Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - At World's End

[mushu mama]

I'm presuming we can chat about this now.....

if you haven't seen it yet, and don't want to know bits of the movie... don't read this post.

Bits of it were annoying to me.

So which bits did you find annoying Sandie?
Was it when Jack was delusional and there were multiple Jacks? I thought that was really funny. ( and there cannot be too many Captn Jacks on the screen as far as I'm concerned )
There were so many things I liked about this movie. All the nods to the ride and all the jokes carried on from the previous movies were clever. I especially loved the 'pieces of something you had in your pocket at the time'.... and that chinese 'lady' pirate ( and I use the term loosely) from the bretheren council...her facial expressions were priceless.

My favourite lines (so far) are ....
'what are you doing?" "What Arrr you doing?" etc....

and

" Nobody move... I've dropped me brain"

And the entire scene when Jack is in Davey Jones' Locker.... that just cracks me up.

Personally, I think given a few more watches, this is going to be as big a favourite as the first two for me. It had me hooked all the way through.

I didn't stay till after the credits the first time ( sheesh... kids) and lived to regret it when I heard on other boards that the bit after the credits was another part of the story ( as opposed to a funny aside after the movie is over). And when I stayed till the lengthy credits had finished the second time I watched it, I was one of only about 6 still in the cinema. Lots and lots of people missed an interesting end to the movie.

And I will be very surprised if there isn't another Pirates movie, given that Jack hooked off with the compass and the map that moves. It'd be a great place to start another trilogy actually.

So what did every one else think?


~ Lisa ~

[KeithS]

Was it when Jack was delusional and there were multiple Jacks?...And the entire scene when Jack is in Davey Jones' Locker.... that just cracks me up.

Very interesting comments - because I hated these scenes I hated the whole Jack and the crabs moments...so much so, that I actually began nodding off, and wishing they would just get on with the story.

And there was way too much talking through the whole film - I think the movie should have been 2 hours, cut out half the plots twists that had my head spinning, and let us watch sea battles and sword fights The whole Calypso storyline was a mess...they've tried to make up a whole mythology to rival Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but they just didn't have the material or cohesiveness of those works.

So my order of favouritism for the movies is the same as the order in which they were released. POTC1 (awesome and fun), POTC2 (good and exciting), and POTC3 (long, turgid and convoluted)

Yeah, I know - I have to see it again because I lost the plot along the way, but there is nothing there on first viewing that wants me to go back and see it again at my cinema. I'll get the DVD and try to make sense of it in my own home - I guess I should have watched POTC 2 before I went and saw this.

I went and saw Spiderman 3 the following week after seeing POTC3 - and Spiderman kept my attention the whole way, never got boring, had engaging characters, and made the 170 minutes run time feel like about an hour. I judge a good movie by how much Della and I talk about it afterwards - POTC3 we were basically silent and confused, SM3 we talked all night.

[mushu mama]

I hated the whole Jack and the crabs moments...so much so, that I actually began nodding off, and wishing they would just get on with the story.

Nodded off? good grief - with all that coffee in your system? incredible.

The 'Jack & the crabs' moments were really clever. They showed his delusional state really well. And when he licked the rock/crab that was too grose not to be funny. A seriously 'ewwww' moment ( I even put the maltesers down after that) And him raving on about having a tea party and not inviting the rest of himselves was really funny. It also served to illustrate that Calypso was nearby when the crabs mobilised the ship through the sand. They were actually obeying her rather than helping out Jack. And it was only Jack that was able to figure out how to escape 'the locker' because of his erratic thought patterns.

And there was way too much talking through the whole film - I think the movie should have been 2 hours, cut out half the plots twists that had my head spinning, and let us watch sea battles and sword fights

The dialogue made this movie so much more enjoyable for me. I loved the continuation of the jokes from the other ones eg: when the warring parties meet on that sand spit, and Elizabeth answers Jack with "King"... like he said to Will "Pirate" in the first one. 'King' is higher up the food chain than 'Pirate'. There was more wit and less one liners.
The plot twists were tricky to follow, but the second viewing was more enjoyable in that regard.
There were a LOT of sea battles and sword fights , Keith....

The whole Calypso storyline was a mess...they've tried to make up a whole mythology to rival Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but they just didn't have the material or cohesiveness of those works.

