Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End (2-Disc Limited Edition)
Buena Vista Home Entertainment
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At World's End , the third installment in the Pirates franchise opens with a rather morbid scene—gaggles of people at the gallows with no trial, courtesy of Lord Beckett and the East India Trading Company. Their crime? Association with pirates. With an opening like that, the only place to go is up. Enter exotic Singapore where Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) is brought before the Chinese pirate lord Sao Feng (Chow Yun Fat) who has a map that can help rescue Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' locker, a surreal realm where multiple Jack Sparrows proliferate. Confused? That's just the beginning of too many subplots.

Davy Jones is the creepy tentacled captain of the Dutchman, the ghostly ship that ferries the dead to the underworld and is under Lord Beckett's control. At the same time, the Brethren Court, made up of pirate lords around the world, have convened to determine what to do with the sea goddess Calypso whom their predecessors bound to human form. The real action begins when they are ambushed by Beckett's men and must fight, or be the last of a dying breed of pirates. They, of course, choose the former, and the swashbuckling is bigger and badder than ever.

At World's End definitely has its funny moments thanks to Depp's swagger. The first half hour or so is a series of "huh?" and a total drag. But stay awake long enough and you're in for a rrrrockin' good time.

The plot is convoluted—too many subplots is not a good thing. If you haven't seen it, be prepared for betrayal, unlikely alliances and supernatural forces to interplay. Dashes of love between Elizabeth and Will (Orlando Bloom) drive the story forward as well as backwards in some instances. Huge Johnny Depp fans will be pleased to see multiple Jack Sparrows and Depp is always a breath of fresh air. A cameo by Keith Richards as Jack Sparrow's rock n' roll pirate father steals the movie.

Video: How's it look?
Widescreen (2.35:1) Enhanced for 16x9 televisions (Larger than life action sequence and innovative special effects are best viewed on a big-screen.)

Audio: How's it sound?
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound (Turn it up. The orchestral soundtrack heightens the action to an epic level.) Spanish Language Track. Spanish Subtitles

Extras: What additional goodies are included?

• There are extras galore in this two disc limited edition. Well produced, loaded with information and entertaining, the bonus features make apparent the labour, research and passion that went into making At World's End.
• Keith & the Captain: On Set with Johnny Depp and the RockLegend (5 minute featurette; interviews with Johnny Depp and Keith Richards on whom Jack Sparrow is partly based upon.)
• Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom (10 minutes of staggering statistics interspersed with interviews with Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Gore Verbinski, writers, etc.)
• The Tale of Many Jacks (For hardcore Johnny Depp fans, featuring Depp, Depp and more Depp. Mmmmm.)
• Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by director Gore Verbinski (There are just two deleted scenes which would explain the bloated running time. Viewing with commentary is recommended.)
• The World of Chow Yun-Fat (Interview clips with Chow Yun Fat that reveal his inner goofball.)
• The Pirate Maestro: the music of Hans Zimmer (Meet the humble man behind the music. Learn about different musical themes, Zimmer's relationship with director Gore Verbinski, and how to keep it simple.)
• Masters of Design – Creating the Pirates' World (5 minute profiles of various production staff including: production designer, costume designer and property master.)
• Inside the Brethren Court (Interactive menu that gives the back story behind each pirate lord's nine pieces of eight.)
• Hoist the Colours—the story behind the song (The mythology behind pirates; the story behind the original song written by Hans Zimmer and Gore Verbinski; what the lyrics mean.)

Closing Thoughts
The film is epic in scope and duration. Fans should enjoy this bon voyage, especially after the disappointing second installment; however, it would have been stronger with a shorter running time. Kids will likely enjoy the climactic fight scene, but not much else. As for the rest of us, the open-ended ending is both a promise and an annoyance depending on who you're talking to.


Review brought to you by our friend Anh. Anh Chu is a writer, preditor (tv speak for producer/editor) and not actually a bodily function like her name implies. You can reach her at choochoochoo@hotmail.com.