>>REVIEW
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END
STARRING Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush and Keira Knightley
DIRECTED BY Gore Verbinski
Now playing
Check listings
In 2003, Pirates of the Caribbean took the summer by storm. A light-hearted, rollicking adventure full of whimsy, wonder and grandiose effects, it was the quintessential summer movie. So much so, that this amusement-ride of a film became an overnight blockbuster franchise that saw Disney execs tripping over themselves to get the marketing machine operational. Two sequels were immediately green-lighted and, amid the torrent of merchandising and cross promoting, were written and shot, back to back, faster then anyone could say "arrgh?"
It was this shotgun approach to the sequels, coupled with all the critical acclaim heaped upon the original that made Dead Man’s Chest and, presently, At World’s End, ripe for a maelstrom of criticism. Though warranted to a degree, both films deserve to be recognized as worthy offerings to the gods of summer.
At World’s End sees Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) marooned somewhere between purgatory and hell, mercilessly trapped in Davy Jones’s Locker. Jones, for his part, has formed an unholy alliance with Admiral Norrington in a bid to wipe out all the pirates on the map. No sooner is Jack rescued by ever-budding lovers Will and Elizabeth (Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley) than he finds himself once again reunited with the Black Pearl and her crew. They, in turn, must unite with the remaining Nine Lords, to face off against Norrington and protect the legacy of piracy.
Director Gore Verbinski and writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio have at least a dozen other storylines (incorporating countless more supporting characters) needlessly threading their way through At World’s End’s plot. One questions if even they know how the hell it all fits together. Back-stabbings and plot twists lurk around every corner and the majority of the almost three-hour runtime is spent arduously developing this mosh-pit of a cast.
All of this is easily forgiven. While the plot may be overly convoluted, its bounty of extravagant, spectacular high-seas and effects ensures that one needn’t be concerned with mechanics to enjoy the ride. Depp also continues to consistently steal every one of his scenes, leaving no doubt that there is more to come from old Jack Sparrow.
The film also ends with a refreshingly free-spirited scene that is something of a return to form for the franchise and enough to leave you praying to the gods of summer for one more sail around the globe. |
Copyright ©2007 FFWD. All rights reserved.