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Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

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Pirates of the Caribbean:
At World's End
File:Pirates3Jack.jpg
Directed byGore Verbinski
Written byTed Elliott
Terry Rossio
Produced byJerry Bruckheimer
StarringJohnny Depp
Orlando Bloom
Keira Knightley
Bill Nighy
Stellan Skarsgård
Jack Davenport
Kevin McNally
Tom Hollander
Chow Yun-Fat
Geoffrey Rush
CinematographyDariusz Wolski
Edited byStephen E. Rivkin
Craig Wood
Music byHans Zimmer
Distributed byWalt Disney Pictures
Release dates
May 24/May 25, 2007
Running time
167 min.
Country United States
LanguageEnglish

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is a 2007 adventure film, the third in the Pirates of the Caribbean films following The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and Dead Man's Chest (2006). At World's End was directed by Gore Verbinski, as were the previous films, and the cast includes returnees Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Bill Nighy, Geoffrey Rush, Jack Davenport, Kevin McNally, Tom Hollander and Naomie Harris. Chow Yun-Fat makes his first appearance in the franchise as Sao Feng, one of the film's antagonists, as does Keith Richards as Jack Sparrow's father. Disney opted to move the release date in English-speaking countries a day early to May 24, 2007.

Plot

Lord Cutler Beckett executes anyone associated with piracy and commands Davy Jones to destroy all pirate ships. In response to Beckett’s assault, the nine pirate lords comprising the Brethren Court are summoned to convene at Shipwreck Cove. However, the late Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirate Lord of the Caribbean, is without a successor, and therefore must be present. Captain Hector Barbossa leads Will, Elizabeth, Tia Dalma and the Black Pearl crew to retrieve Jack from Davy Jones' Locker. They need the navigational chart leading to World's End, the gateway to the Locker, a chart belonging to Sao Feng, pirate lord of Singapore. Elizabeth and Barbossa bargain with Feng for a ship and a crew, but Feng is furious that Will already attempted to steal the chart and is holding him captive. Just then, East India Trading Company soldiers attack Feng's bathhouse. During the chaos, Will bargains with Feng for the Black Pearl in exchange for Sparrow, whom Feng wants to barter to Beckett. Will wants the Black Pearl to rescue his father from the Flying Dutchman. Their conversation is overheard by Beckett's henchman, Mercer.

The crew journey through a frozen sea, and studying the chart reveals that a green flash on the horizon signifies a soul returning to earth. Reaching World's End, they sail over an enormous waterfall and into the Locker where Jack is aboard the Black Pearl. Stranded for some time, Jack has been hallucinating. To his amazement, crab-like creatures carry the Pearl to an ocean shore where he is reunited with his former shipmates, although Jack and Barbossa bicker over who is the Pearl's captain. While seeking an escape route, the crew sees souls floating adrift under the water. Tia Dalma says that Davy Jones was appointed by his lover, the sea goddess Calypso, to ferry those who died at sea to the next world. In return, Jones was allowed to step upon land for one day every ten years to be with his love. But when Calypso failed to meet him, the scorned captain abandoned his duty and transformed into a monster. Elizabeth then sees her father, Governor Weatherby Swann's soul pass by in a dinghy, murdered by Cutler Beckett after discovering that whoever slays Davy Jones by destroying the heart replaces him as the "Flying Dutchman's" immortal captain. Unable to retrieve her father, a distraught Elizabeth vows to avenge his death.

The Black Pearl remains trapped until Jack deciphers the chart, realizing the ship must be capsized to return to the living world. They overturn the ship, and at sunset, upturn back into the living world at sunrise amid a green flash. Upon their return, they discover that the Kraken is dead, due to Beckett ordering Jones to kill it so it won't be used against him. Shortly after, Sao Feng attacks the crew of the Pearl. He has betrayed Will and made a deal with Cutler Beckett, but Beckett double-crosses Feng. In retaliation, Feng gives the Pearl back to Jack in exchange for Elizabeth, whom he believes is Calypso. Angry over Will's deceit and to keep the crew safe, Elizabeth agrees. Jack throws Will into the brig. Aboard his warship, the Empress, Feng tells Elizabeth that the first Brethren Court entrapped Calypso into human form so they could control the seas. Feng wants to release her rage against her captors but is mortally wounded when Davy Jones attacks his ship. Before dying, he appoints Elizabeth his heir, making her the "Empress'" captain and the Pirate Lord of Singapore. She and the crew are taken prisoner aboard the Flying Dutchman. Also aboard is Admiral James Norrington. He switches his allegiance after Elizabeth berates him for his disloyalty, and he frees her and her crew. They escape back to the Empress, although Norrington is killed by a deranged "Bootstrap" Bill. On the Pearl, Will, who escaped the brig, leaves a trail of floating corpses for Beckett to follow. Catching him, Jack tosses him overboard, but he first gives him his magical compass, intending for Beckett to find them. Will is picked up by Beckett's ship, and he learns that Davy Jones masterminded Calypso's imprisonment.

