Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End
also known as “Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End,” “Pirates of the Caribbean 3,” “P.O.T.C. 3,” “Pirates 3,” “A Karib-tenger kalózai: A világ végén,” See all »
MPA Rating:
for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images.
for intense sequences of action/adventure violence and some frightening images.
Reviewed by: Sheri McMurray
CONTRIBUTOR
| Moral Rating: | Offensive |
| Moviemaking Quality: |
|
| Primary Audience: | Teens Adults |
| Genre: | Action Adventure Fantasy Sequel |
| Length: | 2 hr. 48 min. |
| Year of Release: | 2007 |
| USA Release: |
May 25, 2007 (wide) |
Relevant Issues
| Featuring |
Johnny Depp … Jack Sparrow Geoffrey Rush … Captain Hector Barbossa Orlando Bloom … Will Turner Keira Knightley … Elizabeth Swann Jack Davenport … Norrington Bill Nighy … Davy Jones Jonathan Pryce … Governor Weatherby Swann Lee Arenberg … Pintel Mackenzie Crook … Ragetti Kevin McNally (Kevin R. McNally) … Gibbs David Bailie … Cotton Stellan Skarsgård (Stellan Skarsgard) … Bootstrap Bill Tom Hollander … Cutler Beckett Naomie Harris … Tia Dalma Martin Klebba … Marty David Schofield … Mercer See all » |
| Director |
Gore Verbinski |
| Producer |
Jerry Bruckheimer Jerry Bruckheimer Films See all » |
| Distributor |
“When you are at the end of your rope, God is there to catch you—but not before.” —Pastor Erwin W. Lutzer
Ahoy, Mates… Pirates beware!
The East India Trading Company, headed by the dastardly Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) has united with Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) and the barnacled crew of The Flying Dutchman to wipe out all pirates everywhere forever.
In this third and just as lavish installment of the wildly popular “Pirates Of The Caribbean” series, our familiar characters Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), and Gibbs (Kevin R. McNally) team up with the mysterious Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) and the dread Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) along with some new nasties like Singapore pirate Captain Sao Feng (Yun-Fat Chow) to retrieve Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from the clutches of The Kraken in a barren, forsaken place known to all Pirates as World’s End.
First off, I want to remind everyone that this is a movie based, after all, on a theme park ride, not a story that has anything remotely comparable with real life, and pirate legend which also has absolutely no sea legs in the real world. So there are no rules and no reason why Captain Jack can’t be fetched from the grim land he now inhabits, and Captain Barbossa is now back in the land of the living. In the mythical world of POTC a crisis threatens all pirates, so Jack’s compadres decide he must be rescued so they all can convene the Court of Brothers, the nine highest ranking pirates in the world, at Ship Wreck Cove and ultimately sail the Black Pearl against The Flying Dutchman to salty victory.
Swirling around the ever present love between Elizabeth and Will Turner is the chaos which ensues encompassing all these characters because of the double and triple crossing common between all pirates. The story hinges solidly upon three things: true love and friendships, Will’s need to save his long lost father Boot Strap Bill Turner (Stellan Skarsgård) which in turn includes saving all pirates from extinction, and the continuing conflict between good and evil.
In accord with the express wishes of Disney Studios that reviewers not let too much of the story line of “Pirates of The Caribbean: At World’s End” be told, I will keep all spoilers to myself so as not to ruin the movie goer’s experience. I will say that all loose ends from the previous two movies are creatively tied up. You decide if this is truly the final chapter.
After seeing notes from other reviewers who had the fortune (or misfortune, depending on their taste for all things pirate) to see the previewing of this third installment, the grades are either A or F and not much in between. So surmise it to say, you’ll either love it or hate it. I doubt I will find many neutral comments on this page. And more than likely many negatives because of the pirate image based in superstition alone, but bear in mind—this is Disney make-believe.
I for one, grew up in and around Disneyland in southern California, and never missed a chance to wait in line, sometimes over an hour, to shiver my timbers on the best ride Disney has to offer. I am a true fan, not unlike those of Star Trek, who keep up with the story line of POTC and each character’s persona with a delight even the most die hard Trekkers would commend. But, even though I enjoy these Disney films, a BIG viewer beware warning is advised here for all Christians and especially Christian parents.
Disney has seen fit to give “Pirates of The Caribbean: At World’s End” a PG-13 rating, which is extremely appropriate: this means no one under 13 years of age! Anyone under 13 will not understand much of the disturbing images of gore, violence that seems realistic, intense sequences of action/adventure, grisly macabre comedy, and some characters injured or impaled (surprisingly not much blood), some killed using some very frightening graphic images. Those of particular note are: two pirates who clash, and one is shot in the head, sexual innuendo, though light, is a part of pirate fancy, pirates are hanged in the beginning, including a boy (although not shown on screen, the implication is undeniable), and a scene where Davy Jones uses his slithery tentacles to gruesomely kill an opponent in order to retrieve the key everyone seems to be after.
And as the ride so states: …‘tis not for the faint of heart…
As a Christian, I would so like to say that this POTC has lots of redeeming qualities, but alas I cannot. Most Christians will stay away because of the pirate myth images, although not meant in any way as fact, they are indeed part of the pirate story, and the script would not be much without it. Some will not tolerate the mystic sea goddess Calypso, or the conjuring the misled pirates try to perform to get her to go back to the sea, the land of the dead, the idea of pirates being able to retrieve a lost soul (Jack and Captain Barbossa along with Will’s father, Boot Strap Bill), not to mention the beating heart within Davy Jones’ locker—ick!
There are macabre and gross-out images. Characters use some salty pirate language, but there is no profanity, and being pirates, they drink rum. There are some mildly ribald comments and some kisses. A great credit of the movie is the portrayal of the strength of true love and the use of many diverse minority characters endorsing the ability for them to eventually come together for the greater good of all. It is also worth noting that this film’s language is slightly less briny than its predecessors, and that it is subtly but clearly shown that the main characters wait until they are married to do anything more than kiss.
Christian families who see this movie should talk about the issues of trust and betrayal. Go to the Bible and discuss David and Saul and their relationship. They might also want to talk about how the filmmakers made the pirates the good guys by making the people on the other side even worse. Is the outside image what’s important, or is it the condition of a man’s heart? What does God see?
When it comes to the final hour, Pirates 3 delivers the utmost in excitement. The last 60 minutes offer adventure as rousing as anything provided in either of the previous two films, with the most explosive CGI effects—absolutely eye popping. Other than “Titanic” and “Saving Private Ryan,” this is the only movie more than two hours I have sat through and was totally entertained to the end, although thar might be some mates who disagree… argh!
I am reminded of a story told by the inspiring speaker Max Lucado about a man on an African safari deep in the Jungle. The guide in this story is much like the character of Jack Sparrow in POTC, he does a lot of stuff everyone around him thinks is crazy, but in the end it turns out he knew what he was doing all along.
The Lucado story goes like this:
The guide before the man had a machete and was whacking away the tall weeds and thick underbrush. The traveler, wearied and hot, asked in frustration, “Where are we? Do you know where you are taking me? Where is the path?!” The seasoned guide stopped and looked back at the man and replied, “I am the path.”
We ask the same questions, don’t we? We ask God, “Where are you taking me? Where is the path?” And He, like the guide, doesn’t tell us. Oh, He may give us a hint or two, but that’s all. If He did, would we understand? Would we comprehend our location? No, like the traveler, we are unacquainted with this jungle. So rather than give us an answer, Jesus gives us a far greater gift. He gives us Himself.
Does he remove the jungle? No, the vegetation is still thick.
Does he purge the predators? No, danger still lurks.
Jesus doesn’t give hope by changing the jungle; He restores our hope by giving us Himself. And He has promised to stay until the very end. “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt. 28:20 NIV).
We need that reminder. Every single one of us needs that reminder. For all of us need hope. We know we are not equipped—we all want someone to lead us out.
As in most all myths and fairytales there is a boy and girl, Prince and Princess, or a central character like Peter in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe or Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz” who longs to go home, capture a lover’s heart, secure the bond of marriage or save a trusted friend. The concept of longing as the signature quest of hero and heroine in children’s literature, or myth for that matter, is also a parallel with childhood and young adulthood. Love, salvation and virtue are all themes we relate to, especially as we pass from childhood into the adult world.
It wasn’t until C. S. Lewis converted to Christianity that he eventually realized what he’d been longing for: God. Not the treasures of the pirate world, not even the loves or spirits of fantasy worlds, but the God of the Bible—a real, living Being in whom we can have life forever.
The struggle between good and evil that twists and turns throughout all fantasy and “The Pirates of The Caribbean” films, too, is a spiritual one we all associate with, because first and foremost, before we consider ourselves physical beings we are spiritual beings. The spiritual side is one many people choose to disallow and ignore, but never the less it is there because God made us that way from the beginning. This is the side that longs for a king, for the happy ending, for truth and for love to win in the end. I can’t help but think of “The Lord of The Rings” and how violent and at times gruesome it was, but that is the nature of evil, and in the spiritual realms outside our conception and dimension, evil does most defiantly exist.
