Film Review: Pirates of the Caribbean 3

The summer of 2007 may be remembered as the season of the threequel. Amidst fellow third acts Shrek 3 and Spider-Man 3, the recently released Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the third film chronicling the adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and company. Though the second Pirates film was a big disappointment, my expectations going into Pirates 3 were optimistic. Unfortunately I can only express disappointment with the sure to be box office champion.

At World’s End boasts one of the most expensive budgets of any film in history, and that is evident throughout the entire movie. Davey Jones alone is one of the most impressive CGI accomplishments ever, but he is not the only visual achievement. The world of Pirates is huge, and everything from the water to the battle sequences has been engineered to the highest standard.

The problem is that though the movie is a technical feast, it lacks a majority of the other elements to create a successful and entertaining film. The acting is certainly above average, and as expected Depp stands out as the eccentric Jack Sparrow. However, the characters don’t impress as they have in the past, mainly because they are already very familiar. Pirates 3 spends a lot of time divulging the pasts of many characters as if to make us feel for them; the issue is that the majority of the audience has already seen the first two films. Was over five hours with this people not enough to make us care? In addition to its recycled characters, the movie is content to use the same jokes not only from the series, but even repeating within the film itself.

Pirates 3 clocks in at just under three hours of convoluted insanity. Sadly, most people will not be paying attention that long. Somewhere around the halfway point the audience realize the opportunity for any sense has long since passed. It is a rambling, incoherent mess, and because of its lack of structure it is impossible to follow. Rather than watching the film, many will simply be waiting for it to end.

Due to its absurd running time and its lack of an engaging storyline, Pirates is a disappointing failure. Still, the visual treats may be enough for some, and either way the movie is sure to break box office records left and right. The first Pirates was an entertaining affair, but it is evident that with the sequels they tried to do too much, and ended up with two disappointing sequels that should have been tossed into Davey Jones’ Locker.

5/10