File:Whirlpool-1-.jpg
The Black Pearl and Flying Dutchman sail into battle amid a maelstrom.

When the Brethren Court reject Barbossa's proposal to free Calypso, he tricks them into yielding their pirate lord insignias. Meanwhile, Elizabeth has arrived. Unable to agree over fighting Beckett, the Brethren Court propose electing a "Pirate King," although the lords only vote for themselves. Jack breaks the on-going stalemate by voting for Elizabeth. As he anticipated, she declares war. During parley with Beckett and Jones, Elizabeth and Barbossa trade Jack for Will and refuse to surrender. Just before the battle, Barbossa conducts a ritual using the insignias to release Calypso (Tia Dalma). Her fury upon learning Jones’ betrayal unleashes a violent maelstrom as Beckett's massive fleet appears on the horizon. During the battle, Jack breaks out of the Dutchman's brig and steals the Dead Man's Chest, but is caught by Jones as he makes his escape. The two then engage in a sword fight on top of the Dutchmans mast, and Jack eventually manages to cut the key to the chest of Jones but then Jones breaks Jack's sabre. Meanwhile, Will again proposes to Elizabeth, who insists Barbossa immediately marry them amid the fighting. When Davy Jones mortally wounds Will aboard the Dutchman, "Bootstrap" Bill attacks Jones. Jack, who schemed to get himself the heart for his own immortality, makes the ultimatre sacrifice by placing his broken sabre in Will's hand and has him stab the heart, killing Jones and making Will the Dutchmans captain. The crew carve out Will’s heart and place it into the Dead Man’s Chest. Jack and Elizabeth escape as the Dutchman is pulled into the whirlpool, but it quickly resurfaces with Will at the helm. Jack and Will captain the Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman respectively, destroying the Endeavor, killing Beckett, and causing the armada to retreat.

Although Will has been saved, and the Dutchman crew have regained their humanity, he must spend the next ten years in the netherworld ferrying souls to the other side. Will and Elizabeth have one day together and consummate their marriage on an island before Will must leave. Will entrusts Elizabeth with the Dead Man’s Chest containing his heart. Shortly after, Barbossa again commandeers the Black Pearl to search for the Fountain of Youth using Feng's chart, stranding Jack and Gibbs in Tortuga. Having anticipated Barbossa’s deception, however, Jack already removed the chart's center and sets sail in a small dinghy searching for immortality. In a post-credits scene set ten years later, William Turner III, Will and Elizabeth's son, is seen singing Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me), with Elizabeth following behind. They both then stand at the edge of the cliff, waiting for the sun to set, until finally, a flash of green reveals Will, and his return from the netherworld. Thus, meaning that he will be released from his duties as captain of the Flying Dutchman, since Elizabeth remained faithful to Will after ten years (see Production section below).

Cast

File:PROMO1.jpg
A promotional picture for the film showing, from left to right: Captain Barbossa, Will Turner, Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann and Captain Sao Feng.

Production

See also: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest § Production

Following Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl's success in 2003, the cast and crew signed on for two more sequels to be shot back-to-back.[1] For the third film, director Gore Verbinski wanted to return the tone to that of a character piece after using the second film to keep the plot moving. The film would explore Jack Sparrow's mad desperation to not return to Davy Jones' Locker,[2] Barbossa's political manipulations, the completion of Will and Elizabeth's coming of age arcs, the increasing humanity in Davy Jones and Norrington and vice versa in "Bootstrap" Bill.[3] Actor Johnny Depp was happy that he got more screentime with Geoffrey Rush than in the first film: "We're like a couple of old ladies fighting over their knitting needles... it's fantastic!"[4] Inspired by the real-life confederation of pirates, Elliott and Rossio looked at historical figures and created fictional characters from them to expand the scope beyond the main cast.[5]

Parts of the third film were shot during location filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, a long shoot which finished on March 1 2006.[6] Chow Yun-Fat was confirmed to be playing Sao Feng in July 2005 while production of the second film was on hiatus.[7] Chow relished playing the role, even helping out crew members with props.[2] The two-film schedule resumed in August at the Singapore set, built on Stage 12 of the Universal backlot. It comprised 40 structures within a 80 by 130 foot tank that was 3½ feet deep. As 18th century Singapore is not a well-documented era, the filmmakers chose to use an Expressionist style based on Chinese and Malaysian cities of the same period. The design of the city was also intended by Verbinski to parody spa culture, with fungi growing throughout the set. Continuing this natural feel, the floorboards of Sao Feng's bathhouse had to be cut by hand, and real humidity was created by the combination of gallons of water and the lighting equipment on the set.[8]