No matter how the story is told—a Lion king named Aslan, Oz of the Emerald City or a rouge pirate with a secret heart bent towards true love and friendship underneath his rough tattooed exterior, we enjoy these stories because we are all looking and longing to meet the True King in the end. Fantasies allow us to ride with the hero, bind evil for good, and indulge in the happy ending. Our spirits long for this, and if we have met Jesus we are knowing, even if it be subconsciously, that the true happy ending is ours forever more.
With our own friends, part of our role is to help them understand that their longing comes from an inborn desire to know the King of the universe. And, whether it be like the Beavers with Peter, or Captain Jack making it possible for Elizabeth and Will to have their own private island, we are to tell our friends about The King—that His return is at hand, know it or not, His love surrounds us, that He is on the move even now. Our rescue is imminent.
There are many times we are at our own world’s end. Despair, hardships and day to day stress is at our ship’s bow. We are ready to walk the plank. Let’s always remember:
Above all, God is The King. Not Jack Sparrow or the Wizard of Oz or any human being, be he real or fantasy.
No one can save you but God. God is the only one who can catch you.
There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. … —Deuteronomy 33:26-27 NLT excerpt
Violence: Moderate / Profanity: None / Sex/Nudity: Minor
Q & A
What is the sovereignty of God?
the fear of the Lord— What is it? Why is it very important? Answer
Discover the good news that Jesus Christ offers
Why is the world the way it is? If God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and loving, would He really create a world like this? (filled with oppression, suffering, death and cruelty) Answer
See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.
Positive
Positive—Wow! First of all just a flat out amazing movie. This movie was very funny, much like the first, and had great action. It didn’t have any dumb stuff in it like the second movie, when Jack Sparrow was cracking jokes on a wheel for an hour. This actually had a good plot and summary. Well done. I have high expectations for a fourth, if there is a fourth, because this one was so good.
Average / 4½
Average / 4½
Matt, age 39
Positive—I saw the first POTC and thought it was OK. I watched the second and was intrigued. I saw the third tonight in theatres and LOVED it! Now I can’t wait for number 4—and I AM pretty certain there will be one. Violence was pervasive, but none of it bloody and gory. I did react in disgust when the china man broke his frozen toe off. I was surprised to see young children around 6-12 in the theatre. They were accompanied by their parents, but I wondered how many of them would not understand the plot, and/or be negatively affected by the images of violence and the goddess Calypso.
Overall, I think this film was absolutely amazing. Amazing in terms of acting, in terms of dialogue, in terms of special effects, and in terms of humor. I at this point do not remember who composed the musical score, but there were times I leaned back in my theatre seat, closed my eyes, and just listened to the music. I loved the soundtrack of all the POTC movies, and I certainly believe that this one deserves a nomination if not a win at the Oscars for Best Musical Score.
It amazes me how such a violent (hey, they’re pirates…) movie which involves betrayals, drinking, “fishmen,” and other serious elements can incorporate so much hilarious humor… and effectively too! I mean, seriously… how can you beat Jack Sparrow’s opening onscreen moment—a close up of his nose! There are countless examples of great humor, and overall in this movie I walked away very satisfied. I can say with certainty that this is the best $6 I have spent in a long time!
Better than Average / 5
Overall, I think this film was absolutely amazing. Amazing in terms of acting, in terms of dialogue, in terms of special effects, and in terms of humor. I at this point do not remember who composed the musical score, but there were times I leaned back in my theatre seat, closed my eyes, and just listened to the music. I loved the soundtrack of all the POTC movies, and I certainly believe that this one deserves a nomination if not a win at the Oscars for Best Musical Score.
It amazes me how such a violent (hey, they’re pirates…) movie which involves betrayals, drinking, “fishmen,” and other serious elements can incorporate so much hilarious humor… and effectively too! I mean, seriously… how can you beat Jack Sparrow’s opening onscreen moment—a close up of his nose! There are countless examples of great humor, and overall in this movie I walked away very satisfied. I can say with certainty that this is the best $6 I have spent in a long time!
Better than Average / 5
Carina, age 21
Positive—I absolutely hated the last “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, and I had such low expectations for this one. However, much to my surprise this one was absolutely awesome. It is equal to the first, if not better. If you are a fan of the first, and thought the second one was boring or dumb, then you will absolutely love this one.
What made the first one so great, was that you had a relatively serious pirate movie, with side humor to keep the movie going. However, what destroyed the second movie, was that they had a totally pathetic comedy, filled with some serious moments to try and keep the movie going. Jack Sparrow was a hero in the first and a total jerk in the second. However, this time around, we have an all out violent pirate movie, filled with a great storyline, wonderful acting, amazing special effects and a romantic subplot. Yes, everything you would want in a classic pirate movie.
What many of you might be surprised about, is the fact that the real story is not about Jack Sparrow, but about “everyone.” The second time around, they tried so hard to capitalize on the drunken persona of Sparrow that you got bored. However, this time around, Jack is actually coherent and the rest of the cast carry the movie. Each character playing a key role in the movie, and each character fully developed.
Some might think that the whopping 3 hour movie length is too long. I would agree if they did what they did to the last movie, and made it 3 hours of boredom. But if you have a movie filled with great storyline, action and romance, then 3 hours seems like nothing. In fact, one of the greatest parts of this movie is that you have an ending battle scene that is almost one hour.
Another added bonus to this movie, is that you are not inundated with all of these dumb sea monsters this time. The second one was so boring because we kept seeing sea enemies run, around and it just made for a completely fake-looking movie. Like the first, this time they are fighting other pirates or the British for the majority of the movie. The sea creatures are just a minor subplot to the movie.
Storyline: The team that united at the end of the second, must bond together to save Jack Sparrow who has died and is now living in a place that many might consider “Purgatory or Hell.” They must cross the treacherous waters and reach the end of the world in order to do so. After Jack is saved, they must unite all of the 9 Pirate Captains and fight the evil British army who is trying to wipe all of the pirates off them map, while at the same time take out Davey Jones who also has united with the British. Meanwhile we will see what happens to Elizabeth Swan and Will Turner, we will find out what happens to Will Turner’s father, you will find out what happens with Jack and Elizabeth, and every other question is unfolded perfectly.
Warning to Parents:
Language: None
Dirty Jokes: 2 very mild one, but I do not think that your kids will get them.
Violence: There was a ton of pirate violence, complete with blood, and sword fighting. Some of the violence at times got brutal, so I would not recommend this movie for 5 and under. I went with a group of people and the 7 year old was fine. He loved this movie…
Better than Average / 4½
What made the first one so great, was that you had a relatively serious pirate movie, with side humor to keep the movie going. However, what destroyed the second movie, was that they had a totally pathetic comedy, filled with some serious moments to try and keep the movie going. Jack Sparrow was a hero in the first and a total jerk in the second. However, this time around, we have an all out violent pirate movie, filled with a great storyline, wonderful acting, amazing special effects and a romantic subplot. Yes, everything you would want in a classic pirate movie.
What many of you might be surprised about, is the fact that the real story is not about Jack Sparrow, but about “everyone.” The second time around, they tried so hard to capitalize on the drunken persona of Sparrow that you got bored. However, this time around, Jack is actually coherent and the rest of the cast carry the movie. Each character playing a key role in the movie, and each character fully developed.
Some might think that the whopping 3 hour movie length is too long. I would agree if they did what they did to the last movie, and made it 3 hours of boredom. But if you have a movie filled with great storyline, action and romance, then 3 hours seems like nothing. In fact, one of the greatest parts of this movie is that you have an ending battle scene that is almost one hour.
Another added bonus to this movie, is that you are not inundated with all of these dumb sea monsters this time. The second one was so boring because we kept seeing sea enemies run, around and it just made for a completely fake-looking movie. Like the first, this time they are fighting other pirates or the British for the majority of the movie. The sea creatures are just a minor subplot to the movie.
Storyline: The team that united at the end of the second, must bond together to save Jack Sparrow who has died and is now living in a place that many might consider “Purgatory or Hell.” They must cross the treacherous waters and reach the end of the world in order to do so. After Jack is saved, they must unite all of the 9 Pirate Captains and fight the evil British army who is trying to wipe all of the pirates off them map, while at the same time take out Davey Jones who also has united with the British. Meanwhile we will see what happens to Elizabeth Swan and Will Turner, we will find out what happens to Will Turner’s father, you will find out what happens with Jack and Elizabeth, and every other question is unfolded perfectly.
Warning to Parents:
Language: None
Dirty Jokes: 2 very mild one, but I do not think that your kids will get them.
Violence: There was a ton of pirate violence, complete with blood, and sword fighting. Some of the violence at times got brutal, so I would not recommend this movie for 5 and under. I went with a group of people and the 7 year old was fine. He loved this movie…
Better than Average / 4½
John Kehrli with Christian Hot Spot, age 33
Positive—…Coming out of the theater, I was totally speechless. After an excellent middle chapter, I didn’t think there was any way the filmmakers could top themselves. Boy, was I wrong! The special effects, acting, and cinematography were nothing short of amazing. As for the moral content, aside from the fact that the pirates were, for the most part, a bunch of lying, cheating, violent men, there was very little content that I found objectionable. I would recommend this film to anyone who has a sense of adventure and humor, as long as they don’t have children under the age of 5. If you fit these criteria, this is an excellent film.
