Pirates 3 - At World's End...Hoist the Colours! (open spoilers)

Cafe Society
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The other thread seemed to be more about anticipation for the movie and I didn’t wish to derail it with yards of spoiler boxes, so I’m thinkin’ this here be the official thread for those who’ve seen the movie and wish to discuss. Ye be warned!

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So - I loved it! Truthfully though, I myself am surprised a bit.

I saw the second movie 8 times in the theater because I enjoyed it so much and have been a little cuckoo over the franchise since then, and I was fully expecting to be let down by the last installment. I must say I am shocked that they managed so much! I’ve read reviews complaining about the length, about it being too plotty and about certain storylines within not being resolved satisfactorilly, and I’m interested to know how the critics would have done any better than what was done in AWE. Shorten it, it becomes more frantic and confusing. Simplify the plot, and characters/ideas get ignored. Really, I don’t see how it could have been done any better. I would also add that where Mr. Bunny just kind of tolerated Dead Man’s Chest, he loved this one and proclaimed it much, much better than part 2.

The battle sequences were amazing, Barbossa was awesome, Keith Richards did well for being, I understand, staggering drunk during every one of his scenes and really - do I have to say anything other than “multiple, shirtless, tattooed Jack Sparrows”?? In truth, that was one aspect I was prepared to hate - not the shirtlessness or the tattoos of course, but the multiple Jacks, including tiny ones sitting on his shoulders whispering in his ears. It sounds beyond stupid, but it actually works! Whether that’s good writing, good directing or good acting, I’m not sure.

My only real complaint is one that I realize very few people will share with me. I didn’t actually expect Jack and Elizabeth to sail off together the way I wanted, but it rung kind of hollow that they barely even spoke during the entire film, considering the events of Dead Man’s Chest. But the boy is of the opinion that, considering the events of the last movie, it makes perfect sense that they barely spoke to each other, so I’ll have to see how I feel after another couple viewings. Still, I have always believed since the first film that Jack and Elizabeth had way more chemistry than Will and Elizabeth, and I can’t have been the only one who was really looking forward to That Conversation (“You killed me”, “Pirate!”)?

So, thoughts? Neither of the last two movies can really match up with the first, which was intended to stand alone and which was New! and Exciting! and Original! At the time the idea of a pirate movie, a pirate movie based on a Disney ride no less, was unthought of, and so it’s kind of impossible to get back that magick of seeing it for the first time and just being blown away. Still, this being a trilogy, I’m impressed that it’s stood up and hasn’t run out of steam, and I am sad that it’s over (though I will say, I hope they call it good after this one and don’t ruin it by dragging it out for another 20 films).

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I didn’t actually see the second one, so I was extremely confused during the third. I still found it very enjoyable, especially the riddle about up being down, and the epic fight in a whirlpool.

I found it a little strange how it was very epic, dealing with centuries-old traditions and dramatic fights to the death, but then they also threw in a lot of easy Disney-type laughs, like with the monkey and the two pirates who are only on the crew for comic relief. I kind of want to gag a little at things like Orlando Bloom literally giving his heart to the woman he loves, but so it goes.

Really, what makes these movies work is Johnny Depp. I believe I’ve figured out the secret to his walk. Pretend you’re at a party with a red cup in each hand (filled with rum, no doubt) and everyone else can’t hold their rum, so they’ve all passed out on the floor. You’re trying to walk through them without stepping on them, while still looking very classy. I think that at least approximates the Jack Sparrow walk.

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RogueGF and I saw it last night. We enjoyed it (other than the very loud woman behind us, due to which we had to move). It did a pretty good job of wrapping things up. Like the OP mentioned, the first was the best, but this was still very entertaining. I imagine that we will see it one more time on the big screen and buy it when it comes out on DVD.

I think the most shocking thing to me was that it had a pretty downer ending for a Disney movie. Yeah, Will and Elizabeth finally hooked up, but once every 10 years? Damn. I was also pretty surprised that they hung the kid in the beginning scene.