Pirates of the Caribbean

[norwich36]

I wasn't expecting to see people dressed up for the film today (I thought all the really diehard fans went to the midnight show), but there were about 25 eight-year-olds in costume at the screening I went to. They were too adorable for words, though I honestly wouldn't take an eight-year-old to this film.



Had I known the whole movie was just set-up for the third installment, I would have waited to watch it. I do like this universe (the characters and basic situations), but I've never been able to rewatch the first movie, so going into this I had pretty low expectations. I think that served me well.

This film was at least an hour too long, and I really could have done without 90% of the whole Davy Jones thing, but there were two things I really liked: the last swordfight, and the exploration of what honor means. That last sword-fighting scene was really probably my favorite swordfight in any movie, ever; I absolutely loved how they went BEYOND over the top, and took it all the way into outer space, or whatever the metaphor above "over the top" would be. I was laughing like a complete idiot through the whole thing, especially when the water wheel broke free and they kept fighting on it, and when Elizabeth and the two idiots kept passing around their two swords to fight Davy Jones' men. I thought it was hilarious and fun.

I also liked the exploration of "what honor means" that affected every major character throughout the film. I didn't notice this, particularly, when watching--it came to me when I was reflecting on why the portrayal of Norrington made me crazy. Initially, I didn't like what they did to Norrington's character at the end of the film--I couldn't *believe* he would cave into East Indies Trading Company bad guy like that--but as I think about it *every* major character in the film ends up with her/his honor compromised, and needing to be rectified, in the next film, so I'm still hopeful that they're actually setting Norrington up to have more to do in the next film. I *really* hope he's setting up EITC bad guy in a big way. Otherwise I'm going to be really disappointed, because in the last film Norrington struck me as the person least likely to compromise his honor.

And thinking about this made me realize that the whole plot is driven by devil's bargains, and by the attempt to maintain personal honor in circumstances when you are driven to choose among your loyalties. Governor Swann twice betrays Will to save Elizabeth, entering into a devil's bargain with EITC Badguy similar to Jack's bargain with Davy Jones. Jack is so bedevilled by his own satanic pact that he never really does make the choice to do the right thing in this film, though I loved Elizabeth's conviction that he would surprise even himself someday. Elizabeth remains true to Will, but only at the ultimate sacrifice of Jack (and her own honor) in a scene that actually felt perfect, to me. Elizabeth does have the perfect pragmatism of a pirate, as Jack himself pointed out, and I love how she used his own desires against him, and yet later regretted having made that choice. (I also thought it perfectly fitting that he went down with the Pearl). What is really interesting about Elizabeth's choice, though, was that in choosing faithfulness to Will above Jack, she has inadvertantly convinced Will she is in love with Jack. Since I actually think their triangle is an interesting one (unlike 99% of love triangles in history), I think they might do something worthwhile with this in POTC 3.

And to continue with my theme of honor, Will himself also plays with his honor in this. His first loyalty is to Elizabeth, but he hopes to convince Jack to embrace the cause, working from the paradigm that women should always be protected (I assume) and that Jack will naturally share that conviction. I like that when Jack basically sells him out to Davy Jones, Will feels in no way honor bound to keep bargains with Jones (he wagered his soul but never meant to keep the bargain, it was just a ruse to find out where the key was--there's the pirate in Will!) but he does mean to keep his vow to his father. The fact that he cannot, currently, means that like the others, his honor has been somewhat compromised at the end of the film--but less than anyone else's. I wonder what that will mean for the sequel. I *hope* it means it will have a little more substance and character development, and a little less of the boring action sequences.

It's not that I don't like action romps--like I said, I really enjoyed the swordfighting sequence on the island, and I also even enjoyed the escape-from-cannibals sequence (though don't even get me started on the depiction of race in this movie. Good grief!)--but I would really have liked a little more character development. Will's interactions with his dad were really the only gestures in that direction, and probably for that reason I enjoyed Will a lot more in this movie than most of the other characters. I really wish they had taken half an hour away from sadistic disgusting Davy Jones scenes and given that to Norrington and Elizabeth--giving each of them a little more to do, maybe.

Comments

[sadface.livejournal.com]

Had I known the whole movie was just set-up for the third installment, I would have waited to watch it.

I shouted 'what the fuck' in the cinema as soon as it finished. I didm't know that was going to happen, why did no-one tell me? *cries*

Norrington was my hero, now he's ruined, I don't even know why because I couldn't follow the convoluted 'plot'. There seemed to be peril where there really wasn't any nesescity for it for god knows what reason (bumping up the time to annoy me).

I didn't go in with low expectations as such. I had read it had been panned, and that it was really bad and I was willing to accept that my main thing was 'its got Jack Sparrow how bad can it be?'. I just, I don't know why he was the way he was, he wasn't *that* slapsticky in the first one, i just don't...