Average / 5
Average / 5
Jared, age 26
Positive—Two words: LIGHTEN UP! As Christians, are we so afraid that something as ordinary as a film, song, or television program will lead us astray? How exactly does that work? I know I have never once watched or listened to something, only to find myself feeling as if the devil is tempting me. But then again, I am sane. I guess, to each their own… Now as for the movie:
POTC:AWE had a lot of moral implications. Take Elizabeth, and her guilt for her part in Jack’s death in the 2nd movie of this trilogy. She spent much of this movie focused on making good for her sins, and freeing Jack from Davy Jones' Locker. Even Jack, who is typically selfish and self centered, steps up at the end of the movie and puts others before himself. I’ve read that some people have issues with the humor in the film. …lighten up. If you are looking for offensive material, you can pretty much ensure that you will find it. Even in episodes of “7th Heaven” or “Touched By An Angel.” That says more about you than the material we are watching. I’d like to close by reminding everyone on this web site and everyone who reads the reviews on this web site that as Christians, we are not supposed to judge others. Enjoy a humorous movie once in a while. Not everything movie has to have satanic undertones or witchcraft subliminally imbedded into the tapestry of the film. Sometimes a funny movie is just a funny movie. Enjoy it.
Excellent! / 5
POTC:AWE had a lot of moral implications. Take Elizabeth, and her guilt for her part in Jack’s death in the 2nd movie of this trilogy. She spent much of this movie focused on making good for her sins, and freeing Jack from Davy Jones' Locker. Even Jack, who is typically selfish and self centered, steps up at the end of the movie and puts others before himself. I’ve read that some people have issues with the humor in the film. …lighten up. If you are looking for offensive material, you can pretty much ensure that you will find it. Even in episodes of “7th Heaven” or “Touched By An Angel.” That says more about you than the material we are watching. I’d like to close by reminding everyone on this web site and everyone who reads the reviews on this web site that as Christians, we are not supposed to judge others. Enjoy a humorous movie once in a while. Not everything movie has to have satanic undertones or witchcraft subliminally imbedded into the tapestry of the film. Sometimes a funny movie is just a funny movie. Enjoy it.
Excellent! / 5
Devon, age 29
Neutral
Neutral—In actuality, I do have mixed feelings about this movie. On the positive side, it was a very well done move and intertwined with the humor we came to love in the first movie. Aside from the few sexual innuendos, there was no sex displayed in the film. The language was relatively clean. Although a couple shots were gross,they were not gory. On the negative side, the movie ventured deeper into paganism. Somewhere around the middle of the movie, the light-heartedness of the film began to be replaced by the heaviness of the themes being played out. I would not recommend this movie for children, not as much for the few “traumatic” scenes so much as these heavy themes. On the bright side, themes of love, betrayal, forgiveness and sacrifice played out well throughout the movie, with lessons learned and the “good guys” in the end making the right choices, even at a price. P.S.— Stick around for the final scene after the credits.
Average / 5
Average / 5
Deanna Marquart, age 36
Neutral—If you saw the first two movies, you might as well see this third one. It lays the unresolved issues to rest, I think. It is very silly in a really gross and gory way. I must admit to turning my head during some moments of extreme violence. I wanted to see how the whole Pirate saga ends. It is a totally ridiculous movie—a fantasy if ever there was one. It is like a pirate fairy tale come to life, if there could be such a thing. I wonder how Johnny Depp will go on to play a role other than Jack Sparrow, but I believe he’s a good enough actor to shed this character and go on. Be sure to stay for all the credits because there is a tiny epilogue. I don’t know why it has to be at the end of such a lengthy list of credits—12 minutes someone said. Anyway, I hope this is the finale to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” story.
Extremely Offensive / 3½
Extremely Offensive / 3½
Halyna Barannik, age 61
Neutral—In my circle of friends lately a discussion has occurred quite frequently about what we should view for entertainment as Christians. Obviously verses like 'whatever is true, noble, right, pure… etc.' instantly come to mind. But what exactly does that mean? After all, if the Bible were to be made into a movie it would most likely be rated NC-17. Violence, war, adultery, sodomy, alcohol, murder, mysticism, witches, and absolute unlawfulness… these are quite prevalent themes throughout the Bible. What’s the difference? They are of course are handled tactfully and with the right world view. Of course no one questions if the Bible is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, etc. because in the Bible good is always good and evil is always evil and good is always better. This brings us to the next questions. Do all of our entertainment materials have to follow this? Is it OK to watch a movie that presents a non-biblical world view as long as we can look at it from a biblical standpoint and decide if we agree with it or not. Should we not watch movies like Life Is Beautiful since the father tells some white lies to his son in order to shield him from the harsh realities of a concentration camp? Or not read Les Miserables because the main character is running from the law?
All that to say that the moral ramifications of seeing “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” is a matter of how well you can distinguish between reality and fantasy. Yes, the movie does glamorize piracy; it does contain some mystical elements (however cheesy and unbelievable they may be); and can be rather gruesome at times. If you are able to watch this movie and see it as merely harmless entertainment, then go for it.
I give this movie a neutral rating mostly because I thought it wasn’t very well made. I must admit that it was interesting how they brought the story together and resolved the conflicts. I don’t think they really needed 2 hours and 45 minutes to do it though. If you take out all the cheesy parts that were not needed at all, you get a pretty decent hour and a half long film. Just as needless is the excuse in the first scene of the movie to have Keira Knightley sword fighting without any pants on (though nothing is shown). In conclusion, if you are a huge Pirates fan and are dying to see the movie, you have no problem weeding through some world views that don’t line up with your own, and don’t mind a little stylized violence, then go ahead and see it. Otherwise, just wait for the DVD.
Average / 3½
All that to say that the moral ramifications of seeing “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” is a matter of how well you can distinguish between reality and fantasy. Yes, the movie does glamorize piracy; it does contain some mystical elements (however cheesy and unbelievable they may be); and can be rather gruesome at times. If you are able to watch this movie and see it as merely harmless entertainment, then go for it.
I give this movie a neutral rating mostly because I thought it wasn’t very well made. I must admit that it was interesting how they brought the story together and resolved the conflicts. I don’t think they really needed 2 hours and 45 minutes to do it though. If you take out all the cheesy parts that were not needed at all, you get a pretty decent hour and a half long film. Just as needless is the excuse in the first scene of the movie to have Keira Knightley sword fighting without any pants on (though nothing is shown). In conclusion, if you are a huge Pirates fan and are dying to see the movie, you have no problem weeding through some world views that don’t line up with your own, and don’t mind a little stylized violence, then go ahead and see it. Otherwise, just wait for the DVD.
Average / 3½
Luke, age 19
Neutral—I had seen the previous two films, and I still say “Curse of the Black Pearl” is the best, but “At World’s End” definitely outdid “Dead Man’s Chest.” The plot is spotty and raises many questions at the end. It also leaves it wide open for a fourth film. Morally, the film is probably the best. There are scenes that do show prostitutes, but they are just kind of standing there fully dressed. There occupation merely because there manner of speaking is different or by the way a character addresses them. Christians may also be offended by the manner in which characters are brought back to life. Heaven and Hell are not shown as the only two places to go. It is said that sailors, or people who die at sea, are taken to Davy Jones locker, from where you can escape. There is exactly one cuss word the entire film.
The violence is intense, but not graphic or bloody. There are two scenes of an exposed heart and one of an exposed brain (being licked). There are a few other gross scenes in the film, most unnecessary. Some Christians may be offended by the use of magic in the film, and it is implied in one scene that a witch doctor used black magic to bring a character back from dead. The use of the sea goddess Calypso may be offensive to some, but she is shown more as joke, in my opinion. The pirates put stock in her power only to be hit by a wave of crabs. The characters are well developed, the acting is incredible, and the special effects are phenomenal. I found myself amazed by the swordplay in the film. The stunts are performed without any problems and the cinematography is the best out of the three. I recommend this film to hardcore “Pirate” fans and to those who love smooth special effects and stunt work.
Average / 4
The violence is intense, but not graphic or bloody. There are two scenes of an exposed heart and one of an exposed brain (being licked). There are a few other gross scenes in the film, most unnecessary. Some Christians may be offended by the use of magic in the film, and it is implied in one scene that a witch doctor used black magic to bring a character back from dead. The use of the sea goddess Calypso may be offensive to some, but she is shown more as joke, in my opinion. The pirates put stock in her power only to be hit by a wave of crabs. The characters are well developed, the acting is incredible, and the special effects are phenomenal. I found myself amazed by the swordplay in the film. The stunts are performed without any problems and the cinematography is the best out of the three. I recommend this film to hardcore “Pirate” fans and to those who love smooth special effects and stunt work.