Keith Richards, who partially inspired Johnny Depp's portrayal of Sparrow, was meant to appear in Dead Man's Chest, but there was no room for him in the story,[9] and he almost missed filming a scene in At World's End following injuries sustained by falling out of a palm tree. In June 2006, Verbinski finally managed to make room in Richards' schedule to shoot in September,[10] when he spent his three days of shooting drunk.[2] Filming resumed in August 2006 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah[11] and continued until early 2007 for seventy days off the California coast, as all the shooting required in the Caribbean had been conducted in 2005.[12] The climactic battle was shot in a former air hanger at Palmdale, California,[13] where the cast had to wear wetsuits underneath their costumes on angle-tipped ships. The water-drenched set was kept in freezing temperatures, to make sure bacteria did not come inside and infect the crew.[14] A second unit shot at Niagara Falls.[15]

Filming finished on January 10 2007 in Molokai,[16] and the first assembly cut was three hours.[17] Twenty minutes were removed, not including end credits, though producer Jerry Bruckheimer maintained that the long running time was needed to make the final battle work in terms of build-up.[18] One scene cut explained that if Calypso had greeted Davy Jones after his ten years of ferrying dead souls, then he would have been freed of his duty: in turn, Will is freed of his captaincy as Elizabeth remains faithful to him ten years later.[19] Hans Zimmer composed the score as he did for the previous film, composing eight new motifs including a new love theme for the At World's End soundtrack.[16]

Marketing

File:Pirates3-poster-small.jpg
Original teaser poster for the film. The Chinese characters on the poster mean "Good luck, Captain Jack."

At the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con International, two minutes of footage was shown including Captain Jack Sparrow having to convince the crew to run back and forth on the shipdeck to rock a ship over and Sparrow and Davy Jones battling on top of a crow's nest during the maelstrom battle.[20] After a muted publicity campaign, the trailer finally debuted at ShoWest 2007.[21] It was shown on March 18, 2007 at a special screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl named "Pirates Ultimate Fan Event", and was then shown on March 19 during Dancing with the Stars, before it debuted online.[22]

Action figures by NECA were released in late April.[23] Board games such as a Collectors Edition Chess Set, Monopoly Game and Pirates Dice Game (Liar's Dice) were also released. Master Replicas have made sculptures of characters and replicas of jewelery and the Dead Man's Chest.[24] A video game with the same title as the film was released on May 22 2007 on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PSP, PlayStation 2, PC and Nintendo DS formats.[25] The soundtrack and its remix were also released on May 22.

Release

The world premiere of At World's End was held on May 19, 2007, at Disneyland, home of the ride that inspired the movie and where the first two films in the trilogy debuted. Disneyland offered the general public a chance to attend the premiere through the sale of tickets, priced at $1,500 each, with proceeds going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation charity.[26] Just a few weeks before the film's release, Walt Disney Pictures decided to move the United States opening of At World's End from screenings Friday, May 25, 2007 to Thursday at 8:00pm, May 24, 2007.[27] The film opened in 4,362 theaters domestically, beating Spider-Man 3's theater opening record by 110.[28]

Reaction

Like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, At World's End received mixed reviews with the most common criticism of the film from reviewers was that the plot was too convoluted for them to follow. Drew McWeeny was an exception, praising its complexity as giving it repeat-viewing value, and its conclusion as "perhaps the most canny move it makes."[29] Todd Gilchrist found the story too similar to other cinematic trilogies such as Star Wars but praised the production values.[30] Brian Lowry felt that "unlike last year's bloated sequel, [it] at least possesses some semblance of a destination, making it slightly more coherent - if no less numbing during the protracted finale."[31] Total Film praised the performances but complained that the twists and exposition made it hard to care for the characters.[32] Edward Douglas liked the film but had issues with its pacing,[33] while Blake Wright criticized the Davy Jones' Locker and Calypso segments.[34] James Berardinelli found it the weakest of the trilogy as "the last 60 minutes offer adventure as rousing as anything provided in either of the previous installments... that doesn't account for the other 108 minutes of this gorged, self-indulgent, and uneven production."[35] Peter Travers praised Richards and Rush but felt "there can indeed be too much of a good thing" regarding Depp.[36]

