Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

release year: 2007
genre: pirate action/adventure
viewing setting: home streaming 5/18/22

synopsis: Past heroes and adversaries band together to bring back Jack Sparrow and unite the pirates to fight the government.

impressions: This was the biggest and most ambitious one yet. There's a voyage to the land of the dead (which makes little sense, mainly how they find Jack and escape) and then all the pirates are gathered together in (hopefully) common cause. The plot here got confusing - there were so many betrayals and plans and counter-plans than I couldn;'t follow it anymore. But it delivers in the action/spectacle department, the main piece being the long, drawn-out battle between two ships as they circle a gigantic whirlpool. Fun stuff.

acting: Johnny Depp is back as someone who nobody should really ever trust. Kiera Knightley really expands her role here, taking a leadership position amongst the pirates. Orlando Bloom's Will seems to be getting more like Jack's character. Geoffrey Rush and Bill Nighy are back as other captains, Tom Hollander is back as the East India Trading Company bad guy, and really all the old characters return here.I have been remiss in mentioning the great acting/role of Kevin McNally as Gibbs, the first mate who does a lot of explanation and exposition in fine pirate form. He's really central to everything. Keith Richards appears briefly as a pirate lord and Jack's father.

final word: A fitting end to an odd but action/packed trilogy of pirate mayhem.

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