Average / 4
Jacob Airey, age 18
Negative
Negative—I recently went to see this movie and was impressed with the effects, but when movie started it took a long time to get into. However, it was a good story and I was beginning to enjoy it very much. As it went along I began to realize I was cheering for a group of criminals and hoping that the “good guys” would lose. I think this is something we as christians have to ponder when we go to the movies. That is what I was left with as I left the theater.
Offensive / 4½
Offensive / 4½
Marjorie Neal, age 59
Negative—I have seen the first two and watched this third installment, I will not watch the fourth even if it is the only movie playing. For the rebels out there, they definitely identified with and enjoyed watching Hollywood’s version of noble pirates. The computer animation in the movie was good. The acting was good but the script was awkward and unbelievable except for the very youngest in the audience. Kids and some teenagers will probably like the movie, those older than that will think it is pretty stupid. The morality is basically opposite the Christian worldview, and nothing like Spiderman 3.
Offensive / 3
Offensive / 3
Gary Ford, age 40
Negative—This movie was extremely long, lacked any sort of a cohesive plot, and not very entertaining at all. The last hour or so was really torturous, and everyone in my family was wishing the movie would end. The violence in the movie was excessive, and even the humor was very limited. I enjoyed the first Pirates movie, thought the second was so-so, and this was a big step below both of those. I would not recommend this movie for anyone.
Offensive / 1
Offensive / 1
Scott, age 48
Negative—I found this movie offensive especially after the generally moral, entertaining first one. However, they have now filled it with needless and brutal violence which they make too light of and too much of. Also, there are several immoral innuendos and scenarios which dirty this film. This series began as a clean, cute flick; however, Satan is slowly and subtly increasing the filth in each sequel.
Offensive / 4
Offensive / 4
Caitlin, age 20
Negative—I really, really liked the first “Pirates” movie. But I thought that the second installment kind of went downhill with the voodoo stuff, which seemed totally unnecessary, and it only got worse the third time around. In the first movie, it was obvious that everything was mythical. In “At World’s End” this was not the case. In the third installment, there was just way too much strange “otherworldliness” for me to ignore, a lot of which seemed to go directly against God’s Word… there was a lot of talk about what happens after you die, and the movie seemed to take its ridiculous version far too seriously. It also seemed as if half the movie dealt with Calypso, a “goddess of the sea”—which it seemed to take very seriously as well; it appeared that the audience was supposed to think this was possible. It just took up too much of the plot for me to be able to ignore it. And some characters seemed to worship her, and they all thought that she had a great amount of power.
The first movie was thoroughly entertaining and thoroughly “piratey” without dragging or being very macabre. I cannot say the same for this one. I like a good fantasy movie as much as the next girl, but “Pirates” 3 just didn’t do it for me. Aside from the Christian moral issues, it kind of dragged a bit… and the plot was all over the place trying to tie everything up and they were still adding more to it. (You might not understand this if you haven’t seen the movie, but) there may have been a few too many Captain Jacks in this film. Sadly, even the original Captain Jack wasn’t quite as funny this time around (which was one of the things which made me like the first movie so much). The first time Jack thought he had company, it was funny. The second and third times, it was mildly annoying.
I thought it was helpful to point out that you need to be careful who you trust, which the movie did—but it’s sad when you can’t trust anybody, everyone you know shifts loyalties whenever it suits them, and you find that you’re on your own and have to bear enormous burdens without help, all of which were underlying themes for a lot of the movie. (In the end, some main characters learned to trust each other again, but it seemed that they went back and forth with this throughout all three movies, and it was hard to believe that they would really trust each other ever after at the end.)
Without giving too much away, I also felt that the ending was way too bittersweet. I thought, maybe this could have worked if they’d ended it that way in the first movie, but not after the audience had gotten so attached to the characters and was expecting something else. It was terribly unsatisfying. I thought that “Pirates” was supposed to be a trilogy, but I can’t imagine that the filmmakers really want to end the entire series the way that they ended this movie. So maybe there will be a fourth “Pirates” installment. And perhaps it will be as great as the first. (I can hope, can’t I?)
On the plus side, there were some great action sequences. (But they weren’t nearly as exciting as those in the first and second films.) And I definitely agree with Sheri McMurray in that it was nice to see some main characters holding off on getting too cozy until they were married, and that the lack of profanity and focus on love (although this was lost in everything else) were refreshing. In conclusion, I would concede that “At World’s End” had a couple of interesting moments and plots, two or three sweet moments, and a few redeeming qualities. But not nearly enough to convince me to overlook the fact that it embraced some pretty anti-Christian ideas. And overall, it was not impressive, entertaining, piratey, funny, or romantic enough for me to want to put it on my movie shelf. Save your money, folks, and watch the first one again.
Offensive / 5
The first movie was thoroughly entertaining and thoroughly “piratey” without dragging or being very macabre. I cannot say the same for this one. I like a good fantasy movie as much as the next girl, but “Pirates” 3 just didn’t do it for me. Aside from the Christian moral issues, it kind of dragged a bit… and the plot was all over the place trying to tie everything up and they were still adding more to it. (You might not understand this if you haven’t seen the movie, but) there may have been a few too many Captain Jacks in this film. Sadly, even the original Captain Jack wasn’t quite as funny this time around (which was one of the things which made me like the first movie so much). The first time Jack thought he had company, it was funny. The second and third times, it was mildly annoying.
I thought it was helpful to point out that you need to be careful who you trust, which the movie did—but it’s sad when you can’t trust anybody, everyone you know shifts loyalties whenever it suits them, and you find that you’re on your own and have to bear enormous burdens without help, all of which were underlying themes for a lot of the movie. (In the end, some main characters learned to trust each other again, but it seemed that they went back and forth with this throughout all three movies, and it was hard to believe that they would really trust each other ever after at the end.)
Without giving too much away, I also felt that the ending was way too bittersweet. I thought, maybe this could have worked if they’d ended it that way in the first movie, but not after the audience had gotten so attached to the characters and was expecting something else. It was terribly unsatisfying. I thought that “Pirates” was supposed to be a trilogy, but I can’t imagine that the filmmakers really want to end the entire series the way that they ended this movie. So maybe there will be a fourth “Pirates” installment. And perhaps it will be as great as the first. (I can hope, can’t I?)
On the plus side, there were some great action sequences. (But they weren’t nearly as exciting as those in the first and second films.) And I definitely agree with Sheri McMurray in that it was nice to see some main characters holding off on getting too cozy until they were married, and that the lack of profanity and focus on love (although this was lost in everything else) were refreshing. In conclusion, I would concede that “At World’s End” had a couple of interesting moments and plots, two or three sweet moments, and a few redeeming qualities. But not nearly enough to convince me to overlook the fact that it embraced some pretty anti-Christian ideas. And overall, it was not impressive, entertaining, piratey, funny, or romantic enough for me to want to put it on my movie shelf. Save your money, folks, and watch the first one again.
Offensive / 5
Jessica, age 23
Negative—First off, let me say the reason I’m writing in is because I noticed there were no negative comments on the movie, and I didn’t want anyone to be led astray by that fact. I see a couple of the positive reviews did mention some of the most objectionable parts, so I won’t re-mention them. I think the mythology should be mentioned, while I didn’t find it objectionable some might. Calypso, the Greek goddess of the sea is mentioned several times and plays an important role in the movie. There also are some sensuality in the movie.
This was a very “dark” movie, it is much more in line with the second installment than the first. The subject matter is pretty heavy. I found the violence excessive. There were countless explosions, stabbings, shootings, and deaths. Two of the deaths I found very disturbing, but I won’t give those away.
I found very little redemption in this last installment. The first is the best and I would advise that parents let there kids see that one and neither of the last two. There were 2 families with children under 6 at the theatre and not only did the children get bored and start crying and whining but the content was about 13 years too old for them.
Also the movie seemed about 30 minutes too long. If the writers had focused more on story and less on action(meaning death and gore), the extra time might have been warranted. The movie does suspend logic several times (I know that curses on Aztec gold in the first did require logic suspension) especially when it comes to Davy Jones locker and the Flying Dutchman.
I think many will be disappointed with the ending. I think it was supposed to be glorious or romantic, but I found it rather sad considering the long-term implications. If anyone does decide to go to the movie, stay after the credits for the 20-30 second extra. Its worth the wait and make the story a little sweeter, but it can’t redeem the movie. My recommendation is to not waste your money and your time on this movie. I went in the hopes that this would be much better than the last one. This was better, but not good enough.
Offensive / 4½
This was a very “dark” movie, it is much more in line with the second installment than the first. The subject matter is pretty heavy. I found the violence excessive. There were countless explosions, stabbings, shootings, and deaths. Two of the deaths I found very disturbing, but I won’t give those away.
I found very little redemption in this last installment. The first is the best and I would advise that parents let there kids see that one and neither of the last two. There were 2 families with children under 6 at the theatre and not only did the children get bored and start crying and whining but the content was about 13 years too old for them.
