That Pirate Movie

[winter]

Heatwaves in May are decidedly unfair, but at least it meant I didn't feel guilty about spending a Saturday morning at the cinema. Let's hear it for air conditioning.


Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

My general action can be summed up as "WHEE!"

After way-too-long sequences in Dead Man's Chest where the director was clearly enamoured of certain special effects, it was refreshing to see that in the third installment, it was back to swashbuckling all around. I also enjoyed the fact you're actually supposed to think and concentrate to follow the plot, instead of having it served on a silver platter.

You could tell that at one point they decided to kill off everyone not necessary for the ending just so they could get away with doing one or two endings, not a LOTR-like fan of them. Sao Feng's death was plot-necessary to make Elizabeth a captain, but a pity, since Chow Yun Fatt was clearly having fun being all grr and piratey. Norrington - also made sense to show how lost Bootstrap was, but that didn't mean I didn't go "OUCH". I LIKED him. (And that syndrome was also evident with side characters, like Sao Feng's bunch. WTF?)

I loved the more on-crack sequences, especially Jack in the Locker. It was such an early Disney cartoon, of the black-and-white kind with a thin Mickey Mouse. And I can't begin to spell out my love for the fact that the two philosophical redcoats (Marines?) from the first movie end up as pirates.

Quite frankly, I can't see what's the beef with the movie being anti-feminist, especially for that age. Not only do we get the token female pirate captain - and a matron at that, not an eyecandy wench - but Elizabeth gets to be the mastermind and make the plan that ends up getting them all free. She's an equal to the guys here, and she gets to make the Aragorn speech. I hear that some people said it's anti-feminist because she has a kid at the end. Um, hello? Normal female bodily function? Plus, she's an orphan and single mother for 10 years, probably without that much money since her father's inheritance would at least partly pass to her male relatives. Can't see her staying at home and, well, starving for lack of money.

(Which gives me a plotbunny that's all selenak's fault, because Elizabeth and Calypso are two sides of the same equation, warrior and lover, and having them interact would be fascinating.)

The end made complete sense in a way that I haven't seen people point out yet. At the beginning, Will hated pirates and didn't want to be one. In the end, he becomes the protective spirit of all pirates and sailors. How is that for a hero's journey?

Comments

[mayoini.livejournal.com]

I'm not reading I'm not reading!!! D:

Maybe you can buy this?
http://osakaneko-sales.livejournal.com/59700.html
xD

[winter]

I'll be trying to get the DVD for this once it comes out :D

[carmentalis.livejournal.com]

Didn't you hear that everything is anti-feminist these days? Even feminism is anti-feminist since it just emphasizes the need for women to be empowered and is thus damaging the cause. *sage nod*

[alice_montrose]

Since most people seem to love this film, I believe we can label it as a success (especially in light of the disappointments that were Shrek 3 and Spiderman 3).

I loved so many parts of it, that I won't even bother to list them. It was an insane experience... and I adored it!

PS: DVDs got here safely. Thank you! *snuggles to death*

[sukeban.livejournal.com]

Not only do we get the token female pirate captain - and a matron at that, not an eyecandy wench -

Based on the real pirate Ching Shi, natch

she gets to make the Aragorn speech

When did it stop being a St Crispin's Day speech? We few, we happy few, we band of brethren of the coast, etc? :)

As for Calypso, I think that part of Davy Jones' resentment came from the comparisons with her former boyfriend — would you shag the chick that Odysseus dated? XD

[luthienofold.livejournal.com]

*clap, clap!* Well said, my dear. The end, too, was supposed to be very resolution oriented. I think the Flying Dutchman opera says that after the tour of ten years, as long as the love is waiting or something like that, the pirate is released from his duties.

[winter]

I thought that was just with racism :P

[winter]

Yay :) That was quick.

(And Shrek 3? It won't open here for a month yet. That bad?)

[winter]

When did it stop being a St Crispin's Day speech?

Since "Aragorn" is shorter ;)

[alice_montrose]

Shrek 3... I grabbed it off a torrent. I won't be going to see it in the cinema, that's for sure. It was... well, cute, but did not have the genius of the first. So, interesting, but not that interesting. PotC3 is the best "third part" we got this year, IMO.

[alice_montrose]

Oh. Also, I think someone showed Orlando Bloom "Caraibi" (the Italian co-produced miniseries starring Nicholas Rogers). His attire as captain of the Dutchman looks way too much like Malasorte's for my liking. *fumes*

[sukeban.livejournal.com]

But, but... the tradition!

[lanyon.livejournal.com]

great review. i saw the movie yesterday and may need to see it again purely because i was sleepy and post-call and i want to try to take more of it in. i did think it was excellent and elizabeth does kick arse, as does will, as you've rightly pointed out.

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

glad you liked the movie. Some reviewers thought it was too long.

[winter]

Well, there are only so many pirate costumes to go around ;) I'm still ticked off that my favourite pirate of all, Captain Blood, didn't make it into the movie. Am tempted to write an AU where the government in London, ticked off by the East India Company pushing its nose (ie Beckett) into the matters, decides to recall Port Royal's old governor.

[winter]

Quite frankly, I don't see a way it could be shorter. No gratuituous battles like in the second one :)

[winter]

Oh, it's definitely one that'll hold up with a second viewing :) Just like the first one (IMHO the second one could use about half an hour cut from it). I love the way both Will and Elizabeth progressed from their childlike dreams to real pirate-ness.

[alice_montrose]

AU sounds great! =^___^=

[winter]

Which on one hand makes a lot more sense re: why Davy Jones was so ticked off, but on the other, I'm not sure if I don't prefer the iconic-ness of Will being the Spirit of Piracy and Elizabeth - well, probably becoming Pirate King and running the whole monopoly on preying on shipping while pretending to be a nice housewife in Port Royal just because That's Fun ;)

[winter]

*eyedart* Am really tempted. Especially because Peter'd probably know Teague and would adore to show off his Spanish lace and l33t medical skillz and Arabella, who'd by that time look as classy and kickass as Helen Mirren crossed with Judi Dench.

[alice_montrose]

Then shall I make it my endeavour to tempt you even more, by telling you I have a set of links regarding nautical issues (such as the names of stuff on a ship, etc) that might come in handy and that you wouldn't have to look up yourself?

[winter]

Fortunately I'm not too bad at that stuff myself :) Used to read a LOT of pirate books.

[alice_montrose]

Yeah, me too. Emilio Salgari is quite entertaining for me, actually... Though I used to watch even more pirate movies whenever I could catch them on. Must love the fact that Europe (and well, italy in particular) has produced some quite nice pirate movies.

However, my tems are mostly known in Romanian, so looking for the correct English equivalent... helps.