I thought that the Calypso thing was really clever. I have watched the first two again since I saw 3 the second time and the clues were sprinkled all through the other two you just have to pick up on them... Kudos to Julie who picked the locket thing. I had wondered about Tia Dalma's connection with Davey Jones too, but hadn't made the connection with the locket until Julie pointed it out. I'm not sure they tried to emulate the other movies, they already had a blokcbuster on their hands anyway, they were just adding dimension perhaps. Lots of the twists in all the movies hinged on the things that Tia Dalma put into play - like moving pieces on a chess board. And in the end her power facilitated the David defeating Goliath outcome for the pirates perhaps.
And one has to wonder if she put the entire thing in motion in the first place ( because she'd had previous 'dealings' with Jack as we know) to lead to events that made Barbosa think it was his idea to break her out of her human form - something she wanted very much .

I'll get the DVD and try to make sense of it in my own home - I guess I should have watched POTC 2 before I went and saw this.

I loaned P2 to the friends I went to see 3 with, so it would make sense to them - but they still didn't really get it till they went home that night and watched it with SUBTITLES ( ) so they could follow the dialogue - particularly Calypso.... they didn't understand a word she said. I'm still laughing about that.

I went and saw Spiderman 3 .

Yawn... so not into Spidey. The bloke in the suit is weedy.....

Course this is all just my opinion.... I've heard huge variances in the the reaction to P3... ranging from 'a ripper of as swashbuckling treat' to 'a pain in the rear to follow - point me to the snack bar'.
And I do love a convoluted theory or two.

And I loved how those two bumbling soldiers became two bumbling pirates at the end... that was really funny how they were just useless at both jobs.

~ Lisa ~

[sandie]

I agree with Keith (will wonders ever cease! )

The first crab was clever - then it just got old very quick.

The multiple Jacks but also the two Jacks who were with him later in the movie did nothing for me. I do not find Jack that attractive - humourous yes but not hot, so maybe only those who are attracted to him enjoyed the multiples.

Also maybe I missed something but when did Elizabeth become a fencing master?

[mushu mama]

Oooh Yeah.... Captain Jack is hot..... no question.

endearingly odd, but hot, none the less.

Also maybe I missed something but when did Elizabeth become a fencing master?

yep... if anything annoyed me it was probably that.

~ Lisa ~

[KeithS]

I agree with Keith

And I do love a convoluted theory or two.

I do too, and I'm usually good at following convoluted plots - but this one for me went a little too far. I just lost interest. Maybe if it was a book, I'd be happier, but as I said, this material isn't from a book and it felt more like they were making it up on the fly. I will watch all three films together when the DVD comes out, as I see I have missed a lot of detail, but until then, I will stick with my current opinion.

I loved how those two bumbling soldiers became two bumbling pirates

Now that was really funny!

There were a LOT of sea battles and sword fights

I dunno - there was the Singapore fight (which was pretty good) and there was the amazing finale (which was...well, amazing) but the 1.5 hours in between were fairly droll.

And him raving on about having a tea party and not inviting the rest of himselves was really funny. It also served to illustrate that Calypso was nearby when the crabs mobilised the ship through the sand. They were actually obeying her rather than helping out Jack. And it was only Jack that was able to figure out how to escape 'the locker' because of his erratic thought patterns.

Huh? You got all that from the crabs!?!? hehe. I've really got to go see this thing again

[ajp]

I've been reading these responses with interest and felt it was time to add my 2 bobs worth.

I'll start by saying I loved it! As I mentioned earlier, it was the ideal way to finish the trilogy, and I do hope that this is a finished trilogy. The ending for me was ideal, with Jack leaving the same way as he arrived in the first movie.

The scenes that you have all mentioned in regards the multi Jacks and the crabs for me was not an issue. I will agree a little and say the multi Jacks things was a little drawn out, but only by a whisker. The crabs I thought was a touch of genius. When he picked up the rock and threw it and then it was there again. And to put it in context, during the multi jacks scene he was hallucinating, and then he thought he was when the "rock" came back. This whole scenario built up to the crew landing on the beach, which for me was designed to keep the audience guessing, and it did I felt. It definitely was unorthodox and unusual for this type of movie to have these scenes, but I am a fan of the unusual in movies (I'm currently enjoying the SBS arthouse aussie movies on Saturday nights at present).

