At Wit's End

I was so tired after a long day's work that when I heard the movie was going to be about 3 hours long, I almost gave up watching. However, I was glad that I didn't and went through with it. I had read reviews in the newspapers days before on this 3rd movie being bad, the critic (who only knows how to appreciate artistic movies and doesn't give a damn to thrillers or action-adventures) wasn't too kind to this one. I could understand why. However, critics criticize according to their taste and not the taste of the general audiences. Spoilers below, read at your own risk!

I can say for a fact that I forgot all about work for 3 hours and was thoroughly entertained. Don't forget what Pirates of the Caribbean is originally; It's a water-ride at the original Anaheim Disneyland, one I'll never forget riding, it was worth the queuing time of about 1 hour. You have to understand that because it started off as a ride, it had to involve treasure, so that's where the first movie came about, chasing the lost treasure of Cortez. However, when a sequel and subsequently a trilogy came out, they had to continue the story and also add in mythical elements into the movie. Granted that the special effects were a little over the top, but it was also indistinguishable from normal props and explosions in the movie. The way the ship splinters when hit by cannonballs and cannons and pirates being flung around the deck was absolutely brilliant, but ultimately all computer generated.

I can say for a fact that the plot was written to conveniently make Tia Dalma as Calypso. And for her to become a giant hag and change into crabs and fall into the ocean, was just a little incomplete for me. There were loopholes within loopholes within loopholes for the plot. And yet, I was thoroughly entertained by the pirates, especially Captain Jack Sparrow, who managed to just make you laugh for no reason with his witty, savvy dialogue.

Allegiances shifted back and forth between all the characters to the point of confusion. I was confused why Will betrayed his fellow pirates to the East India Company and why Jack Sparrow also made a deal with Lord Cutler Beckett, why Governor Swan had to die just because he outlived his usefulness. How conveniently Admiral James Norrington had to die, and poor Chow Yun-Fatt, after welcoming everybody to Singapore, ultimately he met his end impaled on splintered wood! A shame because although he was one of the pirate lords, his character could have had more potential for development. Also, how rocking a ship till it's upside-down allows you to return from Davy Jone's Locker alive. I guess this is all part of some mythology that was written in to confuse and entertain us all at the same time.

You also have to stay till the end of the credits to watch a little snippet of Will Turner's younger son 10 years later together with Elizabeth Swan awaiting on the cliff-top for Will Turner's return after 10 years at sea, it sort of gives the ending a nice little round-up.

Mixed reactions on this movie for me. I didn't fall asleep, but I was entertained. However, although the villains got their just desserts, there was still something lacking in the story, character development was only so-so. And twirling and shooting cannonballs at each other while circling a maelstrom is hardly something that's scary or fascinating, just comical in that the rest of the ships nearby didn't get affected at all, almost like the term, circling the drain!

7 out of 10 stars