I think far too much about how over-hated this movie is.
I honestly could write a 20-page essay on why this film is perfect, spectacular, and an incredible conclusion to an already phenomenal trilogy-and why I would give it an 11/10 if I could. But I will do my best to keep it brief.
This film is the definition of epic. It is long, visually impressive, with a formidable cast of characters, complex themes, and an incredibly satisfying finale to a powerful story.
I understand that that's not what everyone wants from their action movies. But I truly feel that if everyone took the time and the brainpower to sit down and digest the Pirates of the Caribbean original trilogy as a whole, as a cohesive story, they would see how much of a masterpiece "At World's End" is.
For starters, I am in love with the sense of mysticism and magic that inhabits the world of these movies. I think this point is really driven home by "At World's End"-the fact that we see that the world is flat in this movie makes this apparent. It makes it clear that beyond just the magic present in the first two films, we are truly in a fantasy world: a fantasy world that is based on the wildest imaginings, the dreams and nightmares of centuries long-gone. If anything, I feel this really contextualizes the series as a whole: it is not just a depiction of the world in the past with magic integrated, but it is truly a fantasy realm.
Equally brilliant are the two parallel love stories of Calypso and Davy Jones, and Will and Elizabeth. With Jones and Calypso, again, there is truly such a sense of beauty and mysticism: a simple man, a pirate, who fell in love with a sea goddess. Their relationship was beautiful, yet tumultuous and conflicted, and thus it spiraled out of control and threw the whole earth out of balance. Meanwhile, Will and Elizabeth, who after going through so much have their trust and commitment to each other wavering. They are under threat of becoming like Jones and Calypso: jaded, tempestuous, and destructive. And yet, by the end, they choose duty, love, and the noble path.
This speaks to a larger theme in this movie that I absolutely adore as well: the moral ambiguity and confusion. Each character, with their conflicting agendas and motivations, cannot really be said to be heroes all the time. Yet I find that, by the end, each protagonist is ultimately a genuinely good person, and they vindicate themselves. Ultimately, I find myself deeply satisfied by the conclusion of each character arc (particularly Will and Elizabeth.)
And, as I've said in my reviews of the previous films, this movie is honestly so thematically rich and smarter than people give it credit for. The authoritarian, colonialist British are seeking to control and crush the only people that are standing up against them: the pirates. I didn't realize it until rewatching this film recently, but the pirates of the Brethren Court, as well as many pirates we see throughout the series, are extremely diverse. Although they have their differences, and many of them do conflict with each other, they have a code, and band together to stand up against the oppressive, imperialistic monarchical forces of the British empire.
The pirates are democratic. They are comrades in arms. And they are free.
This is truly this centerpiece of why I adore this movie with every fiber of my being and find it to be so liberating. It really is, at its core, about doing the right thing, which is not always within the bounds of the law. Even though the characters are bogged down by so much crazy stuff happening, betrayals, and plots, they ultimately end up being good and noble people, regardless of how "respectable" society may view them.
Beyond the more brain-y, thematic stuff about this movie, there is so much more about it to love.
For one thing, Elizabeth's character arc. She goes from being this pampered Victorian governor's daughter to the KING OF THE PIRATES????? You're joking. That's so cool.
Additionally, the bleaker, more serious tone. While many people have criticized this, it's one of my favorite parts of the film. From the opening scene, it is abundantly clear that this is not going to be a typical fun, brainless action film: there are high stakes, there is darkness, and that makes the resolution all the more satisfying. It may be the darkest film Disney has ever made.
The action in this film is just spectacular. The final battle-pirate ships swirling around a whirlpool while all hell breaks loose-has to be one of my favorite movie final battles ever. It's so appropriately epic, badass, and utterly insane.
And to cap it all off, this movie has got to have some of the most satisfying villain deaths in any movie ever made. Seriously, what's not to love?
I seriously could go on and on, analyzing every scene, every single shot, to show why this is one of my favorite movies maybe ever. And I've watched a hell of a lot of movies. But overall, I think this movie is deeply underrated and deserves some respect.
"At World's End" is phenomenal. It is monumental. It is both high cinema and monstrously entertaining. It is perfection.
