Walt Disney Pictures Presents...
It is a dark time as the age of piracy nears to a close. Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom Hollander) of the East India Company has gained control of the terrifying ghost ship, the Flying Dutchman, and its malevolent, vengeful captain, Davy Jones (Bill Nighy). The Dutchman now roams the seven seas, unstoppable, destroying pirate ships without mercy, under the command of Admiral Norrington (Jack Davenport).Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley), and Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) embark on a desperate quest to gather the Nine Lords of the Bretheren Court, their only hope to defeat Beckett, the Flying Dutchman, and his armada. But one of the lords is missing - Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), either the best or the worst pirate ever, and now trapped in Davy Jones' Locker, thanks to his encounter with the monstrous Kraken. In an increasingly shaky alliance, our heroes, including Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris), Pintel (Lee Arenberg) and Ragetti (Mackenzie Crook), must first travel to dangerous, exotic Singapore and confront Chinese pirate Captain Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat) to gain charts, and a ship, that will take them off to world's end, to rescue Jack. But even if Captain Jack is successfully rescued, the gathering of the legendary Bretheren Court may not be enough to hold back the fearsome tide of Beckett, Davy Jones, and their powerful armada...unless the capricious sea goddess Calypso, imprisoned in human form, can be freed and convinced to come to their aid. As betrayal piles upon betrayal, it becomes clear that Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Sao Feng, and Barbossa each have their own agenda, and no one can be trusted. Yet each must choose a side, and make their final alliances for one last battle, in a titanic showdown that could eliminate the freedom-loving pirates from the seven seas - forever.
"...astonishing special effects, superior to those of earlier installments in creating a wondrous and menacing world." Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader
"Exciting...a wonderfully scenic medley of impressive action sequences..." Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times
"More than ever, Depp masterfully keeps the enterprise afloat..." Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
"The most visually spectacular, action-packed and surreal of the adventures of Capt. Jack Sparrow..." Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
"Funner, biggerer, brighterer, bolderer...A lavish spectacle illuminated by Johnny Depp's swishing pirate captain..." Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
Editor's Note
After the action of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: DEAD MAN'S CHEST, anti-hero Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is trapped in the netherworld of Davy Jones's locker. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) has returned from the dead to aid Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) in their quest to rescue the beloved captain. They journey to Singapore to ask for help from notorious pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-Fat), and with this new alliance, they travel to the edge of the earth to find Jack. Then they will join forces with the world's most powerful pirates to unite against Lord Brackett (Tom Hollander) and the East India Company. AT WORLD'S END is an exercise in excess, boasting a running time of nearly three hours and a labyrinthine map of double- and triple-crosses. Characters return from the dead and change allegiances with ease, thanks to the magic of Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) and the pirate code of ethics--or lack thereof. Though the third film in the series is filled with action and special effects befitting any blockbuster, it's the performances that make the movie memorable. Depp has earned an Oscar nod for his role as Jack, but he's not the only one who shines. With Jack locked away, the film sits on the strong shoulders of Rush, as well as Stellan Skarsgard as Bootstrap Bill and the brilliant British actor Bill Nighy as Davy Jones. Despite having to act behind a mess of CGI tentacles, Nighy nearly steals the show, as in the previous films UNDERWORLD and LOVE ACTUALLY. This is literally and figuratively the darkest entry in director Gore Verbinski's trilogy, as the film trades the sunny skies of the Caribbean for the world's most treacherous seas. There's plenty of rum-soaked humor, but it's balanced by betrayal and sacrifice.
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