Overbloated POTC

You can never have too much of a good thing (e.g. $$). So when you feel something is too much, it probably isn't a good thing. "Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End" is one of those instances when a movie tries to stuff in too much for its own good.

Clocking in at 2 hours 48 min of swashbuckling action, it's way overbloated. You probably wouldn't fall asleep, but it does get you wondering at some point when it is ever going to get down to serious business and quit dilly-dallying around, like Captain Jack Sparrow.

Many people can't seem to get enough of Johnny Depp, who reprises his role as the most famous pirate since Captain Hook. But the producers probably got a little too carried away this time round. What you get is too much, or rather, too many Jack Sparrows, in dubious scenes reminiscent of a certain 'Hougang Chalet'. Otherwise, Depp is dependable as always to deliver an excellent performance and draw in the big bucks.

Double/triple-crossing also happens more often than in any mafia movie, with characters switching allegiances at the snap of a finger. Which can be pretty confusing if you are wondering who's on who's side, and sometimes you're not sure if they're even making sense. It all just seems a little contrived. Or rather, there are too many "hidden agendas" giving rise to a number of convoluted and awkward plot twists.

Cast-wise, apart from Depp, Chow Yun Fat (Sao Feng) and Geoffrey Rush (Barbosa), most of the other leads put in mediocre performances. Keira Knightley (Elizabeth) shows some guts, but her looks probably get more attention than her acting. Orlando Bloom (Will) is forgettable, and a much bigger vase than Knightley. Naomie Harris (Tia) was superb in her cameo in Dead Man's Chest, but brings nothing much to this movie. Tom Hollander (Lord Beckett) is a little too sissy for my tastes, and can't positively command the screen as the biggest villain in the trilogy.

That is not to say the movie is worthless. As with its predecessors, the sets, action and effects are meticulously designed and brilliantly executed. Humour, fortunately, is sustained, thanks in large part to the many sidekick characters, including a monkey and a parrot. The rousing score and haunting theme ('Hoist the Colours') also stand out. If the producers could just trim the excesses, and cut it down to a lean and mean 2 hours, it might have been a more worthy conclusion to this popular trilogy.

Anyway, everyone's gonna watch it regardless of the reviews, so I wouldn't even bother to recommend it (or not). But at 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, you might do well to curtail your expectations before entering the theatres.