Too much dialogue? No not at all. It was needed to piece the whole thing together. I do think, as with Keith, that a little more action would have been good, but there was a decent balance of action and story telling. We had the same thing with the last Star Wars movie, which I also thoroughly enjoyed. The final movies I feel need to explain the whole story of the 2 (or more) previous blockbuster action packed movies, and this does that very effectively.

Elizabeth being a fencing master? She did grow up in the English aristrocracy around soldiers and had a childhood friend who was a blacksmith who crafted fine swords. It fits, and some things need to be inferred rather than stated. There were lots of things that had to be inferred.

I rate it highly. The mythology around Calypso, for me was a tip of the hat to the shooting location for the three movies, as well as the fact it is called "Pirates of the Carribbean" The link between her and Davy Jones, and then the unlitmate betrayal. And to be honest, even though someone I think mentioned it would happen, I didn't see coming that Will would be the one to take his place!

I feel what they tried to do was to continue with the story line of the trilogy, whilst at the same time giving the movie it's own identity and plot, which I reckon would be very difficult and they've pulled it off.

And what about the music!!!!

[mushu mama]

Huh? You got all that from the crabs!?!? hehe. I've really got to go see this thing again

I told you I am the queen of convoluted theories.... if you throw enough out there, the odds are that some of them are going to be right somewhere

like here.....

And to be honest, even though someone I think mentioned it would happen, I didn't see coming that Will would be the one to take his place!

um... that would be me..... and dare I do it? yep.... I'm going to quote myself.... hehe....

Something else I wondered was will it be Will that defeats Davey Jones rather than Jack, because of his vow to release his father from servitude, using the knife his father gave him?

I am the first to admit that some of my theories are so out there they are off the map, but sometimes I do get it right....

I also thought it was an interesting touch that the sword that killed Will was one made by his own hand but it only took a grotty old knife passed from father to son to kill Davey Jones.
And about the ultimate betrayal of DJ by Calypso... well she is the Sea Goddess right.... and we all know how unpredictable the sea is. And he was responsible for her being in human form in the first place... and I still think it was Calypso that orchestrated the whole kit and kaboodle... she led them to the chest, she led them to Jack, She pretty much moved those chess pieces like a master.


I don't remember what the music was like.. .so either it was ineffectual and I just ignored it or so damn good it was seamless. Most likely the latter.

I agree with Anthony in that this movie had to tie up all the loose ends from the others so they meshed as a trilogy. It was designed to entertain... yes... but also to make you think a little.
To give your brain something to chew on. And ultimately I'd prefer that to being spoon fed the story.

~ Lisa ~

[ajp]

um... that would be me..... and dare I do it? yep.... I'm going to quote myself.... hehe....

Sorry Lisa, I was too lazy to look back through the thread, but thanks.

And while I'm on it, thanks also for the advice of staying till after the credits. I forced the wife and kids to stay, despite the desperate need to go to the toilet, and it was thoroughly worth it. Something we discussed and couldn't figure out, but the boy looked like the same one that started singing the song on the gallows at the start of the movie. Did everyone else think that, and if so, could you work out why?

Another thing I liked alot, was when the screen blanked for a second or 2 around the middle of the movie, and the all we heard was the song and sounds of the ride. The hairs on the back of my neck stood when that happened!

[sandie]

it was the ideal way to finish the trilogy, and I do hope that this is a finished trilogy.

Hate to disappoint you but the word i hear is that 4 is about Elizabeth searching for the fountain of youth. Seems after the first 10 year visit from Will she realises she only has maybe 4 more times to see him before se dies of old age. Jack can travel with her on her quest and as I have heard that Orlando is the only one not currently interested this story line works perfectly. If he is busy ferrying lost souls he can just make a cameo at the end of what will likely be a 5 hour movie!

[mushu mama]

Sorry Lisa, I was too lazy to look back through the thread,

I wasn't fussed about that.... I just couldn't resist quoting myself... tacky though it may have been....

And while I'm on it, thanks also for the advice of staying till after the credits. I forced the wife and kids to stay, despite the desperate need to go to the toilet, and it was thoroughly worth it.

I was really disappointed when I realised I'd missed that bit in the first viewing. I was determined to see it the second time. I tried to tell the people in the seats around me ( when they decided to leave) that there was more but only one family listened and as a result there were just that family and the friends I was with ( who I wouldn't let out of the aisle) that saw it.
One of my friends flatly refused to go because she wouldn't sit that long without a 'pitstop'....