Also the movie seemed about 30 minutes too long. If the writers had focused more on story and less on action(meaning death and gore), the extra time might have been warranted. The movie does suspend logic several times (I know that curses on Aztec gold in the first did require logic suspension) especially when it comes to Davy Jones locker and the Flying Dutchman.
I think many will be disappointed with the ending. I think it was supposed to be glorious or romantic, but I found it rather sad considering the long-term implications. If anyone does decide to go to the movie, stay after the credits for the 20-30 second extra. Its worth the wait and make the story a little sweeter, but it can’t redeem the movie. My recommendation is to not waste your money and your time on this movie. I went in the hopes that this would be much better than the last one. This was better, but not good enough.
Offensive / 4½
Laura N., age 19
Negative—I don’t want to spoil the love-fest because I really wanted to give this film a positive rating, but alas, could not. You know it’s not working when you’re watching a movie and looking at your watch. Yes, 'POTC: At World’s End' provided lots of action, adventure, and eye candy. But, to me, it violated the number one rule of filmmaking: give us a character to really care about. I honestly did not care about any of the main characters (including Jack Sparrow). Johnny Depp, as always, does an outstanding job of entertaining, but even he couldn’t save this one. To make matters worse, at no time did I “feel the love” between Will and Elizabeth. The scene where they are being married while running through their opponents with swords… well, let’s just say that it looked like a scene that was “cute” on paper, but didn’t work in reality. It wasn’t cute, funny, or romantic… just in bad taste. Keira Knightly spent most of the movie looking angry at assorted characters (so much so that I wondered if she could do any other facial expressions). I would describe this movie as “interminably long.” There were MANY scenes that could have easily been deleted which would have moved the story forward more smoothly.
There were some witty quips and lots of great effects. I did enjoy the Keith Richards scenes and really admired the acting of Bill Nighy (Davy Jones), since most of his acting had to be done with his eyes and voice (a tough challenge). Unfortunately though, I have come to expect more from a good movie. I want a movie to have “heart.” For all of its bluster, effects, and adrenaline, 'POTC: At World’s End’s' worst offense was that it had no heart. No great morality tale told here, unless it’s that the liars and cheaters always survive. Finally, I want to say that I was a little surprised by the over-the-top violence. In the opening sequence, we see a lovely Asian woman shot in the forehead and it takes off from there. Many people are run through with swords, impaled, and dispatched by other violent means. What bothers me most is that there are always people who bring children younger than 13 into these movies (after all, it’s a DISNEY film, right, so it MUST be for kids)! There were two young boys sitting behind me who laughed every time someone was killed violently. I really don’t believe that children under 10 are able to process those disturbing images the way adults can; they don’t have the same frame of reference or brain development. I’m sure most people will see the film anyway, as they have already been “hooked” by the preceding two POTC films.
Offensive / 5
There were some witty quips and lots of great effects. I did enjoy the Keith Richards scenes and really admired the acting of Bill Nighy (Davy Jones), since most of his acting had to be done with his eyes and voice (a tough challenge). Unfortunately though, I have come to expect more from a good movie. I want a movie to have “heart.” For all of its bluster, effects, and adrenaline, 'POTC: At World’s End’s' worst offense was that it had no heart. No great morality tale told here, unless it’s that the liars and cheaters always survive. Finally, I want to say that I was a little surprised by the over-the-top violence. In the opening sequence, we see a lovely Asian woman shot in the forehead and it takes off from there. Many people are run through with swords, impaled, and dispatched by other violent means. What bothers me most is that there are always people who bring children younger than 13 into these movies (after all, it’s a DISNEY film, right, so it MUST be for kids)! There were two young boys sitting behind me who laughed every time someone was killed violently. I really don’t believe that children under 10 are able to process those disturbing images the way adults can; they don’t have the same frame of reference or brain development. I’m sure most people will see the film anyway, as they have already been “hooked” by the preceding two POTC films.
Offensive / 5
Dana, age 50
Negative—I found this movie senseless, disturbing, and an absolute waste of time. I loved the first POTC and have watched it several times. A good old-fashioned swashbuckler with perfect casting, good character-development and a great storyline, that was funny and very entertaining. But the 2nd one, and to an even greater extent this one, have none of those qualities. POTC: At World’s End is a very long, meandering, confusing quagmire of noise and special effects. Rather than character-development and a good plot, it’s nothing more than a vehicle for stars to make a lot of money by cavorting around with a lot of technical effects.
What was most disturbing to me, however, was the total lack of any kind of moral compass as well as an increasing absorption with things of the occult. The “bad guys” kept talking about 'it wasn’t personal, it was just good business' and I guess the “good guys” were touting a weird idea of freedom. The bowing down before Calypso in worship totally creeped me out. I really don’t understand what so many of the other commenters saw in the movie to make them characterize it as great—they really don’t mention specifics. I saw it in a packed theater and really there were a few chuckles but no clapping at the end or anything and really many comments about how confusing it was, with many people around us saying 'I don’t get it.' I agree.
Offensive / 3
What was most disturbing to me, however, was the total lack of any kind of moral compass as well as an increasing absorption with things of the occult. The “bad guys” kept talking about 'it wasn’t personal, it was just good business' and I guess the “good guys” were touting a weird idea of freedom. The bowing down before Calypso in worship totally creeped me out. I really don’t understand what so many of the other commenters saw in the movie to make them characterize it as great—they really don’t mention specifics. I saw it in a packed theater and really there were a few chuckles but no clapping at the end or anything and really many comments about how confusing it was, with many people around us saying 'I don’t get it.' I agree.
Offensive / 3
Cindy Veldman, age 56
Negative—Two words: ABSOLUTLEY RIDICULOUS. I went with ten of my friends from my youth group to see this movie and half way through we were all questioning each other about what did we just pay for. The violence was sick and disturbing; why would anyone want to see people getting shot in the head? The scenes with Jack Sparrow and his many clones felt almost like we were on drugs watching this movie, but we weren’t! That’s how weird it was. There was also an extensive amount of witchcraft in this movie. Calypso turning into a “monster” or whatever you want to call it… There were curses being said throughout the whole movie! And most of the time you couldn’t understand a word the chic was saying! It was annoying. Two of my friends fell asleep because it dragged on and on. I didn’t like any character in this movie like I did the first movie. Not Elisabeth, Will or even Jack Sparrow. Don’t waste your money or your time. We were so tired and disappointed that we didn’t even stick around for the part after the credits. We left right when it ended. I haven’t heard one good review from anyone in my church about this movie and doubt I will. …
Extremely Offensive / 3
Extremely Offensive / 3
Chante, age 18
Negative—…I have loved pirates one and two, but I was so disappointed at this film! There was so much wrong with it, where do I start? The humor was barely there. In fact, stupidity ran rampant throughout the film. I was so tired of looking at a blown up shot of Johnny Depp’s nose for several minutes. That wasn’t funny, it was stupid. What was most disturbing was the disregard for young viewers who aren’t mature enough to be discerning of inappropriate images. There was some blatant sexual innuendo that was totally unnecessary. Why would you teach young boys to look up girl’s skirts? Why would you teach any young kid to look up a sumo wrestler’s skirt? The scene at the end between Elizabeth and Will went too far, also. There were also some really uncomfortable scenes with Calypso that made fooling around with demonic things seem casual. Hey, that is never something to be taken lightly, in any capacity. I won’t waste any more of my time or yours, but now that you know the content of this disaster, it’s not worth three hours of your life.
Offensive / 2
Offensive / 2
Kim, age 28
Negative—There are so many things wrong with this film. The pretentious script, the awful camera setups, and the lazy editing contributed to an extreme snooze flick. The scene where Jack Sparrow is shown amongst hundreds of Jack Sparrows is reminiscent of a Sartre play, and did not fit within the genre of this movie—existentialism does not mix with “swashbuckling adventure.” The plot was far too confusing, and with words like “pirate brethren,” “Calypso,” and “pieces of eight” being thrown around, I felt like I was at a nerd convention. The first POTC was rather clean in terms of content, but the third one reaps with offensive material: occultism, implications of bestiality, and even an attempted rape scene. “At World’s End” fails in its primary purpose: entertainment. I would not recommend this movie to anyone.
Very Offensive / 2
Very Offensive / 2
Cornelius Christian, age 19
Comments from young people
Neutral—…one of my favorite movies of all time is “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” I saw “Dead Man’s Chest” on Opening Day with friends, and I enjoyed parts of it, but didn’t like it very much. I thought the producers pushed the “undead” and “supernatural” aspects a little too far. However, since the DVD has been released, the movie has grown on me, and I really like the sword fights and Kraken attacks. Ever since then I have been anxiously awaiting “At World’s End,” hoping it would redeem the second movie and provide an epic conclusion to the trilogy.
First, the positive aspects. The movie was hilarious, with funny lines and comical actions filling just about the entire movie! Special effects and action were awesome, and a very interesting storyline moved the movie along at a much faster pace than “Dead Man’s Chest.” Also, the score was great (I bought the soundtrack before the movie was even released), the acting flawless, and all-in-all I have to say I enjoyed “At World’s End” more than any other movie I have seen in the theater!