That said, your honour motif pleases me although I found most instances of it in the film either heavy handed or convoluted to the point of ridiculous, I don't think we had enough character development time for me to properly associate a given path to a character. I am mostly mad about Norrigton because I loved him in the first movie and I don't really understand why controlling Davy Jones means controlling the sea (he doesn't really seem like the agreeable type to me, much more likely to send his men to sneak onto Port Royale and steal the heart back).

Sorry, i'm ranting again. I was trying to be intelligent for a minute there. :D

[skuf.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the review - I'm thinking I'll properly go see it, but it's good to have my expectations downplayed as far as possible, as I was thoroughly entertained by the first movie, and would expect to e so again.

[bop-radar.livejournal.com]

That last sword-fighting scene was really probably my favorite swordfight in any movie, ever; I absolutely loved how they went BEYOND over the top, and took it all the way into outer space, or whatever the metaphor above "over the top" would be.
Oh TOTALLY! I love it when films push things just soooo far that it's completely hysterical. I always think of it as the filmmaker forcing the audience through a speeded up version of the Brechtian stages--you know, apathy, boredom, anger... into HUMOUR!

they're actually setting Norrington up to have more to do in the next film
I hope so! They could make a very interesting story with him, which is why I squeed--and like you, I hope the third movie reveals a greater purpose for him; otherwise it's just sloppy characterisation. I think it was fabu who pointed out how we don't know the motivations of so many of the protagonists at this stage. I hesitantly agree--I have Fear that there's some just sloppy characterisation going on, but I will hope for the best!

in choosing faithfulness to Will above Jack, she has inadvertantly convinced Will she is in love with Jack. Since I actually think their triangle is an interesting one (unlike 99% of love triangles in history), I think they might do something worthwhile with this in POTC 3
*nods* I think the triangle is conceptually interesting--I was certainly very glad about the paradox--but it's lacking in spark or sexual chemistry for me, because Keira's such a dead fish. (hmmm! possibly not the best metaphor ever! what was I trying for there?! fish on the brain with this movie!)

I wonder what that will mean for the sequel. I *hope* it means it will have a little more substance and character development, and a little less of the boring action sequences.
*nods* Yes, like you and asta77, I found the action sequences really fun, but I still want more substance. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

though don't even get me started on the depiction of race in this movie. Good grief
Heh! ;-) Does that mean I can't start on about the depiction of women?!
Or should I say 'women', given Keira's androgyny!? *bitchy*

I enjoyed Will a lot more in this movie than most of the other characters
Interesting! For me, he was the one with least development in this movie. His interactions with his dad--hmm, well they fell a bit flat for me, as I couldn't see where they were going in terms of character development. But I can see now I was probably just one-eyed for Jack, Jack, Jack and Norrington. I do agree Norrington and Elizabeth could have been given more time (even though I hate Elizabeth), but I also think they didn't succeed (if they intended to) in making Will's story quite as central as they did in the first movie. I was very interested to read that review that read the movies from Elizabeth's perspective--a completely different take to me, but well-argued. But it's really raised in my mind the question of 'who IS the central character/hero?' And I'm irked that we'll have to wait for the third movie to truly find out... or perhaps it will still be unclear--if so, I hope they manage the balancing act of three, or four, different character journeys. Not easy! I'm scared someone's going to be character assassinated in the process.

[norwich36.livejournal.com]

I think the triangle is conceptually interesting--I was certainly very glad about the paradox--but it's lacking in spark or sexual chemistry for me, because Keira's such a dead fish. (hmmm! possibly not the best metaphor ever! what was I trying for there?! fish on the brain with this movie!)

You're not having much luck with female characters in movies this summer, are you?

I know a lot of people hate Keira (in general, or at least in the POTC movies) but I don't. I wouldn't say she's my favorite character or anything, but I'm fine with her, and don't find her particularly wooden. She didn't have much to do in this one, but I liked her bonking Norrington over the head and I loved her swordfight scene.

His interactions with his dad--hmm, well they fell a bit flat for me, as I couldn't see where they were going in terms of character development.

Really? Because for me the big theme in the movie is how much pirate there is in all the characters. Will spent a lot of the last movie worrying there was a lot of his dad in him, and I think he found out that is true, but in a good way. I agree that Orli is a little flat in his portrayal of Will (like he is in all his movies--but his prettiness usually carries things for me), but I actually thought Will was the most heroic character in the movie.

I think, unfortunately, that the writers see Will and Elizabeth as the main characters of the trilogy, so they're the ones who are going to be the main heroes in the next film. I am slightly worried about what they might do to Norrington, since he isn't really a major character.