Something we discussed and couldn't figure out, but the boy looked like the same one that started singing the song on the gallows at the start of the movie. Did everyone else think that, and if so, could you work out why?

I really don't think that the boy at the start was Will and Elizabeths son. firstly because the opening scene was the beginning of the takeover of the seas by the East India Company. From memory the evil little munchkin was trying to find out the significance of the pieces of 8 and was eradicating all the pirates and their cohorts. The scene with Elizabeth and the child waiting for Wills return was more than 10 years later than that. And the evil munchkin was dead by then.

Another thing I liked alot, was when the screen blanked for a second or 2 around the middle of the movie, and the all we heard was the song and sounds of the ride. The hairs on the back of my neck stood when that happened!

I don't remember that bit... and I've seen it twice. ... I must have been talking - both times

I am with Sandie... 'The Fountain of Youth' has to be the next one, considering the map that Jack swiped from Barbosa had coordinates to 'the fountain of youth' with mention of Ponce De Leon ( who was rumoured to have found the F of Y) on the map as well, I expect it will have a spanish flavour. I just hope they give it a while so that there is time for people to actually want to see another pirates epic.

And for the sake of all those bladders out there, I sincerely hope it is not a 5 hour duration.


~ Lisa ~

[KeithS]

Another thing I liked alot, was when the screen blanked for a second or 2 around the middle of the movie, and the all we heard was the song and sounds of the ride. The hairs on the back of my neck stood when that happened!

I don't remember that bit... and I've seen it twice. ... I must have been talking - both times

I remember that bit vividly - it was one of the highlights for me. You could tell the people in the cinema who knew the significance, you could hear their murmuring! Great stuff...

[ajp]

I really don't think that the boy at the start was Will and Elizabeths son. firstly because the opening scene was the beginning of the takeover of the seas by the East India Company. From memory the evil little munchkin was trying to find out the significance of the pieces of 8 and was eradicating all the pirates and their cohorts. The scene with Elizabeth and the child waiting for Wills return was more than 10 years later than that. And the evil munchkin was dead by then.

That's why we were a little perplexed. We knew that would be the time difference but the kids looked exactly the same. Obviously just a very good likeness and nothing more (or they used the same kid and didn't think anyone would notice).

I have read that only Depp is interested in doing a 4th, so if Will and Elizabeth are characters again, we'll more than likely see different actors. Keira Knightly has even been reported to be leaving acting altogether. I do agree, that they should leave it a while, but knowing how these corporate types work, they'll want to strike while the iron is hot and get it out there while the euphoria around pirates still exists.

I'd still be content with 3, but wouldn't say no to a 4th ...

[mushu mama]

I remember that bit vividly - it was one of the highlights for me. You could tell the people in the cinema who knew the significance, you could hear their murmuring! Great stuff...

I was a bit annoyed with myself for having missed a 'significant' moment of the movie so I asked my kids if they remembered it and to my utter amazement, not only did they remember it, they also remember me being one of those ( apparently embarrassing) murmurers, nodding and indicating my Disney 'in-the-know' status. I suppose there was so much else that captured my imagination that, that particular moment got shoved to the back of the brain. Where it still obviously resides because it still isn't one of the things that springs to mind. I will make a point of taking notice and committing it to memory in the next sitting.
And seeing as its almost 8 years since I rode the POTC ( and even that was only about twice) I could be forgiven for my lapse in memory. I am ancient after all.

Keira Knightly has even been reported to be leaving acting altogether.

As I see it, Elizabeth is the one who would benefit most from the F of Y so I guess she will be needed to build a plot line in that movie. I guess when Disney dangle the right amount of $ she will reluctantly give in to another multi million $ pay packet
I'd be very surprised if she wasn't in it.
One thing that has got me speculating like mad is ... given that the next round of Pirate movies might take on great leaps of time ( because of the 10 year deal with Will) we could quite possibly see the career choice of Wills son. will he go into Piracy like his parents or take on another equally enigmatic role using the money/influence that is his aristocratic heritage?
or maybe he'll be both.... there were after all some pirates (or privateers) that were part of the aristocracy elsewhere in the world, were there not?
And he has learned the pirate song after all.....

~ Lisa ~

[sandie]

Wouldn't matter if Elizabeth was played by someone else - she is at least 10 years older and we all know a lot of changes can occur to you in ten years!!!!!

However Ms Knightly has not given up acting - I think that was a press stunt. She is in pre production for 3 other projects at the moment!