But the movie was, to say the least, not perfect. I didn’t think it was as creepy or gross as “Dead Man’s Chest,” but it was very violent and had a few gross parts. The first scene starts out with pirates getting hung (and people associated with pirates), and a young boy gets killed. Not a good way to start off the movie! I didn’t like the sea goddess aspect either; the scene where the pirates released Calypso from her human bonds was very creepy and bizarre. The whole story leaned too much on the supernatural. My biggest complaint, though, is that the ending was very sad and unsatisfying! Not at all what I expected. The scene after the credits resolved it a little bit, but I still didn’t like it. Also, I lost all respect for the main characters, because they kept betraying and double crossing each other; in fact, at some points I didn’t want to even like the characters. I would have to see the movie again to understand all the details; it was very confusing. When Will gets stabbed, though, and you see the expression on Jack’s face, you do realize that in the end, Jack did care about Will and Elizabeth, and vice-versa. That was a really good part.
Part of the movie was weird, because in real life the British were the good guys, and the Pirates were the bad guys. In the movie, though, everyone is rooting for the Pirates! To fix that, the screenplay writers made Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company greedy and evil, wanting the seas all to himself. So that makes it “justifiable”… but still it’s a little odd.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. The wedding scene was hilarious, and the battle scene exciting. I would recommend it to Pirates fans above age 14 who want to see how the trilogy ends. But overall, it just left you with an empty feeling. The “Curse of the Black Pearl” was a great swashbuckling adventure with a little supernatural twist to spice it up. That’s not what “At World’s End” (and “Dead Man’s Chest”) are. I’m sure this movie will grow on me over time like “Dead Man’s Chest” did, for after all it has some great parts. But it will never surpass the first movie.
Average / 4
First, the positive aspects. The movie was hilarious, with funny lines and comical actions filling just about the entire movie! Special effects and action were awesome, and a very interesting storyline moved the movie along at a much faster pace than “Dead Man’s Chest.” Also, the score was great (I bought the soundtrack before the movie was even released), the acting flawless, and all-in-all I have to say I enjoyed “At World’s End” more than any other movie I have seen in the theater!
But the movie was, to say the least, not perfect. I didn’t think it was as creepy or gross as “Dead Man’s Chest,” but it was very violent and had a few gross parts. The first scene starts out with pirates getting hung (and people associated with pirates), and a young boy gets killed. Not a good way to start off the movie! I didn’t like the sea goddess aspect either; the scene where the pirates released Calypso from her human bonds was very creepy and bizarre. The whole story leaned too much on the supernatural. My biggest complaint, though, is that the ending was very sad and unsatisfying! Not at all what I expected. The scene after the credits resolved it a little bit, but I still didn’t like it. Also, I lost all respect for the main characters, because they kept betraying and double crossing each other; in fact, at some points I didn’t want to even like the characters. I would have to see the movie again to understand all the details; it was very confusing. When Will gets stabbed, though, and you see the expression on Jack’s face, you do realize that in the end, Jack did care about Will and Elizabeth, and vice-versa. That was a really good part.
Part of the movie was weird, because in real life the British were the good guys, and the Pirates were the bad guys. In the movie, though, everyone is rooting for the Pirates! To fix that, the screenplay writers made Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company greedy and evil, wanting the seas all to himself. So that makes it “justifiable”… but still it’s a little odd.
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the movie. The wedding scene was hilarious, and the battle scene exciting. I would recommend it to Pirates fans above age 14 who want to see how the trilogy ends. But overall, it just left you with an empty feeling. The “Curse of the Black Pearl” was a great swashbuckling adventure with a little supernatural twist to spice it up. That’s not what “At World’s End” (and “Dead Man’s Chest”) are. I’m sure this movie will grow on me over time like “Dead Man’s Chest” did, for after all it has some great parts. But it will never surpass the first movie.
Average / 4
Michael Bashaw, age 16
Positive—I really liked this one. I have to admit that I didn’t expect it to be very good, because the second one was just silly. They tried too hard to be funny, and it ended up being corny. But the third one was excellent—not as good as the first, mind you, but it was very good. I recommend to all ages.
Excellent! / 4
Excellent! / 4
Emily, age 17
Positive—Definitely the best out of the trilogy! I was worried it would be an over hyped disappointment like Spiderman 3, so I was happily surprised. Be forewarned, it may be a bit confusing if you haven’t seen the second one several times. There’s quite a few plot twists. It’s also more violent than the first two movies, and much scarier for younger kids. I’d recommend it for at least twelve and up. If you liked the first two, you’ll definitely enjoy this one!
Average / 5
Average / 5
Linda, age 15
Positive—I loved this movie so much more than the some-what a disappointing 2nd one. I thought that the plot and subplots were amazing! The violence and some images were graphic but not too disgusting.The developing love story between Elizabeth and Will is a great addition without consuming the movie. What I loved most was that all the characters had equal importance in the movie and it was not dependant on one person. Overall, I think this was a great movie that everyone should go see. I plan on seeing this movie again in theaters which is something I rarely do.
Average / 5
Average / 5
Kaytee Clem, age 14
Positive—Every one said this movie was going to be really hard to follow but I actually understood everything. And it was like 1 in the morning. It was actually a lot better then I thought. There were some really weird scenes that I have no clue why they were in the movie, but there are only a few. There are some sad parts though! A couple times I wanted to cry. And in this one there is a lot of people dying… way more than usual. But other than those I mentioned, it was an awesome movie!!
Excellent! / 4½
Excellent! / 4½
Sarah, age 15
Positive—…I really liked the second POTC and so I had very high expectations for this POTC. It isn’t often that my expectations for a movie are exceeded, but this is one of the few that has. From the moral perspective, the movie is more good than bad. There are many great moral themes in this movie as there have been in the other two. Most of what could be considered morally evil ends up being used as props for setting up some good morality later on (just like it was in the other two). But just as it is with the other two, there is at least one thing that doesn’t fit into this category. In the first one, it was the whole concept of heathen gods putting a curse on the gold (though it wasn’t really voiced that much in the movie); in the second, it was the part of the movie which featured the voodoo priestess; in the third, there is a hint of paganism in the concept of the sea goddess Calypso and in the ridiculous ritual performed to free her from human form. None of these are really that big in their respective movies, but they are there and if parents want to take their kids to this, they may want to discuss this theme. This (and a little sexual content) is the only thing keeping it from being rated Good on the morality scale (so it is on the thin line between these two ratings). Themes of true love, loyalty, friendship, honor, redemption, sacrifice, and many others are seen throughout this movie. It is also shown that death isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you. Rather, eternally living with the shame of your sin (which is what Hell is), is the worst thing that could happen to you. As Sparrow’s father says, “The trick isn’t living forever, it’s living with yourself forever.” To go more in-depth in this department would give too much away.
From the moviemaking perspective, this is even better than Spider-Man 3. It is in an elite class of movies in this department (these are the kind of movies I would give 6 stars to). The action sequences are top-notch. The storyline has many twists and turns to make the movie suspenseful and interesting, yet easy to follow. The acting is as good as I’ve seen in almost any movie. Johnny Depp gives his usual excellent performance, but steps it up a notch or two here. Geoffrey Rush shows off his acting talents even better in this movie as his performance ranks second only to Depp’s. Keira Knightley is at her very best and Orlando Bloom is better, as well. Bill Nighy is, of course, terrific in his role as the evil Davy Jones. Even Yun-Fat Chow contributes greatly in his role as Sao Feng. The lesser characters from the other movies all do a good job and are more developed in this movie (sadly, two characters I like died kind of early). Though it retains a somewhat serious mood, this movie is funnier than the other two and there is a lot of light-heartedness to off-set the sad and very dramatic scenes of the movie. In this sense, it is more like the first movie than the second. Though there is much more to say, I’ll simply summarize that overall, this is the best of the trilogy (though not by a great margin).
Better than Average / 5
From the moviemaking perspective, this is even better than Spider-Man 3. It is in an elite class of movies in this department (these are the kind of movies I would give 6 stars to). The action sequences are top-notch. The storyline has many twists and turns to make the movie suspenseful and interesting, yet easy to follow. The acting is as good as I’ve seen in almost any movie. Johnny Depp gives his usual excellent performance, but steps it up a notch or two here. Geoffrey Rush shows off his acting talents even better in this movie as his performance ranks second only to Depp’s. Keira Knightley is at her very best and Orlando Bloom is better, as well. Bill Nighy is, of course, terrific in his role as the evil Davy Jones. Even Yun-Fat Chow contributes greatly in his role as Sao Feng. The lesser characters from the other movies all do a good job and are more developed in this movie (sadly, two characters I like died kind of early). Though it retains a somewhat serious mood, this movie is funnier than the other two and there is a lot of light-heartedness to off-set the sad and very dramatic scenes of the movie. In this sense, it is more like the first movie than the second. Though there is much more to say, I’ll simply summarize that overall, this is the best of the trilogy (though not by a great margin).
