Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, the conclusion to what can be described as the original trilogy. If the previous one took everything from the first one and turned it up a notch, well, this one took everything from both of them and turned that up a notch. It's bigger and longer, more complicated than it needs to be, but it's also tremendously entertaining.
At World's End is an interesting film in that it feels like a mix between the two previous films. A lot of the lightheartedness and comedy that was ever-present in The Curse of the Black Pearl makes a return, after the second instalment, which was much heavier in tone. But, many of the darker themes of Dead Man's Chest are also present, creating a film that feels exactly how you'd imagine a Pirates of the Caribbean film to feel. When the going gets heavy, there is always a fun punchline or gag at ready, to lighten the mood, often provided by, you guessed it, Jack Sparrow. But thankfully, when the film needs to feel dark, it isn't afraid to do so. There are plenty of tough themes that are touched upon, and they do carry their weight plentifully. The result, then, ends up feeling wonderfully balanced, at least as far as the tone goes.
The story, however, ends up being the weight dragging this film down. It takes off directly from where the second film ended, and while that does provide a clean bridge from one film to the other, the story here lacks impact. It's not that the story isn't fun or entertaining, it's just that it often feels overly long and complicated. Indeed, this one is even longer than it's predecessors which were long, to begin with. And as was the case with them, At World's End suffers from the same faith, trying to cram every good idea into it, even when it isn't called for. All of these Pirates films have been full of wonderful ideas, for the most part, but they have also had plenty of ideas in them, that simply shouldn't be there. While they are often fun and add more flavour to the experience, they, conversely, end up excessively bloating the runtime. And to be completely honest, these films don't need any more flavour than they already have at their core. But, regardless, there is no denying the entertainment these films, this one included, provide. At World's End, despite its problems, provides a satisfying conclusion to the story that began at The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Which brings me to the next point. While it's easy to say now that there was a fourth film and even a fifth film, it was also evidently clear that there would be more after the way this one ended. At World's End, much like the previous one, makes it clear that the story isn't over yet. And while it makes sense for Disney to continue printing money with the series, I would've really liked to have seen it all end here. At World's End ends in a great place. It ties every character arc together and answers all the questions that I might've had. Will and Elizabeth end up where everyone would've wanted them to end up in, and Jack sails off into the sunset, just like he arrived at the beginning of The Curse of the Black Pearl. Story-wise, it's obvious that there was no need for more. It seems to have been quite evident considering that two of the biggest stars left and the director was changed. And while I wish that this had indeed been the end, a part of me is also excited to join Jack Sparrow once more on his adventures. And therein, lies the charm and power of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. They are wonderfully stupid and over-the-top but, at the same time, they come with a promise of adventure and undeniable fun. While it's clear that they are anything but masterpieces, they are some of the most entertaining films I have ever watched.
So here we are, at the end of what I would describe as the Black Pearl trilogy. While I'm perfectly aware that there is more to come, I can't help but consider these three films as their own thing. They encompass a certain childlike charm that I doubt will be present in the newer films. And while I do look forward to watching them, these three original, The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, will always be what I think of when someone mentions the Pirates of the Caribbean.
At World's End is an interesting film in that it feels like a mix between the two previous films. A lot of the lightheartedness and comedy that was ever-present in The Curse of the Black Pearl makes a return, after the second instalment, which was much heavier in tone. But, many of the darker themes of Dead Man's Chest are also present, creating a film that feels exactly how you'd imagine a Pirates of the Caribbean film to feel. When the going gets heavy, there is always a fun punchline or gag at ready, to lighten the mood, often provided by, you guessed it, Jack Sparrow. But thankfully, when the film needs to feel dark, it isn't afraid to do so. There are plenty of tough themes that are touched upon, and they do carry their weight plentifully. The result, then, ends up feeling wonderfully balanced, at least as far as the tone goes.
The story, however, ends up being the weight dragging this film down. It takes off directly from where the second film ended, and while that does provide a clean bridge from one film to the other, the story here lacks impact. It's not that the story isn't fun or entertaining, it's just that it often feels overly long and complicated. Indeed, this one is even longer than it's predecessors which were long, to begin with. And as was the case with them, At World's End suffers from the same faith, trying to cram every good idea into it, even when it isn't called for. All of these Pirates films have been full of wonderful ideas, for the most part, but they have also had plenty of ideas in them, that simply shouldn't be there. While they are often fun and add more flavour to the experience, they, conversely, end up excessively bloating the runtime. And to be completely honest, these films don't need any more flavour than they already have at their core. But, regardless, there is no denying the entertainment these films, this one included, provide. At World's End, despite its problems, provides a satisfying conclusion to the story that began at The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Which brings me to the next point. While it's easy to say now that there was a fourth film and even a fifth film, it was also evidently clear that there would be more after the way this one ended. At World's End, much like the previous one, makes it clear that the story isn't over yet. And while it makes sense for Disney to continue printing money with the series, I would've really liked to have seen it all end here. At World's End ends in a great place. It ties every character arc together and answers all the questions that I might've had. Will and Elizabeth end up where everyone would've wanted them to end up in, and Jack sails off into the sunset, just like he arrived at the beginning of The Curse of the Black Pearl. Story-wise, it's obvious that there was no need for more. It seems to have been quite evident considering that two of the biggest stars left and the director was changed. And while I wish that this had indeed been the end, a part of me is also excited to join Jack Sparrow once more on his adventures. And therein, lies the charm and power of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. They are wonderfully stupid and over-the-top but, at the same time, they come with a promise of adventure and undeniable fun. While it's clear that they are anything but masterpieces, they are some of the most entertaining films I have ever watched.
So here we are, at the end of what I would describe as the Black Pearl trilogy. While I'm perfectly aware that there is more to come, I can't help but consider these three films as their own thing. They encompass a certain childlike charm that I doubt will be present in the newer films. And while I do look forward to watching them, these three original, The Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man's Chest and At World's End, will always be what I think of when someone mentions the Pirates of the Caribbean.