PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD’S END

US, 2007, 167 minutes, Colour.
Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Bill Nighy, Stellan Skarsgaard, Chow Yun-fat, Tom Hollander, Jack Davenport, Kevin Mc Nally, Naomie Harris, Jonathan Pryce, Keith Richards, Lee Arenberg, Mackenzie Crook.
Directed by Gore Verbinski

Watching this pirate epic in a full theatre on a public holiday is a better indication of how audiences respond rather than watching it in a preview theatrette with a group of generally older critics. On the whole, they didn’t like it. On the whole, the public did.

It is best advised that it is a long haul. It runs over two and three quarter hours – with a brief epilogue after the long credits which meant that few people actually had remained to see it!

By now, moviegoers young and old know the main characters pretty well and part of the enjoyment is bringing that knowledge to the new adventures. We last saw Captain Jack Sparrow launched into world’s end by Davy Jones. How will he return? Will Elizabeth Swann marry William Turner or not? Will Elizabeth’s governor father be thwarted by the greedy and arrogant Lord Beckett? How is it that Captain Barbossa who was spectacularly killed off in the first episode and resurrected at the end of the second clash with or work with Jack Sparrow? And what of Davy Jones and his vengeance? Of William Turner rescuing his father from The Dutchman?

As can be seen, having enough plot is not a difficulty.

Early in the piece (which tends to be dark and gloomy), we might be struggling to follow all the ins and outs of the plot, especially as William Turner seems to be against Elizabeth. It becomes even more complicated when our characters find themselves in Singapore of all places and at the mercy of the local pirate chief.

But, when they all find themselves sailing to and falling off the end of the world, the issues become clearer and we know, if not where we are, where we are going. Lots of adventure, lots of talking, lots of special effects.

Johnny Depp has made Jack Sparrow one of the best known of screen characters. Borrowing from The Matrix, the filmmakers have provided us with several scenes where there are many Jack Sparrows all at once, visualising the different aspects of his personality. Depp swaggers as usual, makes a lot of funny offhand remarks and subverts the image of the heroic pirate. He is said to have modelled his performance on the antics of Keith Richards but, when Keith Richards actually turns up in a cameo role as a pirate chief, he is very laid back in comparison.

The rest of the cast do what is expected of them. Keira Knightly has a lot more to do when she is elected the head of the pirate league and commands the ship. Geoffrey Rush is back in full blast as Captain Barbossa and Bill Nighy looks and acts as creepily as before as Davy Jones.

Towards the end, we might be wondering how it can all be resolved. No need to worry, there is a huge storm, a huge battle, huge swordfights… Almost absurd at times, but enough swash and buckle to satisfy the patrons (if not the critics!).

1. The popularity of the series? Characters, situations, audiences enjoying pirate stories?

2. The locations, Singapore, Davy Jones’s Locker, the sea, Shipwreck Cove, the battles? The musical score?

3. The importance of the make up, the creatures, characters? Special effects? Action and stunts?

4. Jack Sparrow, Johnny Depp, audiences liking him in the past films, his death? Davy Jones Locker? The plan for the rescue? His leadership, his double-dealings? His continued ambiguities, with Beckett? The issue of Davy Jones’s heart? His piece of eight? His interactions with Barbossa, losing his coin? The encounter with his father? Going to the gathering of the Brethren? The interactions with Elizabeth, with Will? Nominating Elizabeth as King? The consequences?

5. Captain Barbossa, the past, death, in the land of the living, action, his taking sides, the piece of eight?

6. Will and Elizabeth, their past, love for each other? Will, the Flying Dutchman, Davy Jones? Seeing his father? Elizabeth, her father in the land of the dead, in Singapore, with Feng, his thinking of her as Calypso, the release, his successor? Elizabeth and the rescue of Jack? Will’s father and the Flying Dutchman? The battles, her leadership? Norrington trying to save her, his death? Beckett and his animosity, the fights? Will’s father, the wedding, Will and his disappearance for 10 years, her pregnancy?

7. Beckett, the foppish Englishman, the villain, the East India company, business? His underlings and advice? The ships? The crew? His plans, the attack, the battles, his death?

8. Jack and his mates, the characters, repartee, activities, on the ships?

9. The Singapore sequences, atmosphere, Feng and the Singaporeans, the Chinese, trade, piracy? Encountering the crew, the infatuation with Elizabeth, as Calypso? Her being named Feng’s successor? The later battles with Feng?

10. Calypso, as a witch, raising the dead, freeing people? Davy Jones?

11. Davy Jones, his appearance – and some moments with his tentacles gone and Bill Nighy’s appearance? His power, holding the souls, Beckett confronting him, his heart and people being free?

12. Bootstraps Bill, Will’s father, on the Flying Dutchman, imprisoned, his madness, seeing his son? Will’s intervention?

13. The meeting of all the pirates, the fates of the pirates – and the story to be continued?