Better than Average / 5
Ross, age 17
Positive—I have loved all the pirate movies since “Curse of the Black Pearl.” This movie has everything in it and something extra. It raps up the famous series while still leaving topics open for another movie. My only complaints were Tia Dalma turning into Calypso, to me it was just cheap movie making. Yun-Fat Chow fans don’t get to see much of him. I wanted a good fight scene out of him ever since I heard he was in the third film. Now for the moral stuff. Yes, piracy is wrong but this movie is FICTION and PG-13 means it’s not for little kids. Scary moments are in this movie and there are also some skanky moments like Ragetti and Pintel peaking under Elizabeth’s shirt. All in All go see the movie if you want to, but leave the kids at home if you think it might scare them.
Excellent! / 5
Excellent! / 5
Katherine, age 16
Positive—This was a GREAT, GREAT movie! Way better than the second one, and equal to or better than the first. It kind of dragged on, (it is a 2 ½ hour movie) but other than that it was great. The only thing there was was Violence (swords, Davey Jones’ tentacles going in someone’s mouth, and out their nose, Eww). There was no language, and very little sexual content (mostly kissing). There was a lot about a goddess named Kalypto, but they only mentioned she was goddess of the sea, not that she controlled people, or anything weird like that. All in all, if you love action and adventure, I would definitely recommend this movie.
Average / 5
Average / 5
Ally, age 15
Positive—I really enjoyed “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.” Then when “Dead Man’s Chest” came out, I was slightly disappointed with how the story continued, but surprisingly the movie grew on me and now I really like it. “At World’s End” may end up to be the same way. I didn’t care for how the movie’s feel was different from the other two, but I like it more and more all the time. I’d like to say that I really do like this film before I go onto a critical review of it.
I find the movie to be relatively clean when it comes to innuendos and that type of stuff. A few here and there, but most of it goes over the average viewer’s head. There was only one scene that was very out of line for Disney with Will and Elizabeth.
Biblically, none of the characters are great role models. The entire movie is filled with double crossing, triple crossing, betrayals, etc. You never quite know who to trust, which makes the movie rather exciting. The characters all end up on the right side of things, though, for the most part. (A couple characters never give up their old ways.) …But it’s really great to see a few characters in particular realize what’s right.
One of the things I didn’t like was the fact that there were several 'Ew, gross' parts… particularly one where a bad guy chokes by one of Davy Jones’ tentacles down his throat… and even out his nose. Very very disturbing. Also a quite a few disturbing parts and lots of suggested violence. I recommend nobody under 14 to see this film. There was a large portion of actual violence in this film, but nothing more than the other two films. There were several main characters getting stabbed through with swords and such, which is pretty graphic. And one person gets shot through the head with a bullet.
Humor comes in great quantity in this film, which I love! So many funny parts! The plot is a little hard to follow at points and the ending is bittersweet and unexpected, but overall it’s a cool storyline. The special effects and CGI are absolutely amazing! You have to see it to believe it! The music also fits the movie perfectly.
It’s fun to see all the characters develop and fulfill their destinies. If you liked the other two movies, I highly recommend this movie, as it is nearly three hours of nonstop action and excitement!
Average / 5
I find the movie to be relatively clean when it comes to innuendos and that type of stuff. A few here and there, but most of it goes over the average viewer’s head. There was only one scene that was very out of line for Disney with Will and Elizabeth.
Biblically, none of the characters are great role models. The entire movie is filled with double crossing, triple crossing, betrayals, etc. You never quite know who to trust, which makes the movie rather exciting. The characters all end up on the right side of things, though, for the most part. (A couple characters never give up their old ways.) …But it’s really great to see a few characters in particular realize what’s right.
One of the things I didn’t like was the fact that there were several 'Ew, gross' parts… particularly one where a bad guy chokes by one of Davy Jones’ tentacles down his throat… and even out his nose. Very very disturbing. Also a quite a few disturbing parts and lots of suggested violence. I recommend nobody under 14 to see this film. There was a large portion of actual violence in this film, but nothing more than the other two films. There were several main characters getting stabbed through with swords and such, which is pretty graphic. And one person gets shot through the head with a bullet.
Humor comes in great quantity in this film, which I love! So many funny parts! The plot is a little hard to follow at points and the ending is bittersweet and unexpected, but overall it’s a cool storyline. The special effects and CGI are absolutely amazing! You have to see it to believe it! The music also fits the movie perfectly.
It’s fun to see all the characters develop and fulfill their destinies. If you liked the other two movies, I highly recommend this movie, as it is nearly three hours of nonstop action and excitement!
Average / 5
Andrew B., age 15
Positive—When I first entered the theatre, I was worried that this movie will be as bad as the last one. But after watching it, it was worth it. This is one of the BEST movies ever made. However, unlike the first POTC movie, it has more adult humor and some gruesome images like Davy Jones’ heart, a pumping brain, and tentacles entering someone’s mouth, killing them. This film should NOT be watched by young children who are easily offended, but other than that, it’s amazing. Many parts of the movie are touching and makes you want to shout out 'YEAH! That’s right!' This is one film you do NOT want to miss.
Average / 5
Average / 5
Jason, age 14 (Thailand)
Positive—I really enjoyed this film. The computer graphics are really good, the plot made sense (unlike many shows today) and I found myself laughing through a lot of it along with the audience! The only thing negative was they had a bit too much killing. If your child is under 10, you might want to view this film before hand, to see if they would be able to handle it. Every child is different, some may be more sensitive than others. Other than that a very enjoyable film.
Good / 4½
Good / 4½
Adrianne, age 14
Positive—…the best “Pirates” film yet! The quality of the film was absolutely unbeatable, the story gripping and entertaining, and the morality actually better than both of the prequels. Instead of promoting “situational ethics,” Pirates 3 makes it known that believing in yourself alone simply makes you miserable. …I would highly recommend this movie for anyone older than 8.
Good / 5
Good / 5
Trisha, age 16
Positive—I went to see this movie with my Dad the day after it came out, and I was glad that I did. I’ve seen all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and have been a fan since. I really enjoyed the first movie and couldn’t wait to see the second. When I saw the second movie I was very disappointed and hoped that the next movie would be much much better. I thought it was very well planned, great acting, amazing special effects and the fighting scenes were amazing! There was no bad language that I heard. It can be pretty scary to kids 8 and under but I would recommend the movie to a lot of people who like action/adventure with a pinch of comedy. There were some gross scenes like shooting people in the heads, Davy Jones’ heart beating, and also Davy Jones killing someone by putting his tentacles in someone’s mouth and nose, but there wasn’t really any blood. Overall, this is a great movie the whole family can enjoy!
Better than Average / 5
Better than Average / 5
Ryan, age 12
Negative—I must say that after seeing this movie I was very, very disappointed. I am a big Pirates fan and I loved the other two movies. This movie wasn’t good at all. It took forever to get started and it was very boring the whole way through. Jack wasn’t very funny either. Unlike the other two this movie had a lot of violence and disturbing images. Throughout the movie I got very confused and it was very hard to follow. Many places I thought that they were trying to be funny but it was just stupid humor and not entertaining at all. It was a very long movie and I even felt like getting up and leaving the theater. Spider-Man 3 is definitely better than this movie and worth seeing.
Average / 2½
Average / 2½
Keri, age 16
Negative—After last summer’s “Dead Man’s Chest,” I was very wary of going to see the next Pirates installment. I found the second movie to be absolutely intolerable, and I really wasn’t expecting much better from this film. At World’s End was slightly less offensive than it predecessor, however. Davy Jones’ crew was still nasty, but they did not seem to be as grotesque as they were last time. When I saw Dead Man’s Chest, I was very ill at ease with the whole business about Davy Jones owning the souls of those men, and the way that Jack Sparrow was willing to sell one hundred souls in place of his own. That whole thing seemed a bit like witchcraft, to me. In AWE, though, there is less mention of that, and there is more concentration on retrieving people from the World’s End, or helping people lost at sea reach the “other side.” I am still uncomfortable with these themes, but I do not think they were as blatant in this movie. Also, Tia Dalma, (or Calypso, as it were), seemed to be a bit into witchcraft or something. However, I couldn’t really understand much of what she said because of her thick accent, so that didn’t bother me so badly. The themes of this movie are just a bit better than that of the previous, but it is definitely more graphic. It’s not quite as bad as something you might see on a grisly episode of “CSI”, but some of it was disturbing. There was actually a point where I covered my eyes to avoid seeing something gross. All in all, this movie was better than the second, but still no where near as good as the first. I will probably not see it again by choice, and I refuse to let my younger sister view this or the second movie. It might be cool to watch once or twice, but it simply doesn’t uphold Christian morals or values. I must admit that there were several parts of the movie that I really enjoyed, but I realize that it just not have the kind of content that I should be in the habit of watching.
