Arrr

[filkertom]

Went with Anne and Leslie to see Pirates 3.

Overall, had a blast. We have slightly varying opinions of how overlong it was (between ½ and 1 hour), how weirdly convoluted it got (about four betrayals and plot twists too many), and whether or not they had to go to Singapore at all (but, hey, it got 'em Chow Yun Fat). Sure wish Keira Knightley's face had got dirty once in awhile. The overall thought was that the writers didn't have anybody to tell them "no".

Apart from that... hilarious, fun, action-packed, exciting, spectacular. The last hour tightened up nicely. Lots of good acting, and nary a scrap of scenery ungnawed by somebody. Very much worth it, and it will make no sense at all if you haven't seen the first two movies. And the little tag after the credits is just wonderful.

So. I've been avoiding all of your various reviews (and, given a couple of the spoilers, I'm very glad). Thoughts?

Comments

[kengr]

The code you want up there is ½ (½)

[joshuwain.livejournal.com]

Thoughts? Better than part two (mostly owing to there being no kids talking throughout the whole film sitting in front of me) and would probably be even better as one, huge, looooooong film! It was slow to start up, but once it did, it was brilliant.

I watched the first film, again, and I still think it's the best ... but the third is really, very fun!

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

One thing happened that I wouldn't have believed possible, after the second film: I've developed a crush on Davy Jones. And Capt Barbossa. Shoot me now!

(I now, of course, have to find again and upload the icon of the cthulu kitten -- a little grey tabby with face tentacles ...) ;]

I laughed, I gasped, I grinned. I felt thoroughly satisfied by the whole movie -- and didn't notice its length, myself.

[fuuberry.livejournal.com]

Phew! I'm not the only one that walked away with a total school-girl crush on Barbossa!

I adored the movie... It was the most fun I've had at a movie since Smokin' Aces, and that was a whole other kind of fun. I loved the constant twists, as well as the constant throwbacks to the first movie. I'll be first in line if they decide to continue (and Johnny Depp's already heartily agreed to it)

I also completely adored that they had Cheng I Sao in there... She's always been one of my favorite historical figures.

And Keith Richards made a wonderful pirate.

Did anyone else catch the sounds borrowed from the ride, right before we meet up with Jack again?

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

I found myself wondering several times if they had let Depp ad lib some of his lines -- so hard to tell with Capt. Jack. I need to buy the DVD, if only to fully savour some of Jack's lines ....

Keith Richards is a natural as a pirate!

Speaking of "natural", I noticed an odd reaction on my part: the scuzzy, weathered pirates felt "real", the action on the Flying Dutchman, and in Davy Jones' Locker, felt "real"; but the times we spent on the East India Company vessels felt completely surreal. Such is the power of a good, rousing yarn, I suppose ....

BTW, I think I just stumbled upon a plot device origin: I accidentally typed Davy Jones' Locker as Locket ... wanna bet I wasn't the first to do so? ;]

[fuuberry.livejournal.com]

*cackles at the picture*

I know what you mean.. Although I went through the movie, wishing they'd given Elizabeth some nice not-so-sparkling teeth.

Which reminds me... one of my biggest joys in this movie was Tia Dalma. I loved her character in Dead Man's Chest, and was completely enchanted by her in At World's End.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

Oooh, yes! Tia Dalma/Calypso is a delightful character, and such a good match for her "Deevy Joowans". I adore her look, and her accent -- she had me from "Same story, different version, and both are true!"

I've been wondering, too: when she missed her most recent once-in-ten-years rendezvous with Jones ... was she with Jack?

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Did anyone else catch the sounds borrowed from the ride, right before we meet up with Jack again?

YES YES YES YES YES OMG YES

I have been waiting ever since the first movie for them to use "DEAD MENNN TELLLL NOOOO TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALES."

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

And Keith Richards made a wonderful pirate.

Didn't he just? We were giggling nonstop, since we'd heard about it beforehand. Apparently Depp copied a lot of Keith Richards' mannerisms for his character in the first place, so having Richards in the movie was a bit of an inside joke.

And then he had a guitar.

And then the music for the parlay on the sand bar was full of sudden electric guitar riffs. (The credits confirm that Richards did indeed write a piece of music for the movie; I can only assume it was that one.)

[nuveena.livejournal.com]

Just saw it tonight as well. I had a blast! I didn't mind the length, but yea, it was really convoluted.

And now I, too, am crushing on Davy Jones and Captain Barbossa. (Well, at least once the latter gets a bath.)

BUT THEY KILLED ... THE GUY I SHALL LEAVE UNNAMED FOR SPOILER CONTENT BUT WHO WAS IN ALL THREE MOVIES!

V. V. upset about that. Am contemplating fanfiction in which one of my pirate-era RPG characters drags him back from the land of the dead.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

But ... he's only sorta dead. Possibly mostly dead. But completely dead men don't ... do all the things he did after he "died". He's just, I don't know, "differently living"?

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I think she means the other dead guy. Oops.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

Oops, indeed. Sorry. The "trying to tie up loose ends too quickly" fatality, check.

[nuveena.livejournal.com]

That's the one!

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

Waaaaiiit, now. I just realised there were two of those. And you and I may not be talking about the same one.

[nuveena.livejournal.com]

The one very dramatically done in by Bootstrap.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

Ah. The first one I thought of was, um, the man in a rowboat.

[nuveena.livejournal.com]

Nope, the hot one.

Bastards! I haven't been this annoyed about a character death since Wash died.

[blueeyedtigress.livejournal.com]

Ah. Right. Except that I, personally, didn't find him hot. And the other guy was more consistently a nice guy ....

Yeah, agreed: still pissed about Wash.

[anglophile-rat.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, agreed: still pissed about Wash."

--Isn't everyone?

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

I think it was the critic Richard Schickel who said, "what becomes a legend most is tragedy." He said it about Marilyn Monroe's suicide. I can say it about At World's End. Which doesn't make me that much happier about it. (And, to keep from spoiling more, that's all I'll say about that.)

I haven't collected any of the Pirates movies on DVD, and don't expect to. I don't buy a lot of movies, and only buy the ones I think I would like to see a couple of times. And no, I won't "pirate" them. In fact, in this season of "three-peats," only Spider-Man 3 might be one I'd like to buy - but used. If there was something new, inspiring and emotionally uplifting, I'd jump on it even if I had to buy it at list.

[sdelmonte]

I loved it, as did my wife. But your crticisms are fair. Unlike most of the reviews the paid critics have been giving.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Only two complaints--

1) They spent all this time setting up Calypso and then... didn't really do anything with her. "Hey, there's a whirlpool!" I wanted to see her *DO* something.

2) Why couldn't Liz have just joined Will's crew? Obviously free sailors can choose to do so, since his father did. WTF? That's totally what I'd have done.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Er... I see everyone else avoiding spoilers in your comments. I tend to just always assume that comments on movie posts will have them, since it's discussion of the movie. You can screen my comments if you want.

[nightmarewriter.livejournal.com]

Because she is a WOMAN and that's her place (gag), and that would totally spoil the... occasional reunion schtickt they got going.

I agree with you, I'd rather have 10 years at sea with him than the 'occasional reunion'.

I guess... 'cuz if she did, he wouldn't have anyone to go 'reunion' with. And... I don't think the 'obvious dividend' would have happened if she did. Sort of like the Oz rule as per Heinlein's "The Number of the Beast" if you get what I mean...

The only problem I have is will he age with her?

[nuveena.livejournal.com]

If it comes to that, why didn't she just buy a houseboat?