Favourable reviewer Alex Billington noted, "This is just how the film industry works nowadays, critics give bad opinions, films make money, the public usually has a differing opinion, and all is well in the world of Hollywood since the studios made their millions anyway."[37] On May 24, 2007 the film earned $58 million worldwide,[38] and earned the fifth-biggest three-day opening yet, breaking the Memorial Day weekend record of X-Men: The Last Stand, with a domestic gross of $142 million. The addition of the Thursday screenings gross bought the opening total to $126 million. Elsewhere, it grossed $205 million, bringing the worldwide opening gross to $332 million.[39] As of June 5th, 2007, the film has grossed $631 million worldwide.[40]

References

  1. ^ Brian Linder (2003-10-21). "Back-to-Back Pirates". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b c Ian Nathan (2007-04-27). "Pirates 3". Empire. pp. 88–92. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Revealing the True Nature of all the Characters". Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  4. ^ Kam Williams (2007-05-21). "Johnny Depp "The Pirates of the Caribbean" Interview". News Blaze. Retrieved 2007-05-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Pirate Lords". Walt Disney Pictures. 2007. Retrieved 2007-05-15.
  6. ^ "Chapter 7 - Return to The Bahamas". Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-05-24.
  7. ^ Brian Linder (2005-07-07). "Chow Down for Pirates 3". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Singapore Sling". Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  9. ^ "Bruckheimer Confirms: Richards To Appear In 'Pirates 3'". Internet Movie Database. 2007-01-10. Retrieved 2007-05-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "Richards To Shoot 'Pirates' Role in September". Internet Movie Database. 2006-06-30. Retrieved 2007-05-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  11. ^ "Captain Jack Sparrow Landed In Utah Last Week". KSL News. 2006-08-09. Retrieved 2006-09-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Jeff Otto (2006-06-28). "Pirates 3 production details". IGN. Retrieved 2006-10-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ Josh Rottenburg. "Days of Plunder". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  14. ^ Sam Ashurst (2007-05-14). "Orlando and Keira: Uncut!". Total Film. Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ "Third Pirates filmed at Niagara Falls". Coming Soon.net. 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-10-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ a b "Aloha Oe: Hawaii Farewell". Production Notes. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
  17. ^ "Exclusive interview: Terry Rossio". Moviehole. 2007-02-12. Retrieved 2007-02-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "Exclusive Interview: Jerry Bruckheimer". Moviehole. 2007-05-21. Retrieved 2007-05-21. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ Terry Rossio (2007-05-23). "Re:Ah, that Davy Jones curse thing..." Wordplay Forums. Retrieved 2007-05-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ Brent (2006-07-23). "Pirates of the Caribbean 3 Footage Revealed!". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-01-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ Edward Douglas (2007-03-13). "Disney Kicks Off ShoWest Opening Ceremony". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-03-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Walt Disney Pictures (2007-03-09). "Pirates Trailer to Debut March 19!". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-03-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Nisha Gopalan (2007-02-09). "First Look! Toy Fair '07". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ Edward Douglas (2007-02-13). "Pirates of the Caribbean at Toy Fair '07!". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-02-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ Disney Interactive Studios (2007-03-19). "Pirates to Set Sail on Consoles and Handhelds". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-03-19. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ The Disneyland Report (2007-04-13). "Disneyland announces sale of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End premiere tickets". DisneylandReport.com. Retrieved 2007-03-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ Dave McNary (2007-05-08). "Disney moves up 'Pirates' opening". Variety. Retrieved 2007-05-11. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "Pirates Opens in Record # of Theaters". Comingsoon.net. 2007-05-24. Retrieved 2007-05-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ Drew McWeeny (2007-05-24). "Moriarty Sets Sail With PIRATES 3: AT WORLD'S END!". Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ Todd Gilchrist (2007-05-24). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". IGN. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Brian Lowry (2007-05-22). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Variety. Retrieved 2007-05-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ "Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End". Total Film. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  33. ^ Edward Douglas (2007-05-24). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ Blake Wright (2007-05-24). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Comingsoon.net. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ James Berardinelli (2007). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Reelviews. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  36. ^ Peter Travers (2007-05-22). "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-05-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ Alex Billington (2007-05-22). "Get Ready for a Swarm of Negative Critics This Friday on Pirates 3". Firstshowing.net. Retrieved 2007-05-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ "Pirates Uncovers $58 Million Worldwide!". Comingsoon.net. 2007-05-25. Retrieved 2007-05-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ "`Pirates' Opens With $156,055 Million". Yahoo!. 2007-05-27. Retrieved 2007-05-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-06-03.
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