Offensive / 5
Offensive / 5
Cara P., age 15
Negative—Ok, first off, I’ll say that this movie was very cleverly made, the acting was terrific, and the special effects were awesome! But, that is pretty much all that is good about it. It was a gruesome scene at the beginning when dozens of pirates were being hung (and people associated with pirates), including a little boy. Then, they just throw the bodies in a pile. Right away it says the movie will be dark and repulsive. Unfortunately, that is an accurate portrayal of the rest of the movie. I myself did not like the way the corpses were treated. I don’t really mind the bad guys piling them up. After all, they’re supposed to be evil. But even Will, pretty much the hero of the story, uses bodies (which are being eaten by sea gulls, by the way) as a trail to lead the East India Trading Company to one of the (good guys) ships! All of the main characters betray each other. It starts to look like it’s the bad guys against the bad guys and it doesn’t matter who wins. I got to the point where I hoped they would all die in the battle!
It did have some very funny parts and cool action scenes, but all that seemed pretty dim with all the gruesomeness and darkness. Also, I lost my respect for every character (except Babossa) as they all lost their honor and betrayed their friends, and allies. And I thought the ending was sad and unsatisfying. So to lighten it up a bit, they add a few humorous and completely random scenes to make you feel better at the end of the movie. So, I think that if you’re going to see this movie, you need to see it twice, once so that you can see what happens after watching “Dead Man’s Chest,” and a second time to understand the details of “At World’s End.”
Very Offensive / 5
It did have some very funny parts and cool action scenes, but all that seemed pretty dim with all the gruesomeness and darkness. Also, I lost my respect for every character (except Babossa) as they all lost their honor and betrayed their friends, and allies. And I thought the ending was sad and unsatisfying. So to lighten it up a bit, they add a few humorous and completely random scenes to make you feel better at the end of the movie. So, I think that if you’re going to see this movie, you need to see it twice, once so that you can see what happens after watching “Dead Man’s Chest,” and a second time to understand the details of “At World’s End.”
Very Offensive / 5
Ben Nelsen, age 14
Positive—Wow! I absolutely loved this movie! I would definitely suggest this movie to anyone, above the age of 14, of course. There was violence and suggestion of sex, but the involved couple were married, and it never actually showed anything. So, all in all, it was a minor part. Although at the beginning this movie was a bit hard to follow, it got easier as the film went on. As usually, Johnny Depp did a phenomenal job acting…
Better than Average / 5
Better than Average / 5
Hannah, age 15
Neutral—Pirates 3 was an okay movie. I wasn’t expecting much after viewing the second movie. It was better than the second movie though. The movie was very dark. There wasn’t much humor in the movie either. It was also a little long and more violent than the first two. Overall, I think it was okay.
Average / 3½
Average / 3½
Carolyn, age 13
Positive—…My brother Andrew and I liked it the most of my family. It was much better than POTC two. I believe it had less gore and violence and more humor. I was laughing throughout most of the movie. The biggest letdown in the movie was the violence. Although most of the violence is just people getting stabbed with swords (which didn’t disturb me), there was a disturbing scene where I decided to look away. At one point near the end Davy Jones uses his tentacles to gruesomely kill an opponent. I’ll spare the details on how exactly he kills the opponent. I don’t remember any language except for minor words such as “blast” or “bloody.” The acting and special effects were great, which is not unusual for a POTC movie. I believe this movie should only be viewed by children no younger then eleven, but it’s all a matter of what you can stomach. For the violence that is. Overall, I still think that no POTC movie will ever be better then the first one.
Better than Average / 5
Better than Average / 5
Joseph, age 13
Positive—It was awesome, and I hope that they will make a 4th. NO one under 13 needs to see it, but I would recommend it to most anyone. There was a scene were Will and Elizabeth were at a island and Will does something not needed for the movie. Very good. A lot better then Spiderman 3. …
Better than Average / 5
Better than Average / 5
Matthew R, age 13
Positive—Okay, the only reason I classified this movie as better than average and not good is because it’s not necessarily POSITIVE. However, if I think that if you were to consider this movie “offensive” or “brutal” or “violent” then you should stick to G rated movies only. When my friends and I left the theater we were raving about the fact that the movie was so AMAZING and the way they managed to draw the views into the fight scenes without making them at all bloody or disturbing.
Better than Average / 5
Better than Average / 5
Michele, age 16
Positive—This movie gave me quite a thrill! I was quite excited about seeing it and was extremely satisfied after I had done so. I am a fan of the other two movies and loved this one as well. It’s a great movie. You can tell it took a lot of time, effort, and imagination on the part of the cast and crew. My advice to you is, because of the large amount of violence, do not take children under the age of twelve or thirteen.
Excellent! / 5
Excellent! / 5
Nina, age 13
Positive—Great movie! I don’t remember anything too bad, not much violence, no sex, but Will goes up his wife’s leg with his hands. Other than that, nothing too bad.
Good / 4½
Good / 4½
Jack G, age 15
Positive—…I’m not gonna say the length was way too long, but when they drag out really boring parts, it makes you want to take a nap.
VIOLENCE: The violence was surprisingly gruesome in this one compared to the first two (but with little blood). There was hanging, stabbing, a scene where Davy Jones gruesomely killed somebody with his tentacles, another scene where one of Davy Jon’s crew members was about to bite off somebody’s head right before the camera switched, and a person was shot on the forehead. My dad and I were looking at each other at times like MAN! There hasn’t been violence like this in the previous Pirate’s movies. Then again, what do you get when the director’s name is Gore.
MORALLY: I thought it was good how they had certain character’s not “do” anything till they were married. The goddess Calypso was strange where they released her, it was all fiction but still strange. And during that part, she was about as close to being fully naked without being naked, So that part was really close.
OVERALL: The movie’s action in the last hour is it’s main element. The movie before the last hour was distorted, confusing, jumbled, and just lazy at times. I Probably would’ve given the movie a neutral if I didn’t *STAY AFTER THE CREDITS TO SEE THE FINAL PART WHICH HELPS THE MOVIE OUT TREMENDOUSLY* That part tied things together for a better ending. The Effects in the movie are Phenomenal! Top of The Charts! I’m planning on going again just to see the final Battle again, but before that was just okay. On top of everything, it had me cracking up so hard on many parts. So I would give it a B+, and I think anybody who was a fan of the first two, will be satisfied with this final installment to the trilogy.
Average / 5
VIOLENCE: The violence was surprisingly gruesome in this one compared to the first two (but with little blood). There was hanging, stabbing, a scene where Davy Jones gruesomely killed somebody with his tentacles, another scene where one of Davy Jon’s crew members was about to bite off somebody’s head right before the camera switched, and a person was shot on the forehead. My dad and I were looking at each other at times like MAN! There hasn’t been violence like this in the previous Pirate’s movies. Then again, what do you get when the director’s name is Gore.
MORALLY: I thought it was good how they had certain character’s not “do” anything till they were married. The goddess Calypso was strange where they released her, it was all fiction but still strange. And during that part, she was about as close to being fully naked without being naked, So that part was really close.
OVERALL: The movie’s action in the last hour is it’s main element. The movie before the last hour was distorted, confusing, jumbled, and just lazy at times. I Probably would’ve given the movie a neutral if I didn’t *STAY AFTER THE CREDITS TO SEE THE FINAL PART WHICH HELPS THE MOVIE OUT TREMENDOUSLY* That part tied things together for a better ending. The Effects in the movie are Phenomenal! Top of The Charts! I’m planning on going again just to see the final Battle again, but before that was just okay. On top of everything, it had me cracking up so hard on many parts. So I would give it a B+, and I think anybody who was a fan of the first two, will be satisfied with this final installment to the trilogy.
Average / 5
Austin, age 15
Positive—I thought that the 3rd Pirates was much better than the 2nd one. I still thought that the 1st one was the best, but they (the filmmakers) definitely stepped it up from the 2nd movie. I thought that it wasn’t that gory, and I had lots of fun going with my friends.
Better than Average / 4
Better than Average / 4
Hannah, age 15
There are several rude jokes/ visuals, including Ragetti getting a look up Elizabeth’s skirt (and then Pintel getting a look up a china man’s by accident) and a certain unfortunately placed sea creature.
That being said, this is the funniest yet most intense Pirate’s film EVER. Some of the humor is incredibly funny, and Jack the Monkey is better than ever! Also the climax is the best climax I’ve seen in a movie yet. During one part I was in such complete shock that I was afraid I would hyperventilate and I had to keep telling myself it was just a movie!
All the little loose ends from the first two movies were perfectly tied off. My theories regarding Davy Jones were proven correct, a certain long-awaited marriage was performed, and Cutler Beckett got his just desserts. The one loose end I could not figure out from one viewing was, Cutler Beckett said that Jack and he both left their marks on each other. The mark Beckett left on Jack was the “P” pirate brand, but what mark did Jack leave on Beckett? Perhaps more viewings will clear this up for me.
I’m going to see this movie several more times and I’m buying the DVD on the release date, it was that good! Totally worth the wait, but leave the young children at home.
My Ratings: Average / 5