But it’s strange to think that “At World’s End” is really the second half of a long movie because, while the general excitement is the same, the nature of the writing is actually quite different. In “Dead Man’s Chest,” the narrative was rather loose while the plot was as taut as a fantasy-adventure of this kind can be. The story of Captain Jack’s debt to the squid-man Davy Jones (Nighy) and how it plays into the imperial ambitions of the East India Trading Co., embodied by Lord Cutler Beckett (Hollander), is a relatively straight-forward tale of double- and triple-crossing, multiple interests and high stakes. Subplots like Jack’s adventures with a cannibal tribe or scenes like a three-way sword fight on top of a spinning mill wheel are fun, but also rather irrelevant detours from the plot. In “At World’s End,” it’s the reverse. The narrative is fairly taut, with the majority of scenes having a direct bearing on the plot, but the plot itself is quite messy. Screenwriters Rossio and Elliott get lost in their ensemble of characters, none of whom really provides a focus for the plot to center itself on, and the plot developments are based on arbitrary fantasy. Where the universe of “Curse of the Black Pearl” seemed coherent, if supernatural, “At World’s End” uses magic like playwrights use Deus Ex Machinas. Anything goes, which makes the film like a mystery novel in the end. The evidence is so ambiguous that any of the suspects have equal chances of being guilty even after the detective makes his or her final pronouncement.
Case in point: Between rescuing Jack from “Davy Jones’ Locker” and trying to outmaneuver the sinister machinations of Lord Beckett, a key subplot involves Davy Jones himself and the love that broke his heart. Another subplot involves a gathering of pirate lords from around the world, ostensibly for a final showdown with the forces at Beckett’s command. Despite the fact that these two subplots ultimately fizzle in the grand finale, the subplots actually serve a real purpose in the grander scheme of the movies. The gathering of pirates is rather logical given the East India Trading Co.’s plot to destroy all pirates everywhere. The tragedy of Davy Jones’ romance serves as a counterpoint to Will (Bloom) and Elizabeth’s (Knightley) true love. Nonetheless, when considering that the thread that links these plots together seemingly comes from nowhere, the excess of random fantasy makes the whole plot implode. If ever a film suffered from having too many ideas, “At World’s End” is it.
A Rousing Conclusion
However much “At World’s End” falls short of the brilliance of “Curse of the Black Pearl,” it’s still more unabashedly fun than a dozen “Matrix Revolutions” or “Star Wars” prequels. For one thing, it’s great to see Geoffrey Rush on the screen again as Captain Barbossa. While Johnny Depp’s Sparrow is as loveably roguish as ever, the role has become a tad familiar. Rush injects a much-needed dose of scenery-chewing, with the added bonus that for all of Barbossa’s cartoonish piratey goodness, he still manages to serve as a relatively straight foil for the strange-as-ever Sparrow. Then there are little things like Keith Richards’ fabled cameo as Sparrow’s daddy, which is every bit as amusing as one would expect. Lastly, to Rossio and Elliott’s credit, they do manage to offer a very unexpected resolution to the issue of Will and Elizabeth’s interrupted wedding, along with a few other genuine and satisfying surprises. It’s a shame that Keira Knightley is the weakest link, especially when used to subject us to a cringe-worthy pep-talk (among other things). But that’s really a quibble in a film that is otherwise relentlessly captivating. All in all, "At World’s End" is a rousing, satisfying finale…or is it really the end?
Technical Quality: * (out of two)
Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End. Directed by Gore Verbinski. Written by Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott. Starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and Bill Nighy. 168 minutes. Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images.