I honestly could write a 20-page essay on why this film is perfect, spectacular, and an incredible conclusion to an already phenomenal trilogy-and why I would give it an 11/10 if I could. But I will do my best to keep it brief.
This film is the definition of epic. It is long, visually impressive, with a formidable cast of characters, complex themes, and an incredibly satisfying finale to a powerful story.
I understand that that's not what everyone wants from their action movies. But I truly feel that if everyone took the time and the brainpower to sit down and digest the Pirates of the Caribbean original trilogy as a whole, as a cohesive story, they would see how much of a masterpiece "At World's End" is.
For starters, I am in love with the sense of mysticism and magic that inhabits the world of these movies. I think this point is really driven home by "At World's End"-the fact that we see that the world is flat in this movie makes this apparent. It makes it clear that beyond just the magic present in the first two films, we are truly in a fantasy world: a fantasy world that is based on the wildest imaginings, the dreams and nightmares of centuries long-gone. If anything, I feel this really contextualizes the series as a whole: it is not just a depiction of the world in the past with magic integrated, but it is truly a fantasy realm.
Equally brilliant are the two parallel love stories of Calypso and Davy Jones, and Will and Elizabeth. With Jones and Calypso, again, there is truly such a sense of beauty and mysticism: a simple man, a pirate, who fell in love with a sea goddess. Their relationship was beautiful, yet tumultuous and conflicted, and thus it spiraled out of control and threw the whole earth out of balance. Meanwhile, Will and Elizabeth, who after going through so much have their trust and commitment to each other wavering. They are under threat of becoming like Jones and Calypso: jaded, tempestuous, and destructive. And yet, by the end, they choose duty, love, and the noble path.
This speaks to a larger theme in this movie that I absolutely adore as well: the moral ambiguity and confusion. Each character, with their conflicting agendas and motivations, cannot really be said to be heroes all the time. Yet I find that, by the end, each protagonist is ultimately a genuinely good person, and they vindicate themselves. Ultimately, I find myself deeply satisfied by the conclusion of each character arc (particularly Will and Elizabeth.)
And, as I've said in my reviews of the previous films, this movie is honestly so thematically rich and smarter than people give it credit for. The authoritarian, colonialist British are seeking to control and crush the only people that are standing up against them: the pirates. I didn't realize it until rewatching this film recently, but the pirates of the Brethren Court, as well as many pirates we see throughout the series, are extremely diverse. Although they have their differences, and many of them do conflict with each other, they have a code, and band together to stand up against the oppressive, imperialistic monarchical forces of the British empire.
The pirates are democratic. They are comrades in arms. And they are free.
This is truly this centerpiece of why I adore this movie with every fiber of my being and find it to be so liberating. It really is, at its core, about doing the right thing, which is not always within the bounds of the law. Even though the characters are bogged down by so much crazy stuff happening, betrayals, and plots, they ultimately end up being good and noble people, regardless of how "respectable" society may view them.
Beyond the more brain-y, thematic stuff about this movie, there is so much more about it to love.
For one thing, Elizabeth's character arc. She goes from being this pampered Victorian governor's daughter to the KING OF THE PIRATES????? You're joking. That's so cool.
Additionally, the bleaker, more serious tone. While many people have criticized this, it's one of my favorite parts of the film. From the opening scene, it is abundantly clear that this is not going to be a typical fun, brainless action film: there are high stakes, there is darkness, and that makes the resolution all the more satisfying. It may be the darkest film Disney has ever made.
The action in this film is just spectacular. The final battle-pirate ships swirling around a whirlpool while all hell breaks loose-has to be one of my favorite movie final battles ever. It's so appropriately epic, badass, and utterly insane.
And to cap it all off, this movie has got to have some of the most satisfying villain deaths in any movie ever made. Seriously, what's not to love?
I seriously could go on and on, analyzing every scene, every single shot, to show why this is one of my favorite movies maybe ever. And I've watched a hell of a lot of movies. But overall, I think this movie is deeply underrated and deserves some respect.
"At World's End" is phenomenal. It is monumental. It is both high cinema and monstrously entertaining. It is perfection.