Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End

In the third and perhaps final episode in the swishy, swashbuckling "Pirates of the Caribbean" saga, the cannibals, coconuts and landlocked locations have been replaced by the high-seas high jinks that made the first film so enjoyable. And the palpable relief as the myriad plotlines rush toward some semblance of resolution has made everyone quite giddy; even our passion-deferred lovers, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann (Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley), appear marginally less bored with each other. Or at least less bored than we are with them. Forever above the fray and beside the point, Johnny Depp’s devilish buccaneer is the light footed device that holds the franchise together. Because of the abundance of unpleasant human characters, all of whom lie, cheat and betray one another at the drop of a flounder, the burden of creating an emotional connection with the audience must be borne, ironically, by characters whose humanity has long since evaporated. From the pathos of Davy to the tragic yearning in the barnacle-encrusted face of Bootstrap Bill Turner (Stellan Skarsgard), the film reminds us that great acting can transcend even the most elaborate makeup.