Disney cash machine, we are introduced to more supernatural forces, more villains; and everybody is a villain in this movie including Elizabeth Swann.  We also have more hallucinatory action by Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and his fellow mad hatter pirates.

The story begins with suspension of rights of men to Jury trial; Habeas Corpus and attorneys and mass hangings of men, women and children by the East India Trading Company under orders of Lord Beckett.  His motive is to stamp out piracy by killing anyone who is suspected of any association with piracy.  At the rate they were hanging them in this movie; no one would have been left after a week or two in the new colonies which is where the action is taking place. 

The plot is actually too complicated with too many sub-plots and unnecessary new characters that are introduced throughout the movie.  We think that most people will not follow all the complex plot and will just watch it for the scenery, acting and action.

After the hanging scenes we are transported to a hot steamy location in a tropical Singapore where we meet the rest of the crew.  They are there to steal a map that will take them to the end of the world to find Jack Sparrow, rescue him from the land of the dead and with his help release a sea goddess named Calypso. In return, they hope that Calypso will help them stop Beckett and his murdering sailors.  Unbeknownst to them, they have a traitor in their camp.  Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) has decided to spy for Beckett to save his father who is one of the creatures on board the Flying Dutchman.

We also have Davy Jones, the guy with tentacles, played by Bill Nighy who is now at the service of the East India Trading Company.  Together, they plan to rid the world of all the pirates and find elusive pirate treasures.

Needless to say, after a few mishaps the pirates find Jack and together with the rest of the pirates they meet in the Shipwreck Island.  There Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) who is now captain of a Chinese pirate ship is elected King of the Pirates and decides to release Calypso who is really the witch Tia Dalma (Namoie Harris) in human form. 

The forces under the command of Lord Beckett are fast approaching and the pirates have no choice but to release Calypso and hope she would help them.  The incantations are read to release Calypso from the bondage and return her to sea.  Anyway, they release Calypso from her bonds and that defiant sensuous beauty turns into thousands of crabs which pour down to the sea.

The battle between the forces of evil (the pirates) and more evil (The East India Trading Company) starts.  The pirates have but ten ships or so.  The East India Trading Company has more ships than the Spanish Armada!  Hundreds of ships line the horizon.  However, the real battle is between the Flying Dutchman and the Black Pearl.  During the battle, Will Turner who has changed sides again and is now fighting with the pirates is killed by Davy Jones.  Eventually, after a bruising over-long battle, Davy Jones is killed when Jack inserts a dagger into his heart.  

With the death of the evil Davy Jones, the Flying Dutchman needs a new captain and the dead Will Turner is resurrected and nominated by the denizens of that morbid ship as their new Captain.  He immediately joins the pirates to destroy Lord Beckett and his ship which he does in a pincer movement with Jack Sparrow and Captain Barbossa’s help.

At the end of it all, Captain Barbossa, Jack Sparrow, and Elizabeth Swann are all alive.  Lord Beckett may or may not be dead but his flagship is destroyed and the rest of his battle ships withdraw from the battle. As the captain of the doomed Flying Dutchman, Will Turner is allowed one visit one day only every ten years to a port of his choice.  Naturally, he spends the first one with Elizabeth. 

As we said earlier, the movie is over plotted and too many new people are unnecessarily introduced and people keep changing sides. The director, George Verbinski is billed, probably by himself, as one of America’s most inventive directors.  Well, he may have been inventive in the first two Pirates movies but he has not proven anything here.  When we saw all those fake battle ships in the horizon near the end of the movie, we expected to be treated to a battle royal of great magnificence between all those ships and the pirates.  Instead, we were treated to the brainless mutterings of Davy Jones and his dueling with Jack.  It was sad that the moment was so easily lost by the director.  

We have mentioned the lack of continuity and the twisted plot for this movie before.  We are willing to bet that not many people who will see this movie could relate the events coherently.  Lots of action, Jack going crazy, Keith Richard showing up as Jack’s father, some Chinese guy as a new pirate, what else?  Of course, the power of media advertising can always make the difference between the success or failure of a movie. 

As for acting, Johnny Depp was fine, but remember that he is playing the same role over and over again. Keira Knightley was just a pretty face and Orlando Bloom as an actor was almost non-existent.  We saw him several years ago on English television in the Midsomer Murder series as a sinister seducer of women.  He was much better then.  The only actor to show some talent here, despite the very weak script and mediocre direction, was Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa.  The much hyped appearance of Keith Richard as Jack’s father proved to be a disappointment. We expected a little more dialogue and some acting.  Sorry, we forgot that he was just a guitar player in a rock and roll band!  The rest were just character actors of no particular significance.

There were no real acts of violence in this movie.  The only part that we objected to was the gratuitous scene in the beginning displaying hanging of women and children.  As for sex, the only sex we saw was a shot of Keira’s bare right thigh and leg in the final moments of the movie. 

We give this movie 

It